Your turn to help me –
I need to invest in a lint brush, and I need your expert reviews. What’s the best eco-friendly lint brush option out there?
I’m leaning toward this Evercare Magik Brush (right), since it’s the kind that you can use over and over again sans extraneous waste — meaning there’s a possibility I could even get it used, greenifying my purchase even more. However, I need to know that this thing actually works over the long term before I bring it into my apartment.
If this brush only holds up for a few brushings, I don’t wanna get it — because that means I’d be sending another clunky synthetic thing into the landfill. A sticky tape-based roller like this (left) might be the better option in that case — even if it means a piece of tape waste after each use….
Both the items are cheap, so price isn’t an issue — It’s about potential for eco-friendly reuse. Lemme know if you’ve tried either of these, and how you’ve liked them — or if you know of another lint-removing gadget I should consider instead.
I have a dog, so my need for a “lint” brush is pretty acute. I’ve tried the reuseable one and it doesn’t get the stiff dog hairs off my clothes. I prefer the sticky roller one and have been buying refills for the same one for at least 8 years. (Well, two, I have one upstairs and one by the door.)
The other good thing about the sticky ones is that it’s great for pulling off crusty stains. Every once in a while I’ll get bit of chocolate or maybe brush against my dirty car. Rolling the tape over these sorts of spots actually pulls the dirt off. I’ve spared myself laundering and dry cleaning this way.
If you actually use the refills, I think it should be okay to use the tape, the backing is a masking tape style paper (I throw mine in the recycle when I’m done) and the core is paper fiber.
I’ve also used these:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Scotch-High-Performance-Strips-Transparent/dp/B00007L6BO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1204049045&sr=1-6
I didn’t actually buy them, they were in a desk at an office I ended up working in and I kept them, they’re great for travel because you can, you know, use them as tape or as lint/spot removers. Of course I’ve also recycled those plastic window thingies from FedEx when our company switched to DHL. It’s amazing how many sticky things at the office will work for dog hair removal!
Comment by cybele — February 26, 2008 @ 10:09 am
I have cats and dogs. So I too have a serious need for a lint brush. I have tried both and still actually have both. What I have found is the sticky one is way better on clothes and the other reusable one works but it seems to work better on furniture. I would recommend the sticky roller.
Comment by Roxanne — February 26, 2008 @ 10:32 am
Growing up, we always had a brush like the Evercare one and my mother never bought any disposable ones. I think they work great on most materials; however, if it doesn’t, you can always use a piece of tape for those hard to get off areas. That way, you’re not supporting the use of the throw-away brushes. Just a thought.
Comment by Rachel — February 26, 2008 @ 1:14 pm
Evercare. You don’t have pets (and actually, it works really well for cat hair and most short dog hair).
Unless your own stray hairs are problematic, then get the sticky stuff. Long hair is about the only thing that the masking tape-ish stuff wins out over the Evercare brush on. Just remember to clean the brush after using it.
Comment by Cassandra — February 27, 2008 @ 12:16 am
Go with the Evercare. I had one a long time ago and it worked great. Now, with two kids, lint is so far down the list of objects I need to scrape off myself before heading to work that I don’t even bother.
Comment by Crunchy Chicken — February 27, 2008 @ 10:29 am
I was going to say all the same things as Roxanne, so I’ll second that. Also if anyone out there is still using dryer sheets (the conventional kind are no-nos but Mrs. Myers makes natural ones), I think I read somewhere that you can recycle those for lint/hair removal on furniture. I have a bag of used ones that I dampen and wipe off pet hair that way.
Comment by cokane — February 27, 2008 @ 10:54 am
The Evercare works better than the sticky one, for sure…or so says my wife.
Comment by David — February 28, 2008 @ 8:23 pm
Okay — since I’m pet free, I’m gonna go with the Evercare, since the votes seem about evenly split and the Evercare definitely produces less waste :) Thanks for your tips, everyone!
cybele — By recycling the tape, are you saying you’re putting the used tape in blue bins? That stuff actually can’t be recycled — you can read the paper recycling guidelines here — Here’s the most relevant portion:
“Paper that cannot be recycled as “mixed paper” includes food-contaminated paper, waxed paper, oil-soaked paper, carbon paper, sanitary products or tissues, thermal fax paper, stickers and plastic-laminated paper such as fast food wrappers, aseptics, and pet food bags. Paper with any sort of contamination or plastic lamination cannot be recycled.”
Wish they could be though :)
Comment by Siel — March 2, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
I came on this discussion while looking for an eco-friendly lint (really, dog hair) solution for myself. I’ve been suppressing my discomfort with throwing away the handles on the Scotch tape-style rolls, which we bought in a pack of 4 at Costco, and had been planning to write to them, suggesting they package the rolls with a single handle. Then my husband came home with another pack (we have a LOT of dog hair!), and it turns out Scotch (3M) is now making that tape from PLASTIC! I never tried to recycle the paper kind, due to the stickum on it. However, at least that stuff would eventually decompose in some way. That’s clearly not the case with plastic. Just last night, I wrote to both 3M and Costco, expressing my disappointment, and have had notes back from both– 3M will forward my concerns to their marketing and development departments (or perhaps the circular file;-)), and Costco is sending the note to buyers, and promises I’ll hear from them.
If any other readers here would be interested in bugging those companies, I’d cheer you on. Bear in mind that even 10 letters about a topic constitute a large response to people in marketing, as it represents the tip of the iceberg. They need to know that going with plastic, at a time when whole countries are banning plastic bags, is foolish and irresponsible.
Comment by Maria — March 4, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
I came on this discussion while looking for an eco-friendly lint (really, dog hair) solution for myself. I’ve been suppressing my discomfort with throwing away the handles on the Scotch tape-style rolls, which we bought in a pack of 4 at Costco, and had been planning to write to them, suggesting they package the rolls with a single handle. Then my husband came home with another pack (we have a LOT of dog hair!), and it turns out Scotch (3M) is now making that tape from PLASTIC! I never tried to recycle the paper kind, due to the stickum on it. However, at least that stuff would eventually decompose in some way. That’s clearly not the case with plastic. Just last night, I wrote to both 3M and Costco, expressing my disappointment, and have had notes back from both– 3M will forward my concerns to their marketing and development departments (or perhaps the circular file;-)), and Costco is sending the note to buyers, and promises I’ll hear from them.
If any other readers here would be interested in bugging those companies, I’d cheer you on. Bear in mind that even 10 letters about a topic constitute a large response to people in marketing, as it represents the tip of the iceberg. They need to know that going with plastic, at a time when whole countries are banning plastic bags, is foolish and irresponsible.
Comment by Maria — March 4, 2008 @ 2:22 pm