How often should you wash your dog Bed?

Being hygienic is a non-negotiable part of living a healthy life. Just like we humans keep our bedding clean to lead dirt and dust-free sleep, even our pooch deserves that sense of cleanliness in their life. 

Most dog owners don’t bother to clean their dog’s bed and throw the bed out when it gets too stained, stinky and dirty. But, up till that moment, the bacteria, bugs, fungi, along with ringworm, or listeria can literally be present on their bed. 

Hence, when it comes to cleaning and washing your dog’s bed, it is not just for their health but for the hygiene of your entire family. 

Today we will be discussing such questions related to dog beds and have a clear picture of whether you are supposed to wash dog beds, how often it should be done, among others. 

What Are The Signs That It’s Time To Clean Your Dog’s Bed?

• According to your sense of smell, if the odour of your dog’s bed bothers you, then it’s time to put it in the washer.
• Similar to any human, even dogs can feel itchy with an increase in the dust on their bed. It is better to take the itching as a sign to wash the bed before your dog gets an allergy.
• Having said that, dogs can be allergic to some harmful substances. If something is spilled on their bed, and now they are refusing to sleep on it, then you should consider washing it. 

How To Wash Your Dog Bed?

To understand the process of washing a dog bed properly, we can get into a step by step procedure, where you must,

Step 1: Vacuuming the bed to remove loose dirt and debris

Vacuuming your companion’s bed before washing can help you in getting rid of bits of dog food, hair, dirt, dust, and other debris that your dog sheds. However, it can be tricky as well due to the tight spaces between the padding and/or seams. A vacuum head attachment, on the other hand, can assist you in this situation which is useful to access hard-to-reach places.

Make sure to brush out and vacuum the bottom, interior and exterior of the bed to remove those dog hairs and unhatched eggs from fleas and other insects that get entangled in the fibres of the material.

Step 2: Attend the stains before washing

Stubborn stains from dirt, feces or urine, drool, dirty paws is something that needs to be attended to before washing or soaking the bed. You can consider using an enzyme-powered pet stain remover or enzyme cleaner that can dissolve the stains or at least lighten them before the washer can do the rest of the job. 

At this stage, it is also important to select a spot cleaner that does not include harsh chemicals which are harmful to your pet. 

Step 3: Let It Soak

Soaking your dog’s bed in warm, soapy water can effectively handle that dirt and kill the bacteria. To carry out this stage, you can put in your washer if the bed is machine washable and soak it there without tossing it around. 

If your dog bed is too massive to fit your washer, then consider submerging the bedding in your bathtub or taking it to a laundromat.

To commence the process, soak the bed in the hottest water possible and add ¼ cup of pet-friendly detergent with ¼ cup of white vinegar. You can leave the bed for 15 minutes and wait for the detergent to break down the dirt and the white vinegar to neutralise the odour. 

If you feel that the water is turning brown, then consider a second round of the same procedure and leave for another five minutes. Even though white vinegar poses no threat to your pet, you can still use baking soda to scrub the bed as an alternative to white vinegar.

Step 4: Rinse away

If your dog bed is machine washable, then more than a couple of rinse cycles is vital to wash off the detergent properly, even if it is pet friendly. And, if you are washing it in a tub, then knead it to push out all the dirt and every last bit of detergent from the bed. Unlike a machine, it can be a little hard and can also require several rinses when you are washing it using your hands, but it is worth your time and effort. 

Step 5: Time to squeeze and dry

When it’s time to squeeze the bed, make sure to wring out as much water as you can before leaving it under the warm sun to dry. The beds that are machine washable can be dried using the dryer. But, at the end of the day, there shouldn’t be any moisture left in the bed to form mould and bacteria. 

How Often Should You Wash Your Dog Bed?

Honestly, as a dog owner, you should make sure to wash the dog bed more frequently. At least twice a week should be a standard procedure for cleaning your dog’s bed. However, it entirely depends on how active your puppy is and his/her activity levels. 

You may also consider getting a backup bed for your pooch to use when one is in the washer. Thanks to the variety of materials available in the market beds with removable liners, you can choose any dog bed which is easy to clean and maintain.

How Can I Freshen My Dog’s Bed Without Washing It?

There are many products in the market that remove the odour from your dog’s bed. But, most of you might not like to use it since it may be sensitive to your pet’s skin.

But, if you still want to give it a fresh odour without washing it, you should rub baking powder on the bed and let it be there for at least 30 minutes. Now, vacuum the bed. After that, you can put the bed outside in the sun for a few hours. Try to get the fresh air on both sides of the bed. You can flip it over and let it sit another few hours.

Can You Reuse Dog Beds?

With the right maintenance and washing procedure, a dog bed can be used for a long time. People even love to use their old dog’s name, toys, everything, including their bedding, when they get a new dog. And they do it solely due to sentimental reasons. 

According to many dog owners, you can definitely reuse the bedding of your old dog unless it is in a condition to be replaced.

Prevention For Minimizing Dog Bed Odors And Stains

You cannot always wait for the dog bed to smell bad and visually inconvenient before tossing it in the washer. You must remember that frequent cleaning of a dog bed is very crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle, not only for your pet but for your family as well. 

In order to prevent the bigger issue, you can follow the below tips to minimise such stubborn stains along with foul smell from your dog’s bed:

• You should ensure a routine cleaning between the washes to keep the dirt and dust on it as minimum as possible. 
• Apart from washing it thoroughly, you can wipe it with a cup of distilled white vinegar and one tablespoon of water each week to get rid of any bad smell. 
• You should definitely let the bed sit in direct sunlight once a week to kill those bacteria.

But, it should be your responsibility to keep your dog clean, which can lead to a clean dog bed. 

• When they come from outside, make sure to clean your dog’s paws before they settle in their bed with those mud, dirt and germs. 
• If you notice a stain on the bed, then try to clean it using water and mild liquid dish soap before it becomes too stubborn to break down. 
• Bathing your dog is the best method to prevent pet hair from getting all over the bed and other furniture and also keep the foul smell away.

Today, the bedding industry is equipped with a variety of dog bed designs, from waterproof liners, hypoallergenic memory foam linens, mould-resistant foam to machine-washable covers. However, even with various fabrics and styles, 

• It is highly recommended to keep it clean to minimise the level of odour. 
• The most effective method is to clean the bed once a week or once every two weeks, depending on your dog’s daily activities.  

Conclusion:

Every dog owner wishes to acquire a bed that is machine washable or maybe contains a material that is waterproof. Even though cleanliness is important to maintain a hygienic environment, the type of bed assists you in maintaining the same. 

BetterBed has chosen the Best Dog Beds In Australia for pet owners like you who are looking for a washable microfiber dog bed or maybe water-resistant fabric in the bed for a seamless cleaning proces