We love our furry friends, which is why it’s important that we take care of their accessories. From leashes to beds, collars to harnesses it’s important that your dog’s accessories are regularly cleaned and thoroughly dried so that your dog stays happy and healthy. 

• Fabric or nylon collar and leash
• Leather collar 
• Harness
• Bed

Fabric or nylon collar and leash 

Your dog’s collar and leash need to be washed regularly, at least once every 2 weeks, as they are likely to get dirty when you take your dog for a walk. You may find yourself washing your dogs collar more frequently, perhaps once a week, as it will come into close contact with your dogs skin and therefore needs to be kept clean and sanitary to prevent your furry friend from becoming ill.  

To clean a fabric or nylon collar and leash you will need…

• Lukewarm water
• Pet shampoo or hypoallergenic detergent 
• Soft bristled brush

To begin washing your dogs fabric collar and leash fill a basin with lukewarm water and add a few drops of pet shampoo or hypoallergenic detergent. If you are using detergent you must make sure that it is hypoallergenic as anything stronger will be too harsh on your dogs skin and could cause irritation. 

Once your basin is full, submerge your leash and collar in the water and leave it to soak for 30 minutes. This will allow your detergent, or shampoo, to penetrate the leash and collar, removing any dirt and bacteria. 

After 30 minutes, use a soft bristled brush, such as a toothbrush, to scrub at any stains. For deeper set stains, work a drop of pet shampoo or hypoallergenic detergent directly into the stain, to loosen it. 

Once you are confident that you have lifted all of the stains and that the collar and leash is clean, rinse the items with lukewarm water. Continue rinsing until no more shampoo or detergent residue is released from each item. 

Finally, set your collar and leash to one side and leave them to air dry. Do not use them until they are both completely dry. 

Leather collar

Leather dog collars can be made with finished or unfinished leather. Finished leather has a coating that makes it more durable and water resistant, whereas unfinished leather is softer because no dyes or finishes have been applied. Regardless of the type of leather your dog collar is made from, it can not be washed in the same way as a nylon or fabric collar. 

To clean a leather dog collar you will need…

• Microfibre cloth
• Lukewarm water
• Leather or saddle soap
• Clean cloth

To being cleaning your leather dog collar mix a solution of lukewarm water and leather or saddle soap. You must make sure that you are using soap that is specifically formulated to be used on leather, or you risk damaging your dog’s collar. 

Once you have mixed your solution, dampen a microfibre cloth with the mixture and wipe down both the inside and outside of the collar. You may need to wipe each side a few times to ensure that it is adequately cleaned. 

After wiping down both sides of the collar, use a clean, dry cloth, to wipe each side dry, before setting it to one side to air dry. Make sure that you leave the collar to air dry away from direct heat as this can damage the leather. 

Harness 

Your dogs harness should be washed once a month, or as soon as it has become noticeably soiled by dirt. You may find that you are washing it a lot more frequently during the autumn and winter months as these are the seasons it is likely to get easily soiled. 

To clean a harness you will need…

• Warm water 
• Pet shampoo or hypoallergenic detergent 
• Soft bristled brush 

To begin cleaning your dog’s harness first shake off any loose dirt or debris that may be lingering and secure all of the buckles. 

Next, fill a basin with warm water and add a few drops of pet shampoo or hypoallergenic detergent. Submerge your harness in the water and leave it to soak for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, use a soft bristled brush, such as a toothbrush, to scrub at any deep-set stains. You may need to add a drop of shampoo or detergent to the stain in order to loosen it. 

Once you have removed all of the stains, rinse your harness in warm water, making sure that all of the detergent or soap is removed. 

Finally, set your harness to one side to air dry. Do not use your harness until it is completely dry. 

Bed

It’s important to keep your dogs bed clean as it’s an area your dog frequents on a daily basis. To make sure that it stays clean you should be washing your dogs bed every week. 

To clean your dogs bed you will need…

• Mild detergent 
• Baking soda

To begin cleaning your dogs bed first shake out, or hoover, the bed, collecting as much hair as possible. Then, check for and pre-treat any stains. You want to pre-treat stains before washing the bed for a higher chance of removing them. 

Once you have removed as much hair as possible and pre-treated any stains, you can put your dog’s bed in the washing machine. Dog beds are safe to machine wash as long as your machine is large enough to fit the bed. To your washer add a mild detergent and 1 cup of baking soda. The baking soda will help eliminate any odours from your bed and help lift dirt. Do not add any fabric softener to your machine as the perfume can irritate your dog’s skin. 

After your machine has finished its cycle leave the bed to air dry. If the weather permits, line drying your dog’s bed will help eliminate any lingering odours and dry the item faster. If not, leave the bed in an open and airy space to completely dry before using. 

Whilst you prioritise caring for your dogs accessories, we will prioritise caring for your clothing. Book your Laundryheap service today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.