Get out of a hairy situation: How to stop pet-hair covered items from ruining your washer

If you have a dog or cat, heads up. Pet hair can ruin your washer.

When your clothes get hairy, Consumer Reports says the worst thing you can do is toss everything right into the washing machine.

"When you mix water and pet hair, it clumps. It can get caught in those little drain holes inside of your washer drum, or even clog your drain pumps and that could put a lot of stress on your plumbing," said Hinaya Rae, Consumer Reports Home Editor.

The best thing to do is deal with pet hair before you put your laundry in the washer.

Use a lint roller or tape to get the hair off.

In spots where pet hair becomes embedded in fabric, you can use a damp rubber glove.

You can also throw your clothes in the dryer with a dryer sheet, on a no-heat setting. The dryer sheet will loosen the hair off clothes and the hair will get caught in the lint trap.

Another good idea is to run an empty wash cycle once in a while and wipe down any hair left inside.