5 Genius Ways to Use a Squeegee on Nearly Everything, From Broken Glass to Stuck-On Pet Hair

People often think that using a squeegee is limited to cleaning windows, but experts agree that the tool is much more versatile than that. The squeegee’s rubber blade effectively picks up dirt, debris, and pet hair from a variety of surfaces, whether that’s carpeted stairs with tight corners or upholstered couch cushions. The width of the blade provides even coverage, while the slim design allows you to access hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Plus, a squeegee is lightweight for easy use, compact enough for space-saving storage, and unlike a vacuum cleaner, it’s ultra quiet. It’s also inexpensive and readily available at most retailers. Basically: What can’t a squeegee do?

We asked cleaning professionals to share some of their most unexpected and surprising ways to use a squeegee; and their genius tips have us actually excited for our next deep clean.

Reshaping Flattened Carpet or Rug Pile

If heavy furniture has left unsightly footprints on your carpet, Michael Williams, a cleaning professional and the owner and CEO of Michael’s Cleaning, suggests reshaping the dented surface with a squeegee. “After the furniture is removed, spray the dented area lightly with water and then draw the squeegee back and forth across the fibers,” Williams says. By doing so, the rubber edge of the squeegee will lift the pile by breaking up matted fibers and drawing them back up to their original position.

Williams says that professional cleaners often use a squeegee after deep cleaning a home for a show-ready finish. “Homeowners love it since it eliminates those unsightly furniture impressions instantly without chemicals or delay,” he says.

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Removing Pet Hair from Furniture

Using a squeegee is cleaning expert and owner of Clean Queen Katie Lambert’s favorite trick for removing pet hair from furniture. She swears by the method, saying it picks up more fur than vacuuming. “The rubber squeegee needs to stay wet,” Lambert says, “so I always have a wet microfiber cloth to wipe the blade.” Once it’s wet, she says starts at the back of the couch cushion and works her way to the front with short swiping motions.

Picking Up Broken Glass

Instead of using a broom or vacuum to pick up pieces of broken glass, Williams recommends grabbing a squeegee. Start by removing the larger pieces of broken glass, then sweeping across the shattered glass-covered surface with a squeegee. “The rubber picks up the surface near it and carries the little slivers along with it in a straight line you can then remove with a paper towel,” Williams says.

He says that the method works on everything from tile and hardwood to cement, and says it’s one of those professional tricks that’ll save both your feet and your vacuum bag.

Cleaning Carpeted Stairs

Carpeted stairs can be hard to clean, but Sara Aparacio, a professional cleaner and home expert at Homeaglow, shares that a squeegee makes for a quick, quiet, and surprisingly satisfying solution. She says it’s particularly effective for getting pet hair out of the nooks and crannies in carpeted stairs. “Vacuums can struggle with those tight corners, but a handheld squeegee glides right over the surface and pulls up fur like magic,” Aparacio says.

The cleaning pro recommends dragging the squeegee across the carpeted surface until you see the fur and collected debris clump up together for easy cleanup.

Car Detailing

Car detailing is another one of Aparacio’s favorite uses for a squeegee. She says a small squeegee is ideal for cleaning wing mirrors and interior windows without leaving streaks, while a larger squeegee can be used to remove water from the body panels to cut down on drying time and prevent water spots from forming. “They’re even more incredible on car mats and cloth seats, whether it’s pet hair, sand, crumbs or any other form of dirt and debris, as the rubber blade grabs everything that vacuums often miss, especially on textured surfaces,” Aparacio says.