One of my biggest pet peeves is the fur that collects around our house. In exchange for the unconditional love and affection of our animals we get a collection of fuzz and dander left about on the couches and rugs, and sad little tumbleweeds that roll gently across the wood floor. I’m not a big fan of using lint rollers on furniture because of the amount of tape I go through, traditional furniture brushes don’t do it for me, and using my vacuum on a surface so close to my face is just out. I know where that thing has been. No thank you.

So, I went looking for reinforcements to assist me in “Operation Fur Removal” and found the Pledge Fabric Sweeper. This hand-held device is comprised of two textile-covered rollers and works by running the sweeper over fabric in short strokes. The hair that is picked up gets trapped inside a canister in the handle.

In terms of ease it definitely takes a little time and effort to effectively brush the sweeper over all the surfaces of our furniture. The material on my couches is loose, so I had to hold it tight with one hand, while sweeping with the other. I must say, though, I was thrilled with the amount of hair it picked up. (look for my “Make Your Own Muppet “ craft kits – coming soon!). I also like that the fur is contained so it doesn’t go flying away, only to land somewhere else.

After all of the excitement of finding an effective fur-fighting ally, however, I came to a disappointing realization. Like many products these days the Fabric Sweeper, which retails for about $5, is made from plastic and is marketed as multi-use/disposable. Depending on your house and how much you use it, the “multi use” can be limited. You cannot empty the canister; once it’s full you have to throw it away and start again. As helpful a tool as the Sweeper is it’s hard for me to justify that much waste, and I will probably continue to look for a solution that’s a little more earth-friendly.

Chasing fur tumbleweeds AND saving the planet? All in a day’s work for a mom!