The Best Couch Lint Removers
From the classic sticky paper option of yesteryear to speedy electronic shavers, lint removers come in all shapes and sizes to keep your furniture as lean and clean as when you first bought it. And to help you get started on your spotless sofa journey, we've compiled a few of our favorite removers below.
What to Look For
When you’re trying to decide which lint remover is right for you, first, you’ll need to determine your needs. If your couch is made of a material that pills up as your favorite sweaters do, then you’ll want to opt for an electric lint shaver like the one offered by iRuntek. This handheld device uses a rotating blade underneath a protective guard to cut away all the extra bits on your fabric without damaging the material itself. But if you have a lot of pets running around and leaving their hair everywhere, you won’t have much luck with an electric shaver. Instead, opt for a classic sticky lint remover, like the ones offered by Polardo, or go with one of the modern alternatives that use a brush or a textured edge to pick up all the unwanted bits. Read on to learn more.
Polardo Lint Rollers
Super sticky savings
Though there are many fancy alternatives to the lint removers of days gone past, some of us still prefer to use the traditional sticky roller like this one. And that’s for good reason: you get all the same efficacy without the high price tag, recharging struggles, and loud noise. In this super-saver classic lint roller set by Polardo, you’ll also get two reusable ergonomic grip handles and five refills of peelable sticky sheets. That’s 300 portable pruning sheets in total for one unbelievable price.
Pros:
- One thing we can’t get enough of about these rollers is how easy the sheets are to peel off. No more half-used bits of sticky paper to find on your floor later.
- Let’s be honest: sometimes we miss a few hairs on the couch before we sit down with a cup of coffee. Fortunately, these rollers also work great on clothes and are lightweight enough to carry in your bag for later.
Cons:
- The rollers are small- to medium-sized, so they won’t be as efficient for getting large areas cleaned at once.
iRuntek Rechargeable Fabric Lint Shaver
One bin to fill them all
One of the frustrations you may have with the classic sticky lint roller is dealing with the sheets themselves. Not only can you break a nail trying to peel them off, but you also get yourself more covered in hair and dust in the process. Fortunately, there’s a couch lint remover designed to be as easy to clean as it is to use. iRuntek’s rechargeable fabric lint shaver has a bigger, better collection bin that easily snaps off when you’ve snapped up all the fuzz pills in your house.
Pros:
- Even though this remover lasts for up to three hours when fully charged with the included USB cable, you’ll know if it’s running low thanks to the handy digital display.
- Don’t let claws ruin your favorite upholstery. This shaver can get rid of unsightly threads caused by playful paws up to an inch long.
Cons:
- The shaver only works on fabric pills and not on pet or human hair.
Popchose Fabric Lint Remover
Reach without risk
Electric lint removers are great because they not only get the job done faster, they’re less straining on your hands too. Because depending on how much lint you have, classic rollers take a bit of repetitive effort to get the job done. But with an electric lint shaver like this super ergonomic option by Popchose, you not only get your fabric clean faster, but you also save future wrist pain in the process. Moreover, the comfortable handle allows a full 180 degrees of rotation, so you can get at those hard-to-reach spots without struggle.
Pros:
- Those of us with sleeping toddlers want a lint remover that won’t wake the whole house every time we decide to clean our couch. Fortunately, this pick is quiet enough for your babies.
- With great power comes great responsibility. And because this shaver has six blades spinning at 9000 RPM, it also has a safety switch that turns the shaver off anytime the mesh cover is loose.
Cons:
- The dust bin fills up fast, so you’ll have to empty it more often than with other shavers.
Old City Unlimited Lint Remover
Get more with boar
Keeping our fine fabrics clean isn’t an easy process. While we don’t want our wool hats and suede couches to be covered in lint and hair, a lot of lint removers out there are more aggressive than they are accurate, causing loose threads and scuff marks in the process. Thankfully, here’s where an all-natural solution like this option by Old City Unlimited can really shine. Made with hand-finished wood and real boar hair bristles, this lint brush is gentle but firm when it comes to removing hair and debris without damage.
Pros:
- This brush doesn’t just do its job — it also looks great doing it. Made of solid beech wood and treated with linseed oil for a nice patina later on, this remover is an object worthy of display itself.
- Despite their gentle touch, the boar bristles on this lint remover are as durable as they are efficient. You’ll only need to sweep them across your couch and cushions once to get most of the hairs and dust particles off your fabric.
Cons:
- This lint remover is pricier than other non-electric options.
Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover
A remover to take the edge off
When it comes to keeping our fabrics free of hair and pills, it’s hard to find a one-size-fits-all solution. That’s because our rougher car upholstery may require a different level of care than our cashmere sweater. But what if we told you there was a lint remover that could do both? Gleener’s Ultimate Fuzz Remover comes with three interchangeable edges to clean your clothes and furniture, no matter the material. Plus, you’ll get to choose from six bright colors to match your home decor while you’re at it.
Pros:
- Thanks to the quick-release button that lets you easily switch between the edges, this lint remover is perfect for arthritic hands. And because you get more lint in one swoop, you’ll also save your wrists from painful repetitive motions.
- If you have lots of surface area to cover, this is the lint remover for you. The large head and battery-less design mean you can de-lint and de-pill a medium-sized couch in under 15 minutes.
Cons:
- Because there’s no bin to catch the collected debris, you’ll have to manually remove it from the edge when it builds up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a lint remover damage my couch?
That depends mainly on the type of lint remover you have and what fabric you are using it on. For example, if you’re working with an electric shaver, you’ll want to be careful to avoid running it across snags in the fabric that could cause a hole. And if you have a suede or fine leather couch, consider using a gentler alternative like a brush to protect your upholstery.
Why does fabric pill up anyway?
Unfortunately, pilling is a fact of life for most fabrics. When fibers break, they can become tangled together, eventually forming the tell-tall ball that you see on your favorite sweaters. But while you can’t protect your fabrics forever, you can prevent pilling from happening too early by washing your clothes inside-out in the machine. Doing so will prevent unnecessary friction from tearing the fibers.
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