Just like us humans, our four-legged companions deserve to have their bed regularly cleaned and freshened. This is important for your pet’s health, your health, and simply shows your dog that you love and value them enough to keep them comfortable.
Even if you don’t have access to a washing machine, you can certainly achieve the same results. Be certain to check the directions provided by the manufacturer, and consider those instructions as well.
Supplies
The most important supplies you’re going to need are a vacuum, warm water, pet-safe cleaner, and a basin big enough to contain the bed. If you have nothing else, you will still be able to accomplish the job with a bit more elbow grease.
It helps to have a scrub brush, a towel, and/or a toothbrush handy to scrub out particularly tough stains as well as to add an extra source of friction. Having a lint remover can make getting pet hair our a less painstaking process, but if you don’t have one then duct or masking tape (respectively) are both common household alternatives.
For rinsing (especially large dog beds), I recommend a removable shower head or a hose. Without them to make rinsing easy, you will instead need to fill up a basin or tub big enough to fit the bed and knead it repeatedly, replacing the water until it no longer runs soapy.
When deciding on exactly what type of soap and disinfectant you’re going to use, make sure to use something that is safe for your dog and free of chemicals.
It is essential to your pet’s health and well-being that you strictly use natural, non-toxic materials free of bleach, chlorine, fragrance additives, petroleum distillates, nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE), isopropyl alcohol, diethanolamine, formaldehyde, perchloroethylene, phthalates, phenols, and any and all other harmful chemicals.
Natural alternatives I suggest are baking soda, gentle and chemical-free laundry detergents such as those made for babies or better yet for pets, and apple cider vinegar. If you have a foam or simply prefer it as a method of spreading, having a spray bottle dedicated to this purpose is quite useful.
Remove Debris
If your dog’s bed has been soiled with anything such as mud, urine, vomit, etc. then the first step is to remove as much of that from the surface as you can. If you haven’t already, beds with a removable cover should have the cover removed by now so that they can both be cleaned separately. Wring out any excess liquids, and soak up the rest with a towel.
If your dog’s bed is especially large or dirty, one effective way I like to loosen a lot of nasty stuff prior to scrubbing is by taking it outside and beating it like a rug! Once the bed is dry and dusted enough, get out your vacuum to suck up all the excess dirt, dust, and pet hair you possibly can.
For those of you with dogs that are especially fluffy (I’m pointing at you, Huskies), there’s undoubtedly still some fur left over. This is when you can use your lint roller to remove as much of that as you can.
Clean, Rinse, Repeat
Start by spraying with a stain remover. If you don’t have stain remover, you have two natural options:
- One part detergent (baby or pet grade) and two parts warm water
…or…
- Half vinegar (apple cider preferred, but white acceptable) and half warm water
Spray it all over; don’t be shy and feel free to soak it through. Then, fill up your basin or tub with enough warm water to fully submerge the bed.
If you only have baking soda or you just have a super nasty pup, you can put a quarter cup of either baking soda or detergent in. Let it soak for 15 minutes, and if the water browns, then replace it and repeat the soak one more time.
Rinse everything out, then spot clean using baking soda, vinegar, or detergent. You can certainly use your hands, but I think using a brush or towel and scrubbing in circular motions gets out any of the hair that got missed while removing debris.
For a bed with corners, crevices, and fancy stitching, use a toothbrush. Rinse everything out and repeat until there isn’t any odor, the water runs clear, and the bed and water are no longer soapy.
Dry
I would recommend that you allow the bed to air dry either overnight or all day in the sunlight before piecing it back together and returning it to the regular spot for your best friend’s use. Make sure it completely dries before putting inserts back into removable
Foam Inserts
Foam pet beds are very different from all-in-one beds and pet cushions with removable covers. As such, they have different cleaning instructions altogether. Note that whether or not you have access to a washer, it’s always better to hand wash your foam.
The washer compromises it’s longevity and keeps it soaked in water for long periods of time, making it more susceptible to forming mildew or mold.
- Remove debris in much the same way you would any other pet bed. When you vacuum the piece, I’d suggest a hand-held one so you can do so in circular motions, which helps massage dirt out from within the foam.
- Use a spray bottle full of (a) one part detergent and two parts warm water, or (b) half vinegar, half warm water. Spray it all over and make sure to get both sides of the foam well covered, but don’t soak it. When it’s moist to the touch, it’s perfect.
- Stain remove and spot clean by sprinkling baking soda on it, then blotting stains until they’re gone. Dust off baking soda as it gets full of grime.
- Sprinkle with a coat of baking soda and let it sit overnight.
- Completely remove all baking soda remaining, vacuuming it off. Make sure the foam is completely dry before replacing the cover.
Keeping Your Pet Bed Clean
For my own dog, we utilize blankets and sheets atop his bed as not only added comfort but something very easy to replace and keep things clean.
There are special covers as well, plastic covers for the inserts under removable outer cover to protect the bedding without jeopardizing your dog’s comfort for cleanliness. If you’re crafty, you can make multiple outer covers and launder them in batches to save yourself time and energy.
