How to Wash a Dog Bed Without Ruining the Filling

Written by The Stylish Dog Company.

Last updated: 18 July 2026 · By The Stylish Dog Company · Guidance sourced from UK veterinary charities, NHS allergy advice and international textile care labelling

Read time: about 8 minutes

Take the cover off and wash it separately on a gentle 30 to 40 degree cycle with a non-biological detergent, then air-dry it flat. Leave the inner cushion alone unless it actually needs washing. That one habit is what keeps a good bed in shape for years. Heat and hard spinning are what flatten filling, shrink covers and matt faux fur, not washing itself. Here is how to do it properly, whether your bed has a removable cover or not, and when you genuinely do need a hotter wash.

Hair, dander, mud and the natural oils from your dog’s coat build up in a bed faster than most people expect, and a bed that smells doggy usually just needs a proper wash rather than replacing. The RSPCA’s guidance on creating a good home for a dog is that they need a comfortable, dry, draught-free, clean and quiet place to rest undisturbed, and the clean part is the bit that needs you.

First, check for a removable cover

Most well-made beds come with a removable, machine-washable cover, and this is the single biggest thing that makes a bed easy to live with. A removable cover means you wash the fabric that touches your dog and leave the inner cushion alone, which is what protects the shape and the filling over years of use.

Look for a zip along one edge or underneath. If there is one, unzip it and take the inner cushion out before you do anything else. If your bed is a one-piece with no zip, skip to the section on inner cushions below, because it needs the gentler treatment.

Read the care label before you start

Care labels are not decoration, and they use a standard international system rather than each brand making up its own. Under the GINETEX and ISO 3758 scheme used across the UK and Europe, the number inside the wash tub is the maximum temperature you must not exceed, and bars underneath the tub mean a milder cycle with reduced mechanical action.

The drying symbols matter just as much for a dog bed. A circle inside a square means tumble drying is allowed, and the dots tell you how hot: one dot is the mild, lower-temperature process, two dots is normal. A crossed-out circle means do not tumble dry at all. If your bed carries a crossed-out circle, no amount of dryer balls will save it, so plan to air-dry.

How do you wash a removable dog bed cover?

1. Brush or vacuum it first. Loose hair turns into a felted mess in the machine and clogs the filter. Run a rubber brush or the vacuum over the cover before it goes anywhere near water.
2. Shake it out and pre-treat marks. Dab any stains with a pet-safe stain remover and leave it for ten minutes before washing.
3. Wash on a gentle cycle at 30 to 40 degrees. Cooler is kinder to the fabric and the colour, and a 30 degree wash with a full rinse handles normal use. Only go hotter if the label allows it and you have a reason, which we cover below.
4. Use a non-biological detergent and rinse well. PDSA’s advice for itchy and allergic pets is to use a non-biological washing powder on pet bedding and rinse well, so your pet does not react to any of the washing products left behind. That is sound practice for any dog, not only itchy ones.
5. Skip the fabric softener. It coats fibres and dulls the pile on faux fur, and it leaves yet another residue sitting against your dog’s skin. An extra rinse does a better job of leaving a cover soft.
6. Wash covers inside out to protect the pile on faux-fur and fleece linings.

What about the inner cushion?

Inner cushions and one-piece beds can usually be washed too, but they need more care, because the filling is the part that gives the bed its support and it is the part you cannot replace with a quick spin.

• Use the biggest machine you can. A cushion needs room to move or it will not rinse out properly. A launderette machine is often better than a domestic one for a large bed.
• Gentle cycle, low spin. A hard spin can clump fibre filling and shift the padding to one end, and that is the damage people mistake for the bed simply wearing out.
• Run an extra rinse. Trapped detergent is what makes a bed go crunchy, and it is exactly the residue PDSA warns about with sensitive pets.
• Do not wash it more than you need to. If the cover is doing its job, the inner should only need a few washes a year.

What temperature should you wash a dog bed at?

For everyday washing, 30 to 40 degrees is enough, and it is much kinder to the fabric, the colour and the filling. There are two situations where a hotter wash genuinely earns its place.

Fleas

PDSA is unambiguous here: wash bedding at 60°C or hotter to kill fleas and their eggs. This matters because the bed is a bigger part of the problem than the dog. Dogs Trust notes that fleas live and lay eggs in soft furnishings such as carpets, curtains, bedding, pet beds and upholstery, and PDSA puts the scale of it plainly, saying fifty fleas on your dog mean up to a thousand fleas or eggs in your home that can survive for up to a year. Treating the dog and ignoring the bed is why infestations come back.

Dust mites and allergies

The same threshold applies to house dust mites. NHS allergy guidance from Cambridge University Hospitals advises washing bedding on a 60 degree cycle, because cooler washes rinse the allergen away temporarily while the mites themselves survive. If someone in the house is allergic, or your dog is, the hotter wash is worth the wear on the fabric.

The catch is that not every cover will survive 60 degrees. Check the wash tub number on the label first. If the label caps the cover at 40, a hot wash risks shrinking or distorting it, and you may be better off replacing that cover than ruining it. For a flea problem specifically, speak to your vet about treating the home properly as well, because washing alone will not clear an established infestation.

Drying without flattening the filling

This is the step most people get wrong. Heat is what kills a dog bed, not water.

• Air-dry where you can. Hang covers out or lay the cushion flat somewhere airy. Faux fur especially is best kept out of a hot dryer, because the pile is synthetic and high heat can permanently matt or distort it.
• If you must tumble, use no heat or the lowest setting and add a couple of clean tennis balls or dryer balls. They knock the filling apart as it dries so it plumps back up instead of clumping. Check the label for the crossed-out circle first.
• Make sure it is bone dry before your dog uses it. A cushion that is still damp in the middle will go musty within days, and the RSPCA’s point about a dry resting place is not a small one. Give it far longer than you think.
• Brush faux fur back up with a soft brush once dry to restore the texture.

How often should you wash a dog bed?

As a rule of thumb, wash the cover every one to two weeks and the whole bed every month or two. Wash more often if your dog has allergies or skin issues, sheds heavily, or comes home muddy from walks. If you are dealing with fleas, wash the bedding hot as part of treating the whole house, not as a one-off.

Between washes, a quick daily brush-down and a weekly vacuum keeps hair and dander under control and makes each wash easier. PDSA recommends vacuuming regularly around pet bedding as part of flea control anyway, so it is a habit that pays twice.

If your bed is genuinely past saving, no amount of washing fixes a flattened, lumpy filling. That is usually the sign it is time for a bed built to be re-covered and re-stuffed rather than thrown away. Every bed in our luxury dog bed range is made with removable covers and replaceable inners for exactly that reason.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put a dog bed in the washing machine?

Yes, if the care label allows it and the bed fits with room to move. Removable covers are straightforward. For one-piece beds, use the largest machine you can, a gentle cycle and a low spin, then air-dry fully before your dog uses it again.

What temperature should you wash a dog bed at?

30 to 40 degrees handles normal use and protects the colour, the fabric and the filling. Go to 60 degrees when you are dealing with fleas or dust mites, and only if the wash tub symbol on the care label permits that temperature.

Does washing a dog bed kill fleas?

Only if it is hot enough. PDSA advises washing bedding at 60°C or hotter to kill fleas and their eggs, so a cool 30 degree wash will not do it. Washing is one part of the job, and you will also need to treat your pets and the wider home, so ask your vet what to use.

What detergent should I use on a dog bed?

A non-biological detergent, rinsed thoroughly. PDSA’s advice for itchy and allergic pets is to use non-biological washing powder on pet bedding and rinse well so your pet does not react to leftover washing products. Skip fabric softener, which leaves a coating on the fibres.

How do you get the dog smell out of a bed?

Most odour lives in the cover rather than the filling. Brush off loose hair, pre-treat marks with a pet-safe stain remover, wash with a non-biological detergent and an extra rinse, then air-dry completely. A bed that still smells after that is usually one that was put back before it was fully dry.

Can you tumble dry a dog bed?

Check the label. A circle inside a square means tumble drying is allowed, with the dots showing how hot, and a crossed-out circle means do not tumble dry. If it is permitted, use the lowest heat setting with a couple of dryer balls to stop the filling clumping. Faux fur is best air-dried whatever the label says.

How often should I wash my dog’s bed?

Wash the cover every one to two weeks and the whole bed every one to two months. Increase that for dogs with allergies or skin problems, heavy shedders, and dogs who come home muddy. Vacuuming around the bed weekly makes each wash easier.

Why has my dog bed gone flat and lumpy after washing?

Almost always a hard spin, too much heat, or drying it in a heap rather than flat. A fast spin clumps fibre filling and pushes it to one end, and hot drying sets it that way. Wash on a low spin, dry flat, and use dryer balls if you tumble on a cool setting.