What’s that smell? It is one of the questions most pet owners ask themselves when they have a pet. It is a fact that even the cleanest dog or cat will leave a smell or furry mess in their resting spots. You must know that pets are very good at sleeping, and they carry many things with them to their bed’s fabric during nap time.
So how are you going to avoid the foul smell in your house with a pet inside? For this, you have to change your cleaning routine. You have to clean your pet’s bed just like you clean the sheets of your bed and get rid of those sour aromas within your house.
Have a dog as a pet in your house and worried about how to clean the bed? There is nothing to worry about because we got you covered with our dog bed cleaning guide. The following guide will be sharing valuable ways on washing and keeping the bed of your pet clean & smelling fresh. Learn how to wash it like a pro.
Best Tips For Washing Dog’s Bed
A dog is one of the most faithful pets that you can have in your house. But its cleaning is also essential to keep your home smelling fresh and clean. Dog dirty their bed quickly. There is no way to avoid this because this just what dogs mostly do, and it is an animal. Don’t forget this fact as well.
To make cleaning of your dog’s bed easy, we are going to share some valuable and easy tips with you:
1.Vacuum Dog’s Bed Often
Dander, fur, or many other things dogs drag when laying on the grass. The owner can clean it with regular vacuuming. It will be best for you to use a vacuum that comes with hypoallergenic filters/HEPA; the filter will avoid the molecules becoming airborne and dispersed in your house’s room.
Moreover, the pet vacuums also come with some extra attachments to make the cleaning better and quick. Such extensions can be used and are reliant when you want to capture furs or long hairs.
2.Prevent Stains
The next big problem that dog owners and other pet owners have to face is stains. To get rid of the colors, you should be using natural cleaners on a pet bed. To avoid the contact of pet fur and their sensitive paws with the harsh cleaners. To prevent the different stains as listed below, you should do the following:
For Mud: Clean it using a damp cloth. Later, use a vacuum when dry for lifting the loose dirt present on the bed.
For Urine: Instantly blot using an old towel, absorbing as much as you can. It would be best if you use a spray bottle to apply a solution. You can make the mixture using 2 cups of vinegar, 2 cups of warm water, and four tablespoons of baking soda.
If the urine is dried or has sat too long, then you can directly sprinkle some baking soda on the stain. Let the spray sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then blot again. But this time, you should use a soft cloth for absorbing and wipe cleaning the stain.
For Vomit: The cleaning here will be a little different because it is acidic and remember that germs coming from dogs are a source of illenesses . For this, you should nix the spray bottle and should be using a sponge for applying a mixture. The mixture will consist of 1 tablespoon salt, 2 cups of warm water and one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and a half cup of vinegar.
Next, you have to blot and wipe. If the stain is very tough, use hydrogen peroxide mixed with dish soap and dry baking soda. After that, sprinkle the mixture directly on the color.
3.Avoid Using Stuff Your Dog Hate
The dog’s bed should not be smelly at any cost. It is the place where your dog is sleeping, so using the wrong products can deter your dog to not sleep at that place. Remember that even cleaning the bed with household cleaners can bother your dog.
To avoid this problem, you should use ammonia-free or all-natural cleaning products to clean the dog bed. It is a common observation that dogs hate the scent that is found mainly in household cleaners. The smell of ammonia is on the top of the list that dog hates the most. It is best to keep your dog outside in a secure place while cleaning. It will give you more time to do the cleaning properly.
Remember that you don’t have to use household cleaners to deter your dog’s unwanted behavior. If you do this, then this will only trigger an unwanted action and fear in your dog.
4.Remove Dog Fur Before Washing
Are you planning to wash your dog’s bed in a washing machine? Stop! First, you should try to remove as much fur as you can quickly. It would be best to use a lint roller or some duct tape to get the hair off for removal. It would be best to do this outside your house to see fur flying around your home.
Once you have removed the excess fur, then remove the cover, if any. If there is no cover, then do check the tag to see washing machine instructions. Note that most of the removable covers and beds are machine washable, but you have to follow specific instructions.
You have to wash the bed of your dog separately from another laundry. Doing so will help you to get rid of the debris and fur getting into your laundry. Furthermore, ensure that the laundry detergent you are going to use is pet-friendly. Some companies are making pet-friendly detergents, and those cleaners are free from harsh chemicals.
Moreover, dogs will leave some tough stains. Don’t expect too much from the detergents. To treat those stains, you will have to use the stain remover before you load the bed of your dog into the washing machine.
5.Dying The Bed of Your Dog
It is safe to place your dog’s bed within the dryer. In standard dryers, tumble-drying for 20 minutes is very much effective. You can even go with air-dry the bed on a line outdoors. The outdoor scent will be attracting your dog to the bed.
If you will air-dry the bed within the house, do it in a room with proper ventilation. Otherwise, you have to have to face the risk of mold and mildew that will be growing in your dog’s bed.
Bit of Advice To Wash Smelly Dog’s Bed
The tips above will be helping you to wash the bed of your dog. But now, we are going to share some important advice with you as well to make things better for you:
Laundering- Make It Part of Your Routine
Your pet’s bed should be going to the laundry just like the other things of your house. It is essential because the bed of your dog will get dirty with fur and dirt. If your dog or any other pet likes to go out mostly, then regular laundry is a must!
You have to put the entire bed in the dryer for 10 minutes on a high-heat for killing anything present within. You should go for double-duty and consider adding a natural dry to make it refreshing. Note that if your pet’s bed is an all-in-one piece, you should run it through the laundry on a delicate cycle with a touch of detergent. Dry it partially on low-heat and let it air dry before use.
Moreover, if your pet’s bed has a removable cover, you need to unzip the bed and take it off. If you will wash a heavy foam insert, then avoid putting it inside the washing machine and wash it with your hand. One of the easy ways to get it clean is to fill the bathtub with few inches of water.
After that, you should add the foam and submerge it continuously for washing. When you have to rinse it, you should drain the dirty water from the tub and fold it, and squish the foam. Moving on, fill the tub again with few inches of clean water. Later, continuously submerge and compress foam until it is clean. Repeat the process in the clean water if needed. Let it dry in the air. It will dry fast on a sunny day.
Remember that the cover of your pet is safe in the washing machine. You should be following the manufacturer’s instructions. If you have any doubt, you should select the delicate wash setting. You can wash it alone or with other pet items. It is best to add some heavy towels for generating agitation.
Keeping Dog’s Bed Smelling Fresh
Want to get rid of the stinky smell that often comes from the bed of your dog? If you are going to say yes, you should use a simple homemade carpet cleaner to get rid of pet scents from all other fabric surfaces.
You can apply the mixture before you are going to vacuum the fabric surface. The blend comprises dry ingredients that you can find easily in your kitchen containing bay leaves and cinnamon.
You can use a daily spray for keeping scents away between the time of washing and vacuuming. In this scenario, a homemade solution will be a suitable choice and healthier option for your pet. It is best to dilute it using a teaspoon of baking soda in a warm water cup and add few tea tree oil drops as a natural disinfectant.
In this way, you can keep your always ready for use. Spray it on the bed every morning before you are going to wash it.
Go For Weekly Washings
Without any doubt, tons of icky microbes reside in the bed of your dog. Some of them are harmful to your pup. Keeping this in mind, you should wash the bed of your beloved dog once a week. A quick cleaning will no be enough because it can not kill the harmful microbes. Cleaning once a week will eliminate the microbes and minimize the chances of infectious disease to your dog.
Every week, you can use a vacuum to remove excess fur and dander from the outside of your bed. You can make laundering your dog’s bed easy by having a cover or a sheet on the bed.
Do Not Forget To Spray Daily
To get rid of the pet odor, you should be spraying your home carpet and other soft fabrics with a homemade cleaner daily. A tea tree oil solution in a warm cup of water with a single teaspoon of baking soda will do wonders. Most importantly, it is not harmful to your dog.
Spraying this mixture once a day on your dog’s bed will be enough to make it smelling fresh. Importantly, this smell will not stop your dog from sleeping in their bed.
Conclusion
A pet owner can clearly understand that it takes a lot of effort to maintain your dog’s bed. Your dog’s bed will get messy quickly, so you have to be efficient when it comes to washing. You have to wash it weekly and spray it daily with one of the mixtures mentioned above to get rid of the smell.
Regular and weekly cleaning is necessary to keep your pup safe from harmful bacteria. Don’t forget to dry washed bed dryer or in the air to avoid mold or mildew growth.
Take much care of your dog, and in return, they will take care of you and your family.
