Samsung Pet Care Washer: What the Pet Care Cycle Does and Whether It Works

Samsung's Pet Care Solution top-load washers add a dedicated Pet Care cycle and dual pet hair filters. Samsung says the cycle uses water currents to loosen hair and allergens and trap the hair in the filters. Its figures come from Samsung's own tests, so treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.

If you are comparing washers with a dog or cat in the house, you have probably seen "Pet Care Solution" on models such as the WA54CG7150ADA4 and WA53CG7155ADA4. Here is what the feature is, what Samsung claims and how to get the most out of it.

What is Samsung's Pet Care Solution?

It is a package of features on certain Samsung top-load washers, built around two things:

• A Pet Care cycle (also called Pet Care Wash). A cycle set up for pet bedding, towels and fabrics with hair, dander and odor.
• Dual pet hair filters. Filters inside the tub that catch hair that comes loose in the wash so it does not end up back on your clothes.

Exact features vary by model, year and region, so check the product page and the manual for your own washer.

What does Samsung say the cycle does?

According to Samsung's product pages:

• Dynamic water currents help remove stains and allergens and loosen hair so the pet hair filters can trap it.
• The dual filters remove up to six times more pet hair than a machine without a pet hair filter.
• In Samsung's example, a Normal cycle on an older model removed 4% of pet hair, while the Pet Care Wash cycle with the filter removed 24%.
• A university-run test using Samsung's protocols reported removal of 99% or more of the dog and cat allergens tested.
• Samsung reports a rinsing ratio of 1.05 on this cycle against 0.402 on Normal, which it describes as about 2.6 times better rinsing.

Note what the 24% figure means. Even in Samsung's own test, most of the hair was not removed by the cycle alone. That is why pre-treating heavy loads still matters.

How to use the Pet Care cycle

1. Shake out or vacuum the worst of the hair first. Or tumble the items in the dryer for about 10 minutes without heat. See pre-treating hairy laundry.
2. Wash pet items on their own. Do not mix pet bedding with clothes.
3. Choose the Pet Care cycle on the control panel.
4. Use the right amount of detergent. Too much leaves residue on fabric.
5. Do not overload the drum. Water currents need room to move.
6. Empty the pet hair filters when the cycle finishes, then rinse them if needed.
7. Dry the items and clean the dryer lint trap. The dryer is where leftover hair collects.

Keep the washer itself clean

A pet washer needs more care, not less.

• Clean the pet hair filters after pet loads.
• Wipe around the tub rim and lid, where hair and lint collect.
• Leave the lid open after use so the tub dries. If you get a smell, see washer odor fixes.
• If water drains slowly, look for hair blocking the drain path. See slow-draining washer causes.

Is a Samsung Pet Care washer worth it?

It depends on what your laundry looks like.

It makes sense if:

• You have one or more shedding pets and wash their bedding often.
• Hair on clothes is your top laundry complaint.
• You are already shopping for a top-load washer in that price range.

It may not be worth paying for if:

• You wash pet blankets only occasionally.
• You already tumble and shake out heavy hair before washing.
• You prefer a front-load washer. Samsung's Pet Care Solution pages here describe top-load models.

Whichever machine you buy, the same habits do most of the work: loosen hair in the dryer, keep pet items separate, and clear the filters.

Bottom line

Samsung's Pet Care Solution is a real feature with a dedicated cycle and filters, and Samsung's tests show it beating a Normal cycle for hair. It is not a magic fix. Pre-treat the hair, use the filters, and keep the lint trap clean.