Your dog’s bed is a cherished haven, but let’s face it – it can get messy. Washing it might seem like a task, but fear not! In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through each step on how to properly wash dog bedding!
How To Wash Dog Bedding
Tag Archives: Dog
How to care for your dog’s accessories
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.
How to care for your dog’s clothing 
We love our dogs. They really are our best friends. That is why it is important to stay on top of cleaning and caring for their clothing. To keep them safe and looking fabulous.
- How often?
- Check the care label
- Make repairs
- Pre-treat stains
- Seal the garment
- Use the right detergent
- Dry
- Clean your machine
How often?
Just like humans, dog’s clothing must be washed regularly to remove bacteria and keep them looking and smelling fresh. You will find that the frequency that you wash your dog’s items will vary depending on the season. For example, you may not dress your pup as often during the spring and summer seasons so their outfits will only need to be washed once a month. In the autumn and winter months, however, you might be dressing your dog every day and therefore washing their clothing biweekly, if not weekly.
Check the care label
Washing your dog’s clothing is not dissimilar to washing your own. Firstly, it’s important to always read the care label. Just like with human clothing, some dog clothing will be hand wash only depending on the material it is made from. You may also find that some items can only withstand a certain heat setting on your washing machine.
Make repairs
Before washing yours dog’s garment, check for any rips or loose threads that may become worse whilst washing. Dog clothing can be incredibly expensive so it’s best to make any mends whilst they are small and manageable.
Pre-treat stains
Just like with your own clothing it’s important that any stains on your pooch’s clothes are lifted prior to washing. It’s easy for your dogs items to become stained, especially when you take them for park walks, so give each item a thorough check before putting them in the machine.
To pre-treat stains, rub a small amount of heavy duty laundry detergent directly into the stain using either your fingers or a soft bristled brush. Make sure that the detergent is thoroughly worked in before putting it in your washing machine or moving on to handwashing.
Seal the garment
If you are machine washing your dogs clothing, make sure that all buttons, zippers, and poppers are closed. This will help prevent any snagging and loose threads becoming unravelled. You may also want to put the clothing in a mesh laundry bag to prevent any small accessories becoming detached and lost, and to manage the amount of hair that makes its way into your machine.
Use the right detergent
Your dogs skin is incredibly sensitive so you must make sure that you are using the right detergent. It’s best to use a hypoallergenic detergent that does not contain perfumes and dyes- the best option is to find a detergent for babies or sensitive skin. Alternatively, you can buy pet specific detergent.
If you notice that your pooch’s garments don’t smell particularly fresh once you have washes them, use baking soda to lift the smell. Mix a solution of two quarters of water and one cup of baking soda and leave your item to soak overnight. The next day, re-wash the clothing and you should notice the smell disappear.
Dry
Once you have washed your dog’s clothing, you must make sure that it is properly dry before re-dressing your pup. The best way to dry your dog’s clothing is to leave each item to air dry. This will ensure that each garment does not shrink and become tighter on your hairy friend, which is a possibility if you were to use a tumble dryer.
Clean your machine
If you are using a washing machine to wash your dog’s clothing make sure that you clean it once you are done. Your pups clothing will more than likely be hairy when it first enters the machine, and that hair will now be distributed in your washing machine. Take an hour out of your day to thoroughly clean your machine, ready for your next load of laundry.
Whilst you are taking care of your dog’s clothing, let us take care of yours. Book your Laundryheap service today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
