How to deal with dog fur in the washing machine in my new rental property?

[trickyex]

I have just collected the keys to my new rental and was shown round by the owner who seemed very nice.
The previous tenants had a dog which I found out when I opened the washing machine and saw dog fur, which is a bit grim.
After she left I tried cleaning it up but there is a lot. I am unsure if the filter has been cleaned.
I have paid my deposit and first months rent but am not happy with this.
Am new to renting (broke the chain for a house sale) so am unsure of what the protocol is.
I have sent a message to the owner but not heard back yet.
WWYD?

Honestly, I would just wipe out the machine and the door seal, clean the filter, and run a service wash. If it’s actually broken, then call the landlord to fix it.

That's what I thought but I wiped the door seal real well several times and loads of hair still came out.
Will try again and do a service wash.

I would have checked this if I were the landlord. Bit disappointing as the rent is not cheap.

I bet they washed all of their dog beds and blankets before they left.

Make sure you have the inventory amended to include this, especially if the landlord doesn't arrange cleaning.

However, I think you'll find you need to put your rubber gloves on and scoop as much hair out of the drum and seal as you can.

Then run a hot wash to clean it. There are hair dissolving products, although I don't know how well they work.

After the wash check inside for more hair that has been loosened, then empty the filter. You'll find instructions online. Have a bowl and put down a towel to catch water that might escape.

Then do another hot cleaning cycle. A sponge (that you can throw away afterwards) in the wash might help catch loose hair.

Sadly, it's not unusual moving in after pet owners. Hopefully there are no fleas 🤞. Have had to deal with that nightmare before.

You can buy pet hair dissolver for washing machines, it’s called Vamoosh.

Take a cloth round the door seal into the creases, that should scoop out any fur in there. Then take out the filter, clean and wash, pop it back in.
It’s not a big problem at all.

Thanks for all the tips. I was a bit upset to find this but am sure I can get it sorted.
its the door seal which is bad but will keep at it.

Wow, I didn't know that. That's brilliant.

i was just coming on to say you can buy pet hair dissolver. I have a dog and my machine is nothing like that at all so they must have washed every single pet item they own before they left.

Thank you. I've had hairy dogs for 25 years and never knew this!

You beat me to it, yes this stuff is great.

Another vote for Vamoosh. It’s very good for dissolving pet hair and giving your washing machine a good clean. I buy it from Amazon and use it about every 4 months.

Thanks, will get some of that.
I am still quite upset that the landlords didn't bother to clean the machine before showing me round and taking my 2K deposit and rent.
I would feel mortified in their shoes.
But glad to know it can be sorted easily.

Are you really quite upset about some dog fur?

I would be. It’s revolting.

Gross of them to do that to you (especially since I got stung for a cleaning fee moving out of a rental because there was washing powder residue in the drawer of the washer).

Like other posters I recommend Vamoosh, use it in a 90 degrees wash and it should sort the problem.

My own dog's fur in my laundry is quite different to choosing to not have dogs but finding fur in my freshly laundered underwear or baby's clothing.

Put on some rubber gloves, get some kitchen roll damp and run that around the seal a few times to collect it into bits you can take out and put in the bin. Do the same with the back of the drum, the sides and then the bit just behind the front and the door itself. It'll take you about five minutes including chucking a small amount of powder into the drum, closing the door and starting a hot wash just like most people would when using a secondhand/rental machine for the first time.

The filter is irrelevant because that's for when the water leaves the machine - if you feel like doing it, go ahead with lots of towels on the floor, but it's not going to affect any of your clothes.

Ditto. I have a massive problem with dog hair on things. Was fine about horse hair, oddly. Hate the idea of my clothes going into a machine with dog hair in it. Might be part of my cPTSD from living with my mother and her mangy mad mutt.

I agree with most of this apart from the filter, as cleaning it is a basic maintenance procedure that many of us (me included) often neglect.

It doesn't take much hair - dog or human - or buttons, coins, bra underwires, etc, to collect in the filter and then for mould to congeal causing smells and potential drainage issues which transfers the undrained bacteria or hairs to clothing.

Ignore the filter for too long at your peril ☺️

I live in my own house with a dog. I don’t eash
my dog bed or blankets in my machine but take them to one of those laundrettes at service stations because of the dog hair.

This thread is a great thread to show that tenanrs will do things like this as they are tenants that they probably wouldn’t do if it was their own house. But of course the landlords fault 🥴

Yet you inflict your dog's hair on the unsuspecting general public who can't perform the many cleaning stages required to try to eradicate the hair from their laundry.

Yes I am upset by unexpected dog hair inside a washing machine I will be using. I am not a dog owner and have a reaction to dog hair and saliva.
I was being shown round by the landlord who clearly hadn't bothered to check/look inside the washing machine. I did so while we there and it was very obvious the previous tenants had a dog, which the landlord knew and confirmed.

There was also human hair in the sink plughole in the bathroom. I was told the house had been fully cleaned.

After paying nearly 2K deposit and over £1500 a month in rent I think I am entitled to feel upset and annoyed.

These are checks which I would do myself if I was renting out a home with a high rental cost and I would feel embarrassed if I were in the landlords shoes. Its dirty and not very respectful.

No @Twasasurprise because they are public machines so if you do your washing in thrm
you accept the risk! Dog beds, horse blankets, cat beds - I’m guessing everyone does it.

Would love to know where you live that this is a high rental cost. However, by the time it's been through the wash, anything left will not have any dander or saliva attached to it.

You probably won't want to be checking the shower drain, though. That's far, far worse than a quick wipe with some damp kitchen roll.