Pet hair gets into seemingly everything: blankets, towels, dog beds, clothing, furniture, car seats, and eventually the washing machine itself. You can vacuum before washing, shake blankets outside, use lint rollers, and run everything through the laundry, only to open the washing machine and discover that an impressive amount of hair has somehow survived.
That’s what makes Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver such an interesting product.
Rather than creating another gadget designed to catch pet hair, Vamoosh takes a very different approach: it is designed to actually break down the keratin that makes up pet hair, allowing the hair to be washed away.
Now Vamoosh is taking that idea beyond pet bedding with another complementary product: Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner, designed to clean the hair, residue, odors, dirt, and buildup that can accumulate inside the washing machine itself.
Even better for American pet owners, both products are now available in the United States.
We took a closer look at the Vamoosh system to see what makes it different, how the products work, and why anyone sharing a home with a heavy-shedding dog or cat might want to pay attention.
The Pet Hair Problem Doesn’t End When Laundry Goes Into the Washer
Anyone with a Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Husky, Labrador, or another enthusiastic shedder already understands the problem.
Pet hair has an almost supernatural ability to travel.
A dog may never go near your bedroom, yet somehow you’ll still discover dog hair on your pillow.
Pet bedding presents an even bigger challenge.
Blankets, towels, washable dog beds, crate liners, and other fabrics can accumulate enormous amounts of hair. Washing those items may make them smell better and remove ordinary dirt, but pet hair can remain stubbornly intertwined with the fibers.
That’s partly because hair isn’t simply another type of dirt.
Hair is primarily composed of a tough protein called keratin. Tossing hair into hot, soapy water doesn’t automatically make it disappear.
That’s where Vamoosh takes a different approach.
What Is Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver?
Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver is a laundry additive specifically designed to tackle pet hair during the washing process.
Instead of attempting to collect the hair with a ball, filter, brush, or other physical device, Vamoosh uses an active-oxygen formula designed to break down the keratin structure of pet hair.
As that structure breaks down, the hair can be washed away.
Vamoosh describes Pet Hair Dissolver as the world’s first pet hair dissolver for washing machines.
It’s an intriguing concept because it attacks the problem at the source.
Rather than asking, “How can we catch all this hair?” Vamoosh essentially asks, “What if we could break it down instead?”
For pet owners who routinely wash heavily covered blankets, towels, and bedding, that’s a significant difference.
How Does Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver Work?
The science behind Vamoosh is one of the most interesting things about the product.
Hair consists primarily of keratin, an extremely durable structural protein. Keratin is also found in things like fingernails, feathers, and claws.
That’s one reason pet hair can survive quite happily through an ordinary laundry cycle.
Vamoosh uses its patented hair-dissolving technology and an active-oxygen formula to attack that keratin.
During the wash, the formula is designed to break the keratin apart, helping the hair dissolve so that it can be washed away rather than remaining tangled in your pet’s bedding.
It’s a fundamentally different method from most pet-hair laundry solutions.
There is, however, an important requirement.
Temperature matters.
Vamoosh says its hair-dissolving technology works most effectively at approximately 185°F to 203°F, or 85°C to 95°C.
That’s considerably hotter than the temperatures many Americans normally use for everyday laundry.
Before using Vamoosh on any pet bedding, blanket, towel, or other washable item, you should therefore check the manufacturer’s care instructions to make sure the material can safely tolerate the required temperature.
How to Use Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver
One of the nice things about Vamoosh is that you don’t need to install anything or add another device to your laundry room.
The basic process is straightforward.
Place the appropriate amount of Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver into the washing machine according to the package directions, add your normal laundry detergent, and load your pet bedding.
Then run the appropriate hot wash cycle.
The combination of the formula, water, and high temperature activates the hair-dissolving process.
Vamoosh says the product is designed to work on pet hair while also helping eliminate odors and leave pet laundry hygienically clean.
The company also says Pet Hair Dissolver contains no chlorine bleach and leaves no chemical residue behind when used as directed.
That simplicity is part of the appeal.
There’s no filter to clean afterward, no ball to untangle from the laundry, and no special appliance.
It’s essentially an additional step in the normal process of washing your pet’s bedding.
But Where Does All That Pet Hair Go?
There’s another side to the pet-laundry problem that is easy to overlook.
Your washing machine.
Every time you wash something covered in pet hair, you’re putting that hair into the same appliance responsible for washing everything else in your household.
Some hair may leave through the machine’s drainage system, but hair, detergent, fabric softener, body oils, dirt, and other material can also contribute to residue and buildup inside a washer.
You may never see most of it.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
And that’s where the second Vamoosh product enters the picture.
What Is Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner?
Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner takes the company’s hair-dissolving technology and applies it to the washing machine itself.
Think of the two Vamoosh products as attacking the same problem from opposite directions.
Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver tackles the hair in your pet laundry.
Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner tackles hair and buildup inside the appliance washing that laundry.
That pairing is what makes the overall Vamoosh concept especially compelling.
According to Vamoosh, its Washing Machine Cleaner combines patented hair-dissolving technology with a 6-in-1 cleaning action.
It’s designed to:
- Dissolve trapped hair
- Eliminate bad odors
- Help prevent blockages
- Remove limescale
- Remove dirt and detergent residue
- Kill 99.9% of bacteria
That makes Washing Machine Cleaner relevant beyond households with pets.
Even if you aren’t washing dog blankets every week, washing machines can accumulate detergent residue, dirt, hair, and other material over time.
For pet households, however, the hair-dissolving component makes the product particularly interesting.
How to Use Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner
Using Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner is even easier because there’s no laundry involved.
Start with an empty washing machine.
Add the contents of the Washing Machine Cleaner sachet to the machine’s detergent dispenser drawer according to the package directions.
Then run the longest, hottest appropriate wash cycle.
If your primary goal is dissolving accumulated hair, Vamoosh recommends using a temperature between approximately 185°F and 203°F, or 85°C and 95°C, where supported by your washing machine.
Vamoosh recommends using Washing Machine Cleaner approximately once a month as part of regular washing-machine maintenance.
That creates a simple routine.
Wash the hairy pet bedding with Pet Hair Dissolver when appropriate, and periodically give the washing machine itself a deeper cleaning with Washing Machine Cleaner.
Two Products That Make More Sense Together
This is where Vamoosh becomes more interesting than either product viewed individually.
Pet Hair Dissolver solves a very visible problem.
You can see the hair on the blanket.
You can see the hair on the dog bed.
You can see the hair stuck to a towel.
Washing Machine Cleaner addresses the less-visible consequence of repeatedly putting those hairy items into your washing machine.
Together, the products create a more complete system:
Step One: Attack the pet hair in the laundry.
Use Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver when washing compatible pet bedding, blankets, and towels.
Step Two: Maintain the washing machine.
Use Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner periodically to help remove hair and other buildup inside the appliance.
It’s an approach that makes particular sense for homes with multiple pets or breeds that shed heavily.
A Particularly Interesting Solution for Heavy Shedders
Not every pet owner has the same hair problem.
Some dogs shed relatively little.
Others seem capable of creating an entirely new dog from the amount of fur they leave behind every week.
If you’ve ever picked up a dog blanket and watched a cloud of fur become airborne, you know which category we’re talking about.
In those homes, pet hair becomes a household-maintenance issue rather than merely a grooming problem.
It gets into upholstery.
It collects underneath furniture.
It sticks to clothes.
And eventually, a lot of it ends up in the laundry room.
Traditional approaches generally involve trying to capture that hair.
You vacuum the bedding first.
You use a lint roller.
You shake it outside.
You brush the dog more frequently.
You use pet-hair laundry accessories.
All of those strategies can still be useful.
Vamoosh simply adds another tool by targeting the structure of the hair itself.
That’s what makes it different.
What We Like About Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver
The biggest advantage is the concept itself.
Rather than simply moving pet hair around, Vamoosh is designed to break it down.
We also like the simplicity.
There’s no hardware, no installation, and nothing you need to permanently attach to the washing machine.
You use a sachet when needed and continue using your regular detergent.
The product is also designed specifically for pet laundry rather than trying to be a universal laundry additive.
That specialization gives Vamoosh a very clear purpose.
And now that the product is available in the United States, American pet owners have much easier access to something that was previously better known overseas.
What We Like About Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner
Washing Machine Cleaner may actually be the sleeper product in the Vamoosh lineup.
Cleaning the washing machine isn’t something most of us spend much time thinking about.
After all, it’s the machine that does the cleaning.
Shouldn’t it already be clean?
Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily how appliances work.
Repeated cycles can leave behind detergent residue, limescale, odors, dirt, and other buildup.
Add a household full of pet hair and there’s even more reason to periodically clean the machine itself.
Vamoosh’s combination of washing-machine cleaning and hair-dissolving technology makes the product particularly well suited to pet households.
And because Vamoosh recommends using it roughly monthly, it’s easy to incorporate into a regular household maintenance schedule.
Things to Consider Before Using Vamoosh
There is one issue prospective buyers should understand before purchasing Pet Hair Dissolver.
Again, heat matters.
The temperatures Vamoosh recommends for optimal hair dissolution are much hotter than typical cold, warm, or even many hot laundry cycles in American households.
That means you should check two things.
First, determine whether your washing machine supports the required temperature.
Second, and more importantly, check the care label on the pet bedding you’re planning to wash.
Not every fabric should be washed at 185°F or hotter.
The same common-sense rule applies to any laundry treatment: follow both the appliance manufacturer’s instructions and the care instructions supplied with whatever you’re washing.
Vamoosh Is Now Available in the United States
Perhaps the biggest development for GadgetGram readers is availability.
Vamoosh has been established overseas, but American pet owners can now get both Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver and Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner in the United States.
At the time of this review, Target lists a three-sachet package of Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver for $5.99, making it relatively inexpensive to try.
Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner is also available to American consumers.
That U.S. availability is significant because it turns Vamoosh from an interesting overseas product into something American pet owners can realistically add to their laundry routine.
As always, prices and availability can change, so check current retailer listings before purchasing.
Who Should Consider Vamoosh?
Vamoosh isn’t something every household necessarily needs.
But there’s a pretty obvious target audience.
If you own one or more dogs or cats, regularly wash pet bedding, struggle with hair remaining on blankets after washing, or simply want another way to keep your washing machine cleaner, Vamoosh deserves a look.
It becomes even more compelling if you have a heavy-shedding breed.
For those households, pet hair isn’t an occasional nuisance.
It’s part of everyday life.
And products that can reduce the amount of time spent vacuuming, brushing, shaking, rolling, and otherwise fighting that hair are worth considering.
GadgetGram’s Take
Vamoosh is interesting because it approaches an old problem from an unusual direction.
Pet owners have spent decades trying to collect pet hair.
Vamoosh wants to dissolve it.
The concept behind Pet Hair Dissolver is simple: attack the keratin structure of the hair during a high-temperature wash so the hair can be broken down and washed away.
Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner then extends that same basic philosophy to the appliance itself, combining hair-dissolving technology with a broader washing-machine cleaning formula.
Used together, they create a logical one-two punch.
Clean the hairy pet laundry. Then clean the machine that’s washing it.
We particularly like that Vamoosh isn’t asking consumers to buy an expensive gadget or dedicate space to another appliance. The products fit into a laundry routine that already exists.
The biggest consideration is the high temperature required for optimal hair dissolution. You’ll need compatible bedding and a washing machine capable of reaching the recommended temperatures.
But for the right household — particularly one with a serious shedder — Vamoosh offers an intriguing alternative to simply accepting that everything you own will eventually become covered in pet hair.
And really, that’s the appeal.
If your dog seems capable of producing another dog’s worth of hair every week, you’re probably ready to try something different.
Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver and Vamoosh Washing Machine Cleaner are now available in the United States, giving American pet owners a new way to attack the pet-hair problem from both sides.
For households where the washing machine regularly doubles as the dog-bedding-cleaning machine, that could make Vamoosh one of the more useful additions to the laundry room.