Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 14, 2026

Lint remover

A lint remover is a device that facilitates the removal of lint or other small fibers from most materials such as clothing, upholstery and linen. The most ubiquitous type of lint remover is the lint roller, a roll of one-sided adhesive paper on a cardboard or plastic barrel that is mounted on a central spindle, with an attached handle. Other designs include lint brushes and electric fabric shavers.

Last revised
Jun 14, 2026
Read time
≈ 5 min
Length
1,138 w
Citations
23
Source
Wikipedia ↗
A lint remover in use source ↗

A lint remover is a device that facilitates the removal of lint or other small fibers from most materials such as clothing, upholstery and linen. The most ubiquitous type of lint remover is the lint roller, a roll of one-sided adhesive paper on a cardboard or plastic barrel that is mounted on a central spindle, with an attached handle. Other designs include lint brushes and electric fabric shavers.

History

While traditional clothes brushes were used for removing lint and other debris from clothing since at least the 16th century in Europe,12 specialized cleaning tools for clothing that emphasized convenience, and often contained disposable elements, first appeared on the market in the mid-20th century in the United States.3 Early lint remover designs appeared on the market in the United States as early as 1948.4

Early designs

The "Brushoff" was created by Robert W. Lehrfeld, Inc. of New York City. It was similar in shape and construction to a felt blackboard eraser but "impregnated with a rubbery substance". Testing by Consumer Reports found it a slight improvement over a "bristle brush" for removing lint. However, it had a tendency to pick up lint and deposit it elsewhere if not regularly cleaned.5

Described by Consumer Reports as a mechanized "whisk broom," the Pixall Lint Remover, designed by Maywood Industries. Testing by Consumer Reports found the Pixall to be "a reasonable useful tool," with varying amounts of pressure needed depending on the type of fabric. The roller was orientated perpendicular to the handle like a paint roller. A five-foot roll of 3-inch-wide adhesive paper "emerges via a slot in the roller." This required fresh tape to be pulled through the slot after each use and refills were installed by taking apart the roller.6

Helmac "Lint Pic-Up"

In 1956, Nicholas D. McKay, Sr., an electrical engineer, conceived of a new lint roller design while on his way to chaperone an school dance with his wife. He wrapped masking tape around a toilet paper tube and affixed it to a wire coat hanger to remove the lint from his tuxedo. Soon after, McKay formed the Helmac Products Corporation (named after his wife, Helen) and patented its sole product: the Lint Pic-Up.789 Operating at first out of the McKay's basement in Flint, Michigan, by 1968, the Lint Pic-Up was being distributed nationally. By 1973, it was being sold in more than 60,000 retail locations.10

The product is popular among dog and cat owners, as it will also remove dog and cat hair from fabrics, carpets etc.11

Other types

Reusable lint roller

Reusable lint rollers use elastomers, including silicones and polystyrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene as a reusable tacky surface.1213

Lint brush

A similar device, the lint brush uses a fabric cushion mounted to a handle, that when rubbed one way across the fabric to be cleaned, picks up the small fibers. By reversing the direction of movement across the fabric or by picking off the excess lint, it is possible to clean the lint brush.14 Some lint brushes are double sided in order to allow the brush to be used in both directions and to extend the use of the brush by limiting wear.

Fabric shaver

Unix Fabric Shaver source ↗

A fabric shaver (also known as a lint shaver or fuzz remover) is a handheld electrical device that has a rotating blade underneath a blade net. It allows users to remove fuzz and pills on a fabric without damaging the fabric.15 It can be applied on various fabric-made items such as bedding, curtains or carpets, but is mostly used for removing fuzz from clothing, especially sweaters, hoodies, or clothes made from wool, angora or cashmere.16 Fabric shavers are normally powered either by non-rechargeable dry cells, or with an internal rechargeable battery and an external charger.

In the decades following their introduction, Helmac lint rollers were notably featured in Hollywood films, including The Accidental Tourist and Michael Moore's Roger & Me.1718 Moore handed out free Helmac lint rollers on his 110-city promotional tour for the film.19

The Best Friends Animal Society has hosted an annual "Lint Roller Party" fundraiser in Los Angeles featuring high-profile celebrities mingling with rescued animals.2021

In 2014, Drake was spotted using a lint roller while attending a Toronto Raptors basketball game. Soon after, the team and Drake announced a co-branded lint roller to capitalize on the media attention.2223

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Singman, Jeffrey L. (2010). Daily life in Elizabethan England. The Greenwood press Daily life through history series. Santa Barbara (Calif.) Denver (Colo.) Oxford: Greenwood press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-313-36560-7.
  2. "Rosalie's Medieval Woman - Medieval Clothing Care". rosaliegilbert.com. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  3. Bungert, Patricia J.; Darnay, Arsen; Gale (Firm), eds. (2008). "Convenience Cleaning Tools". Encyclopedia of products & industries--manufacturing. Gale eBooks. Detroit, Mich: Gale. p. 281. ISBN 978-1-4144-2983-0.
  4. Smith, Ernie (October 31, 2019). "Lint, Filtered". Tedium: The Dull Side of the Internet. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  5. "Brushoff—a good substitute for a bristle brush". Once Over. Consumer Reports. 15 (1): 4. January 1950.
  6. "Mechanized "whisk broom"". Once Over. Consumer Reports. 23 (5): 237. May 1958.
  7. Matranga, Victoria Kasuba (1997). America at home: a celebration of twentieth-century housewares. Art Direction by Karen Kohn. Rosemont, IL: National Housewares Manufacturers Association. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-9655487-0-0.
  8. Gordon, Joanne (February 3, 2003). "Brushing Off Mom". Forbes. Vol. 171, no. 3. p. 72. ISSN 0015-6914.
  9. Icons of the American marketplace: consumer brand excellence. New York, N.Y: American Benchmark Press. 2007. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-307-38345-7.
  10. Gill, David (November 25, 2014). "Nicholas McKay, Lint Roller Inventor, Dies". Home Furnishings News. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  11. Szabo, Julia (May 26, 2002). "Stylish paws". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. pp. 9N – via ProQuest.
  12. "Does this gadget work? A test of the Schticky Lint Roller". 18 January 2013.
  13. "Reusable lint remover".
  14. Meyer, Pucci (May 1977). "Some Stuff That Really Works: Maintenance". Ms. Vol. 5, no. 11. p. 69. ISSN 0047-8318.
  15. "What is a Fabric Shaver? (with pictures)".
  16. Schneider, Katy (6 February 2017). "The Sweater De-Piller That I Trust on My Most Beloved Cashmere".
  17. Associated Press (April 14, 1991). "Flint-made lint roller in movies". Lansing State Journal. p. 27. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  18. Flinn, Gary (2021). Lost Flint. Charleston, SC: The History Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4671-4492-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  19. Bullert, B. J. (1997). Public television: politics and the battle over documentary film. Communications, media, and culture. New Brunswick (N.J.): Rutgers university press. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-8135-2469-6.
  20. "The Annual Lint Roller Party". www.cbsnews.com. 2004-04-29. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  21. "Celebrity supporters and Los Angeles locals show up for the animals | Best Friends Animal Society". bestfriends.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  22. Beer, Jeff (May 1, 2014). "This Drake-Branded Bounce Lint Roller Might Be The Best NBA Cross-Promotional Souvenir Ever". Fast Company. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  23. Toronto, C. T. V. (2014-04-30). "Drake's courtside lint-rolling ritual inspires official Raptors roller". CTVNews. Retrieved 2026-04-19.