No matter how much we love them, there’s no denying that dogs are not clean creatures. They lie on the ground, role in the mud or everywhere they find it comfortable to do so. Hence the bed smell and dirty fur.
However, the bad odor is not the biggest concerns for you as a dog owner, the microbes, allergens and fleas are. If you don’t take care for your dog’s hygiene you are very likely to face a flea infestation of your home, as well as allergies caused by the microbes brought by your dog from outside.
When it comes to keeping your dog clean, the hygiene you practice is not just about bathing him regularly. Washing your dogs bed (whatever the type, size, style or material) is as important. Did you know that it is your dogs bed that is the breeding ground for all of the filth, microbes, allergens and fleas? Simply put, the proper dog hygiene starts with cleaning his bed.
Regardless of the type of the dog bed and the washing method you practice, make it a point to vacuum it in order to remove the extrinsic dirt and hairs. Otherwise, you will have to deal with dog hairs in your washing machine and/or area where you usually wash and dry it. Washing your dogs bed is very easy. Below are simple dog bed washing tips, classified depending on the type of the dog bed. Also, you ought to check the label for any further considerations in respect of the specific material the bed is made of.
Foam Dog Bed
Foam Dog Bed can be either hand or machine washed. The important thing is to use mild detergent and water that is not too hot, otherwise you will damage the foam structure. If you are machine washing it, set the machine on lower temperature (around 40˚C). If you are washing it manually, be prepared for hard work; you’ll need to prepare the soaking solution, to squeeze the soapy water out of the foam with your hands, rinse the bed and hanging it to dry. This will require more of your time.
One-Piece or Two-Piece Dog Bed
There are dogs beds that come with cover or more separate pieces such as outer ring and special mattress placed inside. Washing the parts separately is good because of two reasons. First, it makes the cleaning of bigger dogs beds much easier. Second, chances are, the separate parts are made of specific materials that require special cleaning and maintenance. Otherwise, the washing method is the same as washing compact dog beds, you have to pay attention to the water temperature and the detergent you are using.
Waterproof Dog Bed
The waterproof dogs beds are the easiest to clean. Their cover or outer closing material is usually made of material that can be cleaned thoroughly by wiping it with wet cloth and detergent. Simply put, to clean such bed all that you need to do is to prepare soap solution, scrub the surface with it, rinse with clean water and dry it.