Last Updated on October 3, 2022 by Editorial Team
We love our dogs, and what’s not to love? They are loving and warm companions and the most loved pets among the 87 million-plus households with pets (38.4 percent in 2018). Just like we care for ourselves, caring for a furry friend’s environment keeps them happier and healthier throughout our stay with them.
Cleaning your doggy bed is an essential part of caring for them, but it is often overlooked until we can no longer stand the sight – or smell – of it.
We get it; cleaning is much easier if you have a bed with a removable cover.
But waiting until you can’t avoid it any longer isn’t the best thing for the pet or even your family members. Many diseases can breed in an unsanitary environment, such as one created by not cleaning your doggy bed regularly.
If you don’t have a dog bed with a removable cover, you’ll have to invest more time and energy to ensure the bed becomes adequately cleaned. Read on to learn how to clean a dog bed without a removable cover.
Remove Loose Dirt and Odors
Use baking soda to absorb any odors on your pet bed before cleaning. Just sprinkle generously all over the dog bed and allow it to sit for an hour or more. Vacuum to remove the baking soda together with other dirt.
You should vacuum your doggy bed to remove dust, particles, fur, hair, and loose dirt hiding in the fibers. Regular vacuuming also helps to keep the bed clean between washings. Run the vacuum several times with an upholstery attachment to remove all fur, dander, and loose dirt. Pay attention to corners and other nooks and crannies where debris can accumulate.
Remove Stains
You will often find the bed stained by urine or feces, dirt, mud, food, or different kinds of stains. Other stains require additional treatments to remove, but a stain removal treatment (store-bought) works for most stains.
Use the stain remover to spot clean all areas with the stains before washing; they may be harder or impossible to remove afterward. For example, blood stains become permanent when the fabric is exposed to warm or hot water. You can get a stain remover made especially for pet bed cleaning, as they often include odor eliminators.
Choose a product with no abrasive chemicals or artificial fragrances – you want one that removes odors and stains at the molecular level. Avoid bleach or chlorine-containing products like sodium hypochlorite (standard in household bleach).
Wash
If the bed is small enough, place the entire bed into your washing machine and follow the manufacturer’s care recommendations on the care label on the bed. Your dog bed should be washed in hot water to kill all germs (at least 140° F or 60°C). If you have waited too long between cleanings, run the wash and rinse cycle twice to remove all the dirt.
If your bed is too large for your washer, take it to an extra-large machine at your local laundromat or clean it by hand in your bathtub (you’ll need help). Fill your tub with hot water to kill any pathogens and insects or their eggs in the bed.
Pour a capful of mild detergent (natural for hyper-allergenic dogs) and one-quarter cup of white vinegar, an effective deodorizer. Vinegar, like baking soda, effectively removes odors, and it will be cheaper than store-bought deodorizers. However, some cleaners may be toxic or abrasive to your dog’s skin. Soak the bed for 15-30 minutes – until the water temperature is comfortable for you to handle.
Read also: 6 Best Carpet Cleaners for Pets’ Stain and Odor Removal
Rinse
On your washer, let your wash and rinse cycle run as programmed. If you have a hypersensitive dog, run an additional rinse cycle to remove all traces of detergent from the bed.
If washing by hand, squeeze out the wash water and rinse several times with hot water, squeezing out as much as possible (get someone to help!). Rinse until the liquid has no more soap bubbles.
Dry
If the bed fits in your tumble dryer, dry thoroughly at the highest temperature setting to ensure all the foam dries out. Sun-dry the bed on a sunny day and flip it to move all water from the sides. Ensure the bed dries appropriately, or an unpleasant odor will come from the foam. Worse, mold or mildew may grow inside the foam.
Conclusion
Once you have washed and dried the bed properly, wash the floor where the bed sits before putting the clean bed on it. Even if you don’t have a removable cover, you can cover the bed with a mackintosh and set a comfortable blanket on the bed.
Remove and launder the blanket regularly. Vacuum between washes to prevent the buildup of dander, hair, or other debris on the bed. As a result, cleaning a dog bed without a removable cover will be effortless.
Finally, keep your dog’s bed clean by keeping your dog clean. Ensure that the dog doesn’t walk, run or play anywhere with too much dirt. When this happens, clean the dog before letting it jump onto the bed.
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