Is it OK to Wash a Dog Bed in the Washing Machine?

In General, it is absolutely OK to wash your dog bed in the washing machine unless the care label advises other methods. It’s important that you read the care label before deciding on the washing approach.

In most cases, a dog bed or any small pet bed should fit into an average-sized washer.

So as long as the care label recommends machine wash there shouldn’t be any issues.

When cleaning a dog bed in the washing machine, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use pet-safe detergent whenever possible.

For small dogs or cats, you can always wash the entire bed as long as the size of the bed is small enough to fit in the washing machine.

However, regardless of your washing machine type, always follow the washing machine care instructions as well as the bed care label carefully to ensure that your dog’s bed stays clean and hygienic without compromising your washer’s safety.

While some materials can be washed in a washing machine, cedar chip and other delicate foam fillings may break or deteriorate in the washer.

So, it’s important that you go through the care label once. It won’t take long to read.

And always make sure to use a pet-safe detergent when planning to wash the bed. This will help kill bacteria and bugs.

Ideal Temperature to Wash Dog Beddings

The right temperature depends on the type of dog bed and the detergent used.

Ideally, the dog bed should be washed at the highest temperature possible, to kill germs and parasites.

Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions before you start washing your dog’s bedding. If you’re not sure, try soaking the dog bed for ten minutes in a disinfectant solution before washing it.

With that said, an ideal temperature to wash your dog’s bedding is 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).

How to Dry Dog Bed After Washing?

It’s always best to air dry them naturally.

Once you are done with washing, simply run a spin dry cycle in the washer to get rid of excess water.

Next, hand them in a clothesline to air dry naturally.

Once you take off the dog bed from the clothesline, make sure to check for dampness in the thickest parts.

If it’s too damp, you can use a hair dryer on low heat to dry it thoroughly.

Once dry, gently pull it apart and fluff it up. Later, you can replace the covers if there are any.

Lastly, do not forget to reassemble the dog bed once it’s dry.

Ideal Frequency to wash dog bed

Before washing your pet’s bedding, you must consider your pet’s activity level.

How much hair does your pet shed and how many times do they sleep? If you’ve noticed a lot of hair on your bedding, consider washing it twice a week.

Similarly, if your pet has allergies or spends a lot of time outdoors, you may want to wash the bed once a week.

Remember, the longer the interval between washings, the more difficult it is to remove stains.

Tips to keep your dog bed clean

Here are some quick tips to keep your dog bed clean and hygienic.

• In order to minimize odor and health risks, you should wash the bed on a regular basis.
• The frequency of washing will depend on how much your dog sheds and how long it spends outdoors. However, the ideal frequency to wash your dog’s bed is once a week or once every two weeks.
• Before washing, it is important to first soak the bed in hot water. Presoaking helps kill bacteria and insects that can make the bed smell bad.
• For large beds, you can place them in a bathtub or large washing machine at your local laundromat. For small dog beds, you should place them in the washing machine and wash them in hot water.
• While Pre-soaking you can always use a liquid disinfectant like a Lysol OR Dettol in order to sanitize and kill the bacteria.
• Every once in a while you can keep the dog bed under the sun for some time (Without Washing).
• Using an enzyme cleaner OR good stain remover before washing a dog bed is recommended to remove tough stains (Kind of Pre-treating).
• Always make sure you keep your pet bed clean by vacuuming it regularly.
• After washing, make sure you wash your dog’s paws so that they don’t get dirty immediately after washing.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is that you can surely wash your dog’s bed in a washer as long as your washer is able to accommodate the size, and most importantly if the care label allows machine wash.

While machine washing the bed, always ensure that you are using a detergent that is strong enough to kill the bacteria.

If you are using a regular detergent, it’s best to pre-soak the dog bed in a disinfectant solution like Lysol for 16 minutes before machine washing.