Our furry friends bring us the greatest joy. Yet, as wonderful as they are to have around, they can get pretty messy. Dogs are notorious for tracking mud into the house, and their bedding and blankets can be pretty disgusting at times. So it’s best to wash your pet’s bed at least once a week. This rule of thumb makes sense when you think about how dirty your fur pal gets every day. 

As we are nearing the summer and warmer weather, lots of dogs love to soak up the sun. Afterward, they come inside and plop down on their bed or blanket. All the mud and germs that are attached to the dog while they are playing outdoors will transfer to their sleep space. So, it’s important for pet parents to regularly clean their pet’s beds and blankets.

The Cleaning Process

Dog Bed Covers

Many dog beds have removable covers, which makes the cleaning process a lot easier! Most of Paw.com’s dog bed covers are conveniently removable and machine washable. To wash the bed cover, unzip the zipper lining and wash the cover in cold water on the gentle cycle and then tumble dry on low or no-heat. You can also use a  damp cloth to remove stains from the cover. 

For Paw.com’s faux fur dog beds, keep them looking as good as new by brushing and fluffing up the faux fur using a pet care brush with widely spaced metal bristles – this kind of brush is called a slicker brush. Brush and fluff carefully so you don't damage the faux fur's fabric.

To wash a faux leather dog bed, it’s best to spot clean the cover down with a damp cloth. While this type of dog bed cover is not machine washable, maintain by spot cleaning when needed.

A good guideline to follow is to wash your dog’s bed once a week or once every two weeks at the minimum. When determining how often to wash your dog’s blankets or bedding, you should also consider how much your pet sheds, their activity level, the amount of time they spend outdoors and finally if they have allergies. Based on these factors, you may want to increase the number of washings to twice a week. 

In between washing the bed cover, you can remove pet hair, dirt, and other debris with a vacuum. Vacuuming the bed between washings will keep it cleaner longer.

Cleaning the Memory Foam

While memory foam is not machine washable, there are several ways to clean it. To freshen it up, lightly sprinkle baking soda on the foam. This will give the foam a fresh smell. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Then clean off the baking soda with a vacuum cleaner, which can also remove pet hair from the memory foam. To remove a stain, use a damp cloth with warm water and a small amount of dishwashing soap to rub the stain in a light circular motion. Let it sit for 10 minutes and press out as much moisture as you can without "wringing out" the foam, because wet foam can tear more easily. Leave the memory foam to air dry.  

Cleaning the Memory Foam Base Liner

All of Paw.com’s dog beds come with waterproof or water-resistant liners that protect the memory foam. To clean the liner, it’s best to use a damp cloth with warm water to remove stains.

Use the Right Products

You must be careful when choosing cleaning products for your fur pal’s bed. Make sure to read the ingredients on the bottle before you decide to use anything. The last thing you want is for your furry best friend to start sneezing or having an allergic reaction the minute they lay down for a nap. 

Marlie Mist Pet Odor Eliminator with Essential Oils is an all-natural odor neutralizer made with pet-friendly essential oils. While typical odor deodorizers contain harmful chemicals that simply mask smells with heavy perfumes and harsh ingredients, Marlie Mist is naturally derived and effectively removes unwanted smells. The natural essential oils provide a burst of fresh calming, soothing, rejuvenating fragrance as the odor neutralizing agents work to remove undesirable scents.

The paraben and sulfate-free spray can be used on pet beds, pillows, carpets or rugs, furniture, blankets, or wherever your furry friend hangs out. Dogs can get incredibly smelly in the summer because of the heat and with safe odor neutralizers like Marlie Mist, you can mask the smelly odors in a safe way.