How do I clean my dog bed?
As much as we try to keep them clean, dogs are
notoriously messy creatures. At any given moment they may be rolling around
in the mud or in dirt, stepping in piles of a previous dog’s waste, drooling
all over themselves or getting drenched in all types of smell and bacteria.
When you have a dog bed, those smells start to
infuse into the fabric. Over constant use, the dog beds can become a melting
pot of odors that have the ability to stink up your entire house or, at the
very least, create an incredible eye sore as a dark, dirt stained bed tends
to do.
That is why whenever you have a spare moment, you
should strongly consider cleaning your dog bed in order to keep it both
visibly clean and free of foul odors.
Cleaning Dog Beds
Because dog beds come in all different shapes,
sizes, and materials, it is not uncommon for a dog bed to come with specific
cleaning instructions. Some dog beds have layers that you can take off and
wash independently, while others are not meant to be placed in a washing
machine at all. The product itself should give at least generic cleaning
instructions, but here is a quick “how to” on cleaning a dog bed in case you
need a little help.
1.
Completely spray the dog bed with some type of static eliminator in order to
loosen all of the hairs and dirt that are attached to the dog bed.
2.
Once you have sprayed the bed in full, use a high powered vacuum (preferably
with a hose attachment) and try to suck out all of the hair and dirt
directly off of the bed.
3.
Use a lint roller or sticky tape to get off any additional hairs that maybe
stubbornly clinging to the dog bed.
4.
Remove the dog bed cover and put it in the washing machine. If your dog bed
does not have a cover, check to see if it is machine washable and, if not,
simply spray the entire bed with antibacterial Febreeze.
5.
After washing the cover (or the entire bed, if possible), put it in the
dryer on low. You do not want the cover or the bed to shrink while in the
dryer. You may want to add a dryer sheet, but try to find one that is
natural and hypoallergenic so that no chemicals are left on the bed.
6.
Once you have replaced the cover, spray the bed with antibacterial Febreeze.
Let it sit until completely dry before allowing your dog to use it again.
After washing it, you may also want to consider
purchasing a cover or adding a waterproof seal to the bed. This will reduce
the difficulty of cleaning it as well as prevent odors from seeping too deep
into the fabric.
Remember to check to see if there are any special
cleaning instructions that come with the bed before performing the above
cleaning tips.
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