How to Wash a Dog's Bed: A Step-By-Step Cleaning Guide

It sits in the corner of the room, and it's your pup's absolute favourite place to take refuge, curl up in a ball and have their daily nap - the dog bed.

While it's an absolute necessity to have, especially if your dog lives indoors, often a dog's bed will quickly gather dust, fur and mud, and eventually you'll begin to notice a little odour.

The problem is that cleaning a dog's bed is a risky thing for two reasons:

• You want to avoid using any harsh chemicals that your dog might react to, but you also need something that'll do a thorough job of cleaning. Finding that balance can be difficult.
• Washing a large dog's bed can be a real logistical challenge.

We've put together a quick step-by-step guide to help you to navigate your away around this sometimes tricky task, and get the job done while keeping your pup safe and happy.

Cleaning a dogs bed: The step-by-step process

1. Make sure to get rid of any loose dust, hair and dirt first. We'd recommend getting out the vacuum cleaner and vacuuming over the outside of the bed - this will quickly improve the state of the bed without any cleaning products at all. Dog beds are usually made of pretty robust materials, so you wont have to worry about damaging the bed itself.
2. If you notice that there are any left over dark stains on the bed after vacuuming, this is a good time to clean them with the Rug Doctor Spot Remover. Simply spray the Spot Remover directly onto the problematic spot, and follow the instructions on the bottle - the pesky stain that's ruining your pup's bed will be gone almost instantaneously. As long as you let the bed dry out properly after spot cleaning, the Spot Remover is completely safe to use.
3. While getting the bed looking spotless is a priority, sometimes it's not the stain, but the stench that's causing the problem. We love our dogs, but there is no denying that after a full day of playing, they can sometimes carry a little doggy odour with them. To get rid of this, we'd recommend following up with an odour remover to neutralise the scent.
4. The next step is a little more thorough. If your cover is removable, unzip it and put it in the washing machine. Make sure you set it on hot wash to kill any bacteria and thoroughly clean the bedding. It's also important at this stage to make sure you're using unscented washing powder, to make sure that your dog's skin is unaffected. Remember to put a nice blanket down in it's place while it dries!
5. Rinse and repeat. Unfortunately, this type of cleaning isn't a one-off task. It's important to repeat these steps at least once every few weeks to keep the bed clean and hygienic.

Cleaners to watch out for (that might harm your dog)

Of course, there are a few things you should watch out for when cleaning around your pets, as they can be allergic and react to a few common products. Here's a quick list of chemicals we'd suggest looking out for.

• Floor cleaners: some floor cleaners have a particularly fragrant odour, which can linger long after your floor has dried, and can potentially be harmful to your dog.
• Ammonia: cleaning products that contain ammonia (often used for de-greasing things) can burn mucous membranes and when mixed with bleach, cause a poisonous gas that can be deadly to animals. Avoid these cleaners when tending to your pet bed!
• Formaldehyde: sometimes used in soap products, this is a carcinogen that is known to contribute to asthma - even in pets.
• Laundry detergent: check to make sure there are no toxic ingredients in the laundry detergent you're using, as the residue that's leftover can affect pets. This is especially important, if your dog is known to chew on it's bed.

A safer approach

If you're looking for peace of mind and the perfect product to get rid of the various stains that go hand in hand with owning a pet, take a look at our Ultimate Pet Stain Removal Guide for FREE. It'll tell you the best ways to keep your space clean and tidy, and keep your pets happy.

Make sure to also check out our Ultimate Guide to Owning a Pet: Everything you need to know.