DIY Pethair Handbrush - Anti Clog, Easy to Clean

let me introduce my new favourite (and all recycled) household item:

a handbrush that doesn't clog from all that pethair anymore.

I was tired of my old handbrush, full with pethair all over, impossible to remove - sure, it still works, but is not nice to look at.

3 cats and a dog did their work :)

So I came up with this easy and fast made alternative, made from recycled foam and reclaimed wood.

The result can be used without fear of clogging and can be rinsed in water to clean off any excess debris.

It takes about 1 to 2 hours from start to finish.

And: IT IS CAT APPROVED!

Step 1: What You Need

for the handbrush:

• a piece of wood, big enough for a handle
• some screws - I used 3 brass screws
• craft foam, or foam from packaging .... Try it out on your floors - it should not be too stiff and not to sloppy. - the one used in this instructable, came from a packaging, was medium stiff and quite thin, so I decided to make 3 layers.
• optional: wood oil or stain

Tools needed:

• ruler and pencil
• craft knife or scissors
• jigsaw, or handsaw
• a sander, or sandingpaper
• cordless drill with matching bits
• optional: a counter sink -makes prettier holes :)

Step 2: Cutting the Foam

with a craftknife cut the foam to pieces of

5cm x 15cm ( 2" x6")

if your foam is quite thin you may want to make more layers - mine was 7mm (0,3") thick so I went for 3 layers.

aim for 2 cm (0,8")

Step 3: Mark the Handle

place another brush on your piece of wood, and trace it - or go freehand - that's totally up to you!

position the foam, so that it as a little excess over the handles edge and trace around it. ( see the pictures )

Step 4: Cut the Handle

cut along your marks with a jigsaw.

Note: it's easier if you clamp it down.

Step 5: Make It Smoooooth

time to sand the handle - unless you like the rough look and feel of raw wood and don't mind splinters to much - then you can skip this step...

otherwise:

clamp the handle down and make the edges round and smooth

I used a power finger and a sander - this could be done with a rasp and sanding paper as well.

Proceed until your pleased with the handle and it feels good in your hand.

- cleaning is unpleasant, so at least the handle of your cleaning tool should be :)

Step 6: Foam Testfitting

insert the foam pieces, they should fit quite flush but with no tension.

if it's too tight, you have two possibilities:

1. more sanding, until it fits
2. heat the foam and make it a little more dense: I used a metalpiece and a torch to make the foam fit my handle

Step 7: Holes

predrill holes for the screws, so they won't split the wood.

use a counter sink to make the screws flush with the handles side.

add the screws

Step 8: Oiling or Staining

this step is for the little extra: adding stain or wood oil

-and of course it makes the handle longer lasting and more resistant for stains.

I left grey wood on some parts of my handle because I knew it look awesome when oiled with linseed oil.

Step 9: Angle the Foam

cut the excess foam to an angle

- that'll make your life easier while cleaning corners.

Step 10: Well That Looks Great

Now we come to the less fun part:

CLEANING your floors!

Well well, you have now a great tool that won't clog all the hair from your beloved pets - and that is a big plus!

- and you made it all by yourself!

the next step is about the use and cleaning of the handbrush

Step 11: Use and Cleaning

the handbrush works great on all surfaces in my home, hardwood, tile and laminate flooring.

almost no pethair sticks to the brush, and if it does it's simple to remove.

Of course it works also for all other stuff: dust, bread crumbs...

the best part is: just rinse it under water to get rid of dust and other debris stuck to the brush.

- If you rinse it a lot, don't forget to renew the wood oil to protect the handle.

I can highly recommend this brush to every pet owner!

Step 12: CAT PIC FRENZY

For all of you that can't get enough of cat pictures:

I hope you enjoyed your stay!

Yours

Mimikry