# Home-groomers and Pros - How do you deal with the mess?



## chinchillafuzzy (Feb 11, 2017)

Love this post. Others will chime in with ideas but I will just input a few things here. They do make clipper vac systems. They are very expensive but I have heard they are wonderful. I have never had the pleasure of using one myself.

You need a pair of grooming clothes. A shirt and pants. They can be purchased at grooming supply companies and they are kind of plastic-y non static fabric that the hair does not stick to. I use mine every time I groom and it is very helpful.

The other thing that helps me while grooming Luna is that I use a memory foam bath mat on her grooming table. I got mine at Costco. The hair comes right off it with my brush or comb when I finish grooming. Then I just wipe off my tools, put my table away and vacuum the bathroom. I have like the worst set up imaginable for grooming but the clean up isn’t too horrible. Now as for hair slivers, they are the worst and I get them all the time. I usually just pluck them with tweezers but you can also use a paste of baking soda and water applied to the area and it will help to draw them to the surface. I also should really wear a face mask while grooming but I forget most of the time. Hope any of this was helpful for you.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

BrooklynBonnie, I could relate to everything you wrote. No tips, just empathy LOL


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## asuk (Jan 6, 2017)

Lol!

I now wear an apron, I groom bit by bit and use a hand vacuum as I go for all the hair. It keeps the table relatively hair free. The hand vacuum doesn’t have a super powerful vacuum so I am able to briefly run it over his body without too much sucking power. I put him back in the tub after I am done grooming him and give him a once over with the blower and this usually get rid of the slivers and easy clean up.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I just did Beckie today and hopefully will do Merlin tomorrow.

I don’t do anything particular but I really don’t find it’s a big mess. And I’m pretty OCD about my cleaning. Maybe because I use a bath towel that I put on my kitchen table where I groom (the towel keeps the hair from flying everywhere) ?

There will be a lot of hair on the towel, a little bit on me and a little bit on the floor. I use my metsl comb to gather the hair on the towel; that gets 90% of it in one big pile that I put in the trash. Then I use the little brush on the vaccum cleaner to get the rest of it (I use it sideways so the towel doesn’t get eaten by the vaccuum cleaner). Then I use the vaccum brush on myself and use the regular brush to vaccuum the floor. 

The whole process takes about 10 minutes. Maybe your dogs have a different hair texture than mine ? Mine have very different hair textures though. Merlin’s is soft and never matts. Beckie’s is more dense and thick and she matts easily. Her hair is still soft, but less than Merlin’s.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I don't have problems with hair dust etc, perhaps because I groom Poppy at rather long intervals and use a 10 blade - my new Bravura may produce some! I try to avoid wearing fleece or anything synthetic when grooming, as the hair tends to stick to that sort of fabric. Clean up is easy - I groom in the bathroom which has vinyl flooring. Hair gets chucked into a corner as I go, and is swept up with my hands into a bag when I have finished, then table and floor get a quick going over with a hand held vacuum. If my front is looking hairy that gets vacuumed too...


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## BrooklynBonnie (Jan 16, 2015)

*Thanks!*

LOL! Thank you everyone! 

Chinchillafuzzy - OMG your response is like magic to me! A grooming suit - yes! I've never seen one but that makes so much sense. And I am going to look for the clipper vac system... I have a birthday in a couple weeks. :angel:

Zooeysmom - LOL thanks 

Asuk - I wear an apron too! To paraphrase a Simpson's character, "It does nothing!" I vacuum the tables and the floor afterwards but have to go over the floor with a wet Swiffer mop, and use a wet washcloth or paper towels to wipe the tables after still or it's all still covered in a layer of hairs. :-( But i have been thinking I need to move getting a forced air dryer higher on my priority list because I would like to blow the clippings out of the girls bodies - they spend a ton of time scratching after grooming and I know it's those dang little hairs bugging them!

Dechi and FJM - LOL! I was worried I would hear only responses like yours and feel like I was in a Twilight Zone episode! But actually, it seems maybe the main difference may be the size of the dog/amount of hair that gets clipped? I guess I need to downsize next time! :rofl:


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## asuk (Jan 6, 2017)

Bonnie, OMG, yes, you need to get a forced air dryer pronto! It’s def life changing!  I don’t know what I would do without it and I only groom one dog..lol


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## scooterscout99 (Dec 3, 2015)

I also use a towel on the table that keeps the clipped hair in place, and tend to be cutting longer lengths of hair off because of time between grooms, so maybe fewer slivers of hair.

Two other thoughts, I groom in my family room that has a rug, which also holds the hair in place. This wasn’t intentional, just the most logical space in my home to do this. Then I vacuum the floor afterward.

And, this time of year may be especially problematic because of low humidity indoors due to low temperatures outdoors. Static electricity may exacerbate clinging hair.

I wonder if hair slivers are why my dog is chewing on his hip and groin areas. Not enough chewing to remove hair, and no hot spots. (He’s had food sensitivity testing.) Perhaps I’ll try the force dryer in the bathtub post-groom next time.

Thanks for introducing this topic.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

BrooklynBonnie said:


> Dechi and FJM - LOL! I was worried I would hear only responses like yours and feel like I was in a Twilight Zone episode! But actually, it seems maybe the main difference may be the size of the dog/amount of hair that gets clipped? I guess I need to downsize next time! :rofl:


I didn’t think there was such a big difference between toys and miniature. How big are your dogs ? Mine are both about 11-12 inches and weigh 6 and 8 pounds.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

I take Poppy outside after grooming for a quick blow off with the HV dryer. You will have hair EVERYWHERE in the house if you do it indoors with that dryer. I do mean EVERYWHERE!

I use the hv dryer for cleaning leaves off the patio, leaves and junk out of the garage and I take all my cloth covered lamp shades outside to blow dust off of them. 

I have the Shelandy dryer from Amazon and it has been such a game saver for grooming.

I groomed Poppy yesterday. I throw sheets on the floor and table. I shook them off, vacuumed them, put them in the washer and dryer. The washer walls are covered in poodle hair inside and I will vacuum out the washer in a few minutes!


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I hate the mess too. While I have a towel underneath during the blow dry stage, I would never have a towel underneath while clipping and trimming because I would hate to have to clean a towel in addition to the table and floor etc. 

I keep a large plastic bag hanging off the table where the arm attaches to the table that has a fairly decent opening. As I trim I can push hair into the bag as it builds up while grooming. I have a hard time with hair piling up on the table and floor as I work (OCD but it’s not practical to keep everything pristine because I’d spend more time cleaning than grooming which isn’t fair to the dog). That bag makes things tolerable for me, less on the table or floor. Hair also falls on the floor. I am careful with what shoes I wear. Wool socks and shoes with lots of tread traps hair requiring their own clean up. Same with clothes, nothing like fleece or sweaters that trap hair. I have wood floors and leather furniture in the family room so everything is easy to vacuum and doesn’t trap hair. 

I have a whole house vacuum that I love to use at the end to vacuum everything from the brushes, trimmers, clipper, table top and everything around the table for about a mile (slight exaggeration but that hair can travel). My basic advice is keep as much as you can slippery surfaces that doesn’t trap hair. Get a bag or tall garbage can with an opening as close as possible to your work surface so you can quickly sweep it out of the way often. Don’t let piles build up and start to fly away. I think professional groomers just sweep to the floor as they are working and clean it all at the end. I prefer to have less on the floor so I’m not stepping in it. No matter what you do clean up at the end is required and part of the labor. Also maybe there’s a smaller more contained area you can groom in so less chance for hair to travel?

I still think it’s worth it to deal with the mess to groom your own dog. I do prefer to groom in steps which is easier on my dog.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

@Skylar I use a «*pre-used*» towel that already had to be washed. The dogs don’t mind, lol !


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Haha...I'm sorry you're having difficulties. Maybe I'll have some ides for you but it might not work if you don't have 7 and 4.5 lb poodles because for starters, they have less hair. I groom my boys about once a month, sometimes a little touch up in between. 

I have a nice grooming table in my laundry room but it's just not as good as sitting next to a window and I don't have that in the laundry room. I'll use it mostly for the quick once over brushing but that's about it. So, I wheel my stand dryer into the kitchen next to the table that's next to a couple of big, huge windows. You see...a black 4 lb poodle is hard to see without lots of light. :search: Next step is to cover my kitchen table with a vinyl table cloth. Then put all my clippers (I use two...big and mini) and scissors, clipper combs, comb, brush etc etc on the table and a plastic bag to put the hair that gets clipped. And a dryer sheet to wipe my hands when the static won't let the handfuls of hair get off my hands. I save the hair for the birds to make nests when it's the right season. I anchor the plastic bag down with something so the hair dryer won't blast it away. I have canned air at the ready in case I need to blow some hair out of the clippers. I can step outside, as the door is right there close. And I don my NYLON grooming smock. That's a must to keep the hair off me. 

So, I wash the poodles in the laundry tub. Toy poodles fit very well in the tub. I could do as many as 6 or 8 at one time...just toss 'em all in at once. J/K. Just one at a time. :act-up: I scoop them up with the towel after they finish shaking themselves a little and wander into the kitchen, telling them how wonderful they are. On the table they go and we begin drying/brushing until done. And start with the shaved parts and then clip. As I get enough hair off to make a handful, I scoop it up and put it in the plastic grocery bag that's opened on the table. I keep a few treats hidden under the lid of the box of attachment combs for when I think they're deserving. ha. Some hair will inevitably make it's way to the floor. I will either pick it up as I go if it's only one little bit. But if I'm spilling more, I say, "forget it. We'll get that later." But most of it gets put in the bag. 

When finished, if the floor is already too messy and I figure I'll be using my vacuum on bare floor setting anyhow...I'll take my canned air and blow the minute hairs that are left on the vinyl table cloth onto the floor. OR....if it's not going to be so much hair, I'll take a damp paper towel and wipe the table. I take my clipper blades off, go outside and use the canned air to blow the hair out. I'll leave everything set up for the next dog, usually the next day. And any possible touch-ups that I might notice later on. Or...if I don't do the whole thing at once but I usually do. So this is a two day operation generally. I don't have to use my kitchen table for meals, as I sit on the couch or at my island counter. The kitchen table is for art work (painting) or dog grooming or some other craft. It's also for guests who come for dinner. (don't tell them I groom my dogs on it) :afraid: It's actually all perfectly sanitary, as it's covered with a vinyl table cloth, plus my dogs are perfect anyhow. :angel::amen:

So get yourself a nylon smock meant for grooming dogs. And pick up as you go a little bit. Have things all ready and a place to put the hair right there on the table behind the dog. My kitchen table is nice and big (well....42"x66")and I can lay everything out and it's not all squished like it would be if all I had was my grooming table. This works pretty well for me. 

Hope some of my ideas help and that you have a less messy time.


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

I have a nylon grooming smock that works well to keep the hair off my top. I wear jeans most of the time, so hair does not stick to them.

I bathe and dry in the house, but I clip out in my workshop. I put handfuls of hair in the trash as I go, then the shop vac picks up the rest. The workshop was originally built as a 2 car garage, but I have added on to it to house all my woodworking equipment. One corner is devoted to dog grooming equipment.

I have a small grooming table set up by a big window in our bedroom - that's where daily brushing takes place. I have to re-do Zoe's topknot banding every day - she loves to crawl under bed covers and furniture and that does in her hair-do. Even though I do not do clipping in the house, we still have major hair issues, but they are primarily from the other three dogs. Shedding is minimal right now because it's cold, but spring is coming and so is the hair!


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## galofpink (Mar 14, 2017)

I don’t find the mess to be too bad with both my dog. I have a big garbage can I keep at the edge of the grooming table and sweep the hair off into the can as it piles up. I use the vacuum to vacuum the top of the grooming table and all around it when we are done. I groom in the living room in front of a nice big window and typically schedule the whole house vacuuming to happen on the days I do full grooms.

I’ve found that the more clothes I wear the itchier I get since the hair seems to get trapped between layers and stick - my go to grooming suit is now just my underwear and a pair of ballerina slippers with rubber bottoms. Minimal laundry and the hair doesn’t seem to stick. Make sure I tie my hair up good and tight and remember not to touch my face for any reason unless I go wash my hands first. Nothing worse than the feeling of having hair up your nose. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think it may be more to do with perfectionism - Poppy gets a rough and ready cut every 6-8 weeks, so the hairs are mostly long. Her coat is very soft, so no prickly bits - nothing like as tickly as when I get my own hair cut. And she is usually only bathed just before a clip, so there is some natural oil left in the hair, which helps weigh it down, perhaps. I have never been aware of hairs getting under clothing - perhaps we wear more layers in our climate, and that helps to keep them out?


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Just a quick note that a clipper vac system is different from an HV dryer. Example of some clipper vacuums at one of my favorite sites:
https://www.groomerschoice.com/Clipper-Vac-Systems/products/5/ .

I keep a towel under Oliver while clipping him, then gather any fallen on the floor and take the towel out to dump the hair. We don't seem to have too much of the little hairs that stick into the skin, but he is an apricot so has a softer coat.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Dechi said:


> @Skylar I use a «*pre-used*» towel that already had to be washed. The dogs don’t mind, lol !


Dechi, don’t you have to vacuum or comb out the fur that collects before you wash it? That’s what I’m trying to avoid. It’s easier to vacuum the top of the grooming table than it is to vacuum a towel to get it hair free, non? OTOH I can see where the towel keeps the hair from falling on the floor to some degree.


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## chinchillafuzzy (Feb 11, 2017)

Here is a picture to show my grooming outfit (I have two - this top is too large, but you can see what they look like.) Some of them have a zipper up the front so the sip on and off but both if mine are just pull overs. The pants are made of the same material. I don’t normally wear a shirt underneath but I think I was just being lazy last week and didn’t take my shirt off before putting on my grooming top.









You can also see the memory foam pad on the grooming table. I use a towel on the table while I blow dry her, then I put on the mat when I am ready to clip. It helps to catch the hair, but the hair sweeps right off with my brush or comb. Then I just fold it in half and leave it on the table for the next groom (I move the table outdoors under my covered patio when not in use.) Lots of good ideas here. If you get a clipper vac you will have to post about it. I will be so jealous!!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Skylar said:


> Dechi, don’t you have to vacuum or comb out the fur that collects before you wash it? That’s what I’m trying to avoid. It’s easier to vacuum the top of the grooming table than it is to vacuum a towel to get it hair free, non? OTOH I can see where the towel keeps the hair from falling on the floor to some degree.


Yes, towel gets vacuumed.


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## BrooklynBonnie (Jan 16, 2015)

Dechi said:


> I didn’t think there was such a big difference between toys and miniature. How big are your dogs ? Mine are both about 11-12 inches and weigh 6 and 8 pounds.


Mochi is 14.5 inches and 15lbs and Chuui is 15 inches and overweight at 20lbs. hwell:


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## BrooklynBonnie (Jan 16, 2015)

Man, you are all giving me some great advice and ideas! Some good laughs in here too! Thank you everyone!


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Chuckling here. I used to use a groomer that came to my house. It was a job to then clean up. I now take him to a groomer and pick him up. Definitely less mess. 

I have arthritis and tendonitis so cannot do his grooming myself, or I would probably be complaining too! Your way is for sure less expensive though.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I wonder how much of the hair "stickiness" is down to static, and/or hand cream or other moisturisers? It's not something I have experienced (except when making the mistake of grooming in a fleece!) and that could be to do with our climate - cool and damp - and our local water - very, very soft, so I very rarely use any kind of moisturiser. Or it could just be that your poodles have a much better coat than apricot toy Poppy!

I have to admit that I usually clip one day, do the full clear up the next, mostly because I always spot bits I have missed that need a tidy up. I live alone, so no one is inconvenienced except me, and I have a high tolerance level for mess and untidiness. Too high, looking at the current state of my sitting room...


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## Raven's Mom (Mar 18, 2014)

In nice weather I groom on the back screened porch. In the winter we are in the garage, so both places are easily swept up. I also wear a grooming apron but if it is hot out I will be stripping and heading for the shower to get the itchy hair off ASAP!!!


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Well darn, I have neither a screened in porch, nor a garage.


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## RSH (Feb 5, 2019)

I always groomed my own SP, and I used to groom her in the empty bath tub with a damp paper towel over the drain to catch hair. Once I finished clipping her and gatheingvup and tossing the big floofs of hair into a trash bag, I’d just shower off the both of us, towel her dry, and wipe down the shower area afterwards.


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