Pet Hygiene: Pet Bed Care and Cleaning

Laundry day comes around quickly in everyone’s house, and sometimes pet beds can be forgotten as we plough through our weekly washing pile. Here at Pets & Friends we want to help you take the best care of your pet, so we’ve put together a guide on how to keep your pets’ bed and bedding clean- keeping your pet happy and hygienic.

Pet bedding can be a breeding ground for ticks, mites, and fleas. In some cases, e. Coli and salmonella can harbour in the bedding of pets on a raw diet.

How often should I clean my pets bedding?

Pet bedding should be washed once a week, just as often as our human bedding (if not more often) to keep the nasties away. Pets don’t bathe as often as humans so ensuring their bedding is in top condition can help avoid bad smells too!

In between washes, we recommend vacuuming/removing hair from your pets’ bed as often as possible, along with a spray pet-friendly disinfectant (such as Zoflora) for a freshen up. This is also handy for the parts of your pet bed which can’t be soaked, or machine washed.

Where to start?

Always start with hair removal, the more hair you can remove from a bed pre-wash, the easier it will be. This helps avoid any drain/washing machine blockage. We recommend vacuuming as much as possible, then going over with a lint roller to pick up any stubborn hairs.

For machine-washable parts of your pet bed, it’s crucial to follow the care instructions on the label. This is usually washing at 30 degrees or less but does differ depending on the brand/type of bed you purchase.

For things like mattresses or memory foam beds- or beds which are too big for the washing machine, or if you’re not sure about the care instructions for your pet be;, we recommend washing by hand in the biggest vessel you can find (usually the bath!).

Hand Washing

When hand washing, always use warm (not hot) water, with pet-friendly detergents. As you would with other laundry, use your hands to work the detergent into the material. Empty the soapy water and re-fill with fresh warm water to rinse.

Rinsing may take a bit of work, particularly on memory foam mattresses- you need to make sure all the soapy suds are squeezed out to avoid any damage to the materials.

Drying

Where possible, always leave your pet bed to dry naturally. Preferably outside. Drying outside can help keep the pet bed smelling fresh, plus, it’s the eco-friendliest way to dry any laundry.

Some bed covers and pet blankets can be tumble dried, but always check the care instructions beforehand to avoid any shrinking or damage!

Products

It’s so important to use pet-friendly products to clean their beds. Zoflora offer a pet-friendly range of disinfectants, as well as the Get Off! Natural cleaning range for around the house.

If your dog is known to shed, you can also purchase pet hair dissolving products for your washing machine to help protect it’s longevity.

Always check the labels and ingredients before using a product on your pet bed. If there are any adverse reactions after you have washed your pet bed, seek medical advice as soon as possible.

If you’re looking for the perfect pet bed, or have questions about pet hygiene in general, pop into your local store where our advisors are on hand to help! You can also browse our collection of dog beds and cat beds online.