Yes, you can shave your sweaters, sofas, blankets, and towels. And, yes, you probably should be.
When it comes to keeping your favorite knits pill and lint-free, fabric shavers are saviors. That one hand-me-down sweater you adore but haven’t worn in a decade? A little fabric-shaving TLC can turn that right around. That cashmere blanket you invested in only for it to get all pilly willy-nilly? Consider it new again with the right fabric shaver.
Whether you’re treating your clothing, fabric furniture, towels, or decor, there’s a fabric shaver out there for the job. We went ahead and tested a number of them to find the best rechargeable ones, manual ones, budget-friendly ones…even the best on Amazon.
We also spoke with Melissa Maker, accidental cleaning expert, host of the Clean My Space YouTube channel, author of Clean My Space, and founder of Maker’s Clean, about what makes an ideal fabric shaver and which ones she prefers herself.
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We conducted thorough testing on a variety of fabric shavers to determine the best options available on the market. Each product underwent assessments of performance, durability, ease of use, and overall effectiveness in removing lint and rejuvenating fabrics.
The testing process involved multiple rounds of performance on different types of fabrics, from robust sofa upholstery to cotton, wool, cashmere, acrylic, and polyester, to provide comprehensive insights into the capabilities and limitations of each fabric shaver. Here’s a breakdown of our testing criteria during those assessments:
Sometimes, simple is best. The GLEENER fabric shaver and lint brush tackles more than just pilling, but lint, static, and pet hair. It’s rechargeable, which was a huge plus for us as well as Maker. “It’s not battery operated and has three different heads for fine, medium, and wide knits,” she stated. As far as what it can shave? It “runs the gamut of what you might have in your closet.” It’s also “inexpensive, yet high quality” to boot.
The GLEENER worked on upholstered furniture as well as it did fine cashmere, thanks to its interchangeable shaver heads. Because it’s non-electric, it didn’t get carried away and suck up whatever was in its path. It only went where we wanted it to and only shaved what we wanted it to. The dual ended design featured a lint brush that tackled whatever the three different blades happened to leave behind. Basically, this fabric shaver turned back the clock on everything it touched, all without damage, excessive time spent, or energy exerted.
While it may not be the cheapest on our list, it certainly is the most budget-friendly buy when it comes to electric fabric shavers. Complete with a handle for easy maneuvering, this battery-operated shaver is branded with a household name (we love you, Conair), making it easy to find on Amazon as well as drugstores a pinch. In terms of performance, everything we de-pilled with the Conair shaver was treated well. That said, we wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for your finest fabrics due to the inconsistent nature of its shaver head hole arrangement.
With its compact design and effortless operation, Ruri’s Portable Lint Remover excels as the top manual fabric shaver in our trials. Its ergonomic build and precise lint removal capabilities make it a go-to choice for those seeking simplicity and effectiveness in garment care routines.
For us, using these portable lint rollers was the best way to tailor our lint and pill removal to our specific needs or the needs of the fabric. By way of using different levels of weight on the tool, it worked beautifully to tidy up tough upholstery and cashmere alike.
Offering unmatched convenience with its rechargeable design, the Ruidla Fabric Shaver earns its place as the best rechargeable option among the fabric shavers we tested. Its powerful motor effortlessly tackles stubborn lint and pilling, while its ergonomic grip ensures comfortable handling for extended use, making it a standout choice for busy households and garment enthusiasts alike.
We found the Ruidla Fabric Shaver to really do the work — while letting us know it’s doing it. It’s slightly loud, but the power with which it operates makes the noise level make sense. We liked that its grip is close to the shaver head, which felt like it gave us more control over where it went and what it shaved.
“I’m aware that it’s an investment, but if you’re someone who cares deeply about their clothes, then it’s for you,” Maker said of the Steamery Pilo 2. Using this fabric shaver, which fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, is certainly a sumptuous experience. The soft outer material and minimalist design make the de-pilling process feel less like a chore and more like a luxurious ritual.
It’s rechargeable, which we found to be extremely convenient. It’s extremely easy to clean in between uses and has a quieter sound than other electric fabric shavers we tried. Its unique shape might be its best feature, though, as it gave a sense of control over the shaver head and never got uncomfortable.
This rechargeable electric fabric shaver by POPCHOSE combines ergonomic design and efficacy into one sleek package. Its hearty handle both sets it apart and makes it one of our favorites, especially for furniture or items with extensive surface area like blankets and towels. With a stainless steel (as opposed to the common aluminum) and rather large shaving head, it made de-pilling our couches easy, quick, and safe. What is more, the steel head with 6 razor blades beneath it didn’t pick up (which wasn’t much), it’s two backup brushes around the head did, whether it was static, lint, or even pet hair.
Garnering acclaim as our best option available on Amazon (yet also available on Walmart.com), the Magictec Rechargeable Fabric Shaver combines affordability with top performance. Its rechargeable battery and adjustable shaving settings provide users with versatile fabric care solutions, ensuring garments retain their freshness and appearance with minimal effort.
The circumference of each hole in the shaver head seemed larger than many of its competitors, making it ideal for large pills and lint hotspots. Moreover, we found the slightly convex head shape to be ideal for customizing lint removal simply based on the swivel of our wrists.
“Make sure it’s a quality one, because if it’s low-quality it might work too aggressively and ruin the fabric,” Maker said. “You can find inexpensive ones and some say you can use a razor blade, but you get what you pay for in most cases.”
“This has to do with the content of the fabric,” Maker stated. “Generally, synthetic fabrics with acrylic or knitted fabrics with wool and cashmere [pill more]. Their structure and the fact that they’re knitted causes pilling when they are exposed to friction. Some [materials] are worse than others and sometimes the pilling indicates cheap clothing vs. just the characteristic of the material,” like in the case of cashmere, she said.
“Anything that has a wide knit or an inconsistent knit (like a burnout garment or anything with embroidery or special applications like sequins)” shouldn’t be shaved, according to Maker. “Anything that is extremely thin that you’d be instinctively concerned about the integrity of during shaving. For instance, lace is too delicate.” When it comes to what you can and can’t shave or care for easily or to your own ability, “this should inform your shopping,” Maker advised. “Ask yourself: Does this material pill? Am I going to be able to care for this garment after using it?”
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