You know what I need? A carpet rake.

[Cimorene]

So, I'm getting kinda tired of killing all my vacuum cleaners with the giant, invisible hairballs living on my floor. (Brown carpet + brown hair = INVISIBLE KILLER HAIRBALLS OF DOOM :silly:)

My preferred solution to this problem would be to get rid of the carpet altogether, but somehow I don't think the managers of my apartment would be happy with me ripping it all up, chucking it out the window, and installing vinyl tiles instead. :rolleyes:

I have this great idea for a solution, though: a carpet rake. You could use it on your carpet prior to vacuuming to gather up all your shed hair, which you could then either throw away or put in the basket you have set aside for henna experiments and knitting projects. Then, having removed the hair, you could vacuum with confidence, knowing that your machine would live to suck another day. :D

Is there anything out there like this already? Would a regular garden rake work without damaging the carpet? Any budding inventors out there wanna take this idea and run with it? :deal:

[Aeris]

It does appear that they have been invented:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/appliances/vacuums-floor-care/roberts/carpet-groomer-with-12-inch-head-and-52-inch-handle-for-raking-matted-carpets-14617.html

It is a great idea though! I usually just stop vacuuming every few minutes to cut all the hairs from the roller on the bottom. I've almost set my vacuum on fire before by forgetting to cut them, it was scary :o

[summergreen]

I use a Hartz Cat Slicker Brush on the carpets (not the same one I use on the cat!) - more to pick up the kitty's hairs than mine, but it works really well on both. I've been using it for about 2 years, about once a week on average, and it doesn't seem to have damaged the carpets (that's the cat's job!)

[The-Young-Maid]

I use an old comb to collect all my tumbleweeds:D

[SunlightShines]

I feel your pain! Not sure who's worst, me or my dog, but between us we killed two vacuums! I bought my first home almost a year ago and the first thing I did was rip the carpets out! I'm all tile & laminate flooring and I love it! :)

[Sillage]

I use an old comb to collect all my tumbleweeds:D

Tumbleweeds! I like that word a lot better than hairballs. I'm going to start using it. It brings to mind beautiful desert gardens and arid vistas rather than gross hair clumps

http://i.imgur.com/a22Rd.jpg

:cool:

[EdG]

My former girlfriend once bought me a small shrub rake (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/AMES-Shrub-Rake-5GEA4) for use indoors.

The shrub rake can successfully remove hairs from larger areas of carpet. For smaller areas, one's toes make a good rake. :)
Ed

[spidermom]

My vacuum cleaner is pretty efficient at collecting those hairs. I only have to cut them off the roller once every month or so.

[melusine963]

A custom made device seems like a better idea than using my fingers, which is what I've been doing.

[tameriska]

I use a rubber squeegee, the type you use on car windows. It works well, although it would be easier if I tied it to the end of a broom handle so I didnt have to kneel down to use it, lol

[Miss Catrina]

Am I crazy, or was raking a preferred method of maintaining shag carpets back in the day anyway?

[PixxieStix]

I wonder if you couldn't use one of those "hair collecting" tools for getting pet hair off furniture and the like you find at pet stores? Thankfully my hair isn't long enough to cause this problem, but when I was younger and living with my parents.... heh, heh, oh the memories. *sheepish grin*

[jacqueline101]

I think my wild hair would take a rake hostage and then I'd be out of luck. No seriously I think I need something for my hair balls.

[teal]

I've heard of people sweeping before vaccuuming. No idea if this actually works in practice.

[Teazel]

Funny how my hair gets everywhere, in spite of my best efforts. I keep it confined and either detangle outdoors or on a hard floor (which I then 'sweep' with my fingers to collect any sheddings) but still I find glittering silver strands on the carpets. :doh:

At least I don't kill any vacuum cleaners, because I made sure not to buy one with a roller thingy.

I got a carpet rake some years ago, it's like a lot of little rubber fingers, but it doesn't work very well. The best thing I've found is to work over the rugs, rather in the way a chicken scratches at the ground, while wearing grippy-soled shoes.

[LittleOrca]

My mind SOOOOO went a different direction with the title of this thread... Im glad to see I was wrong! *Giggle!*

[princessp]

My mind SOOOOO went a different direction with the title of this thread... Im glad to see I was wrong! *Giggle!*

Lol! I have no idea what you could have been thinking :blushing: .

OP: I feel your pain!

[julya]

I'm with spidermom on this one, I just cut the hairs off the beater bar every so often. Keeps my vacuum happy.

[Gilly]

Carpet rakes were all the rage ages ago, a buddy of mine had one for her white shag pile, it did a great job, mybe you can still buy them where you get deep pile carpets???
Here ya go, I found one!
http://www.carpet-cleaning-equipment.net/carpet-rake.shtml:applause

[BranwenWolf]

I would use one but it would require me to move more things around to vacuum. I'd rather just turn the vacuum over and clean the spinny brush thingy out with a pocket knife.

[sibiryachka]

Am I crazy, or was raking a preferred method of maintaining shag carpets back in the day anyway?

Not crazy. In the early 70s the bedroom I shared w/my sister featured shag carpet in 3 shades of bright pink. It was every kind of awesome, but I can still recall my mother complaining about having to rake it after vacuuming to make the pile stand back up.


I've heard of people sweeping before vaccuuming. No idea if this actually works in practice.

That's what I do, and it does help, but this thread has me seriously thinking about getting a rake. Just a small plastic one... Worth a try, I think, if it could mean I'd have to take the seam ripper to the vacuum's bristle bar only every other time I vacuum.

[Bagginslover]

I use an old hair brush ;)

Our house is pretty small though, only upstairs is carpeted, and most of that is covered with beds! It takes me seconds to brush the carpet before hoovering, much faster than trying to cut the hair off the Hoover afterwards ;)

[ratgirldjh]

LOL When I first saw this thread I thought you meant you needed a carpet rake for your HAIR!!! :D

[white.chocolate]

I'm following this thread!

I've never heard of a carpet rake, and now I'm considering purchasing one, specifically for my carpet. Up to now, I've been vacuuming off the hair, which is extremely time-consuming and tiring. I managed to take advantage of the snow this winter for cleaning purposes. Works like magic. Does anybody else clean their carpets out in the snow?

[Cimorene]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions everybody! I'm seriously considering getting a small rake for the carpets. :hmm: I've tried sweeping before vacuuming, but my cheapo broom doesn't really loosen the tumblehairweeds enough for proper extraction. :lol: And stopping every 2 minutes to cut the hair off my cheapo vacuum's roller is just too much trouble. It takes me long enough to motivate myself to vacuum as it is. :rolleyes:

[Tabitha]

I remember those 70s shag pile (spot the double meaning) carpets. They make me think of Tom Selleck moustaches.

I find scuffing the carpet with feet clad in rubber soled shoes (eg running shoes) gets the hair up into nicely manageable, compact hairballs which can be easily thrown away.

[Chibbylick]

I have this, and it is brilliant for this purpose :)
http://shop.flylady.net/pages/FlyShop_rubba_sweepa.asp

[Monkey962]

I'm guessing I'm the only one who uses his hands? Pretty much everyone goes 'eewwwwwwwwwwwwwww' in my house when they have to pick any tumbleweeds up. It just doesn't bother me much. It's still hair, it's just not on your head.


Funny how my hair gets everywhere, in spite of my best efforts. I keep it confined and either detangle outdoors or on a hard floor (which I then 'sweep' with my fingers to collect any sheddings) but still I find glittering silver strands on the carpets. :doh:

My hair does get EVEYWHERE. My mother had me use one of those swiffer things on the high ceilings of our living room. When the job was done, there were a few of what I presume to be my own hairs on there!


My mind SOOOOO went a different direction with the title of this thread... Im glad to see I was wrong! *Giggle!*
I laughed a little too hard at this.:D

[Bijoux00]

I don't have a lot of carpet but just one small room is enough to upset my Dyson enough that I have to stop and cut the hair from the rollers.

I've always wondered why they didn't somehow add in a little blade that would automatically cut the strands before they had a chance to wind themselves tight.

Maybe it would be too much of a safety concern?

[long&blonde]

I definitely relate here! Couldn't believe the mess I had to cut out of the rollers,when it stopped picking up,& I smelled smoke! Luckily I saved it. I crawl thru my 2 room apartment picking up shed hair balls & putting in Giant eagle bag before I vacume now. When I looked at my vacune,all the hair I gather:short hair seems so Neat sometimes.

[Sewas]

I use a pet hair mitten to scoop up hair that collects on my throw rugs, and the Swifter sweepers do a great job on my tile floors.

[cwarren]

I'm guessing I'm the only one who uses his hands?


I use my hands too! I rub my hands over the carpet where I was doing my hair and all my shed hair rolls into a little ball. Its easier to pick up that way and my bf has no reason to complain :cheese:

[helanek]

i dropped by forums and saw this thread. :) i may have something for you

http://www.schmutzhaken.com/product.html

i have the indoor broom (top picture - yellow and brown)
you can use it for regular sweeping too, but better for carpets and pet/hair sweeping. not the cheapest, but i swear by it.

hope it helps :)

ps. i have no connections with the company - just a happy client. :)

[luxepiggy]

I have this great idea for a solution, though: a carpet rake. You could use it on your carpet prior to vacuuming to gather up all your shed hair, which you could then either throw away or put in the basket you have set aside for henna experiments and knitting projects. Then, having removed the hair, you could vacuum with confidence, knowing that your machine would live to suck another day. :D

Is there anything out there like this already?

Yup.

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/cleaning/broomsMops?productId=10019507&N=77383

It's essentially the brushbar part of the vacuum cleaner without the vacuuming apparatus attached. You push it 'round on the carpet, and all the hair that normally gets wrapped around the brushbar of your vacuum gets picked up in this thing instead. You still have to cut all the hair off the same way you would with a regular vacuum, but since it has no motor it won't burn out and die.