How to Wash a Dog Bed Without Ruining the Filling

A dog bed is one of the dirtiest things in most homes, and one of the least often cleaned. Hair, dander, mud and the natural oils from your dog’s coat build up fast, and a bed that smells “doggy” usually just needs a proper wash rather than replacing. The trick is washing it in a way that does not flatten the filling, shrink the cover or matt the faux fur.

Here is how to do it properly, whether your bed has a removable cover or not.

First, check for a removable cover

Most well-made beds, including every bed in our luxury dog bed range, come with a removable, machine-washable cover. 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.

How to 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 out and pre-treat stains. Dab any marks with a pet-safe stain remover or a little diluted bio detergent and leave it for ten minutes.
3. Wash on a gentle cycle at 30 to 40 degrees. Cooler is safer for the fabric and the colour. A 30 degree wash with a full rinse handles normal use. Save 60 degrees for when a dog has been ill, and only if the care label allows it.
4. Use a mild, fragrance-free detergent. Skip fabric softener. It coats the fibres, dulls faux fur and can irritate sensitive skin.
5. 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.

• Use the biggest machine you can. A cushion needs room to move or it will not rinse out. 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.
• Run an extra rinse. Trapped detergent is what makes a bed go crunchy and can irritate skin.

Drying without flattening the filling

This is the step most people get wrong. Heat is what kills a dog bed.

• Air-dry where you can. Hang covers out or lay the cushion flat somewhere airy. Faux fur in particular should never go in a hot dryer, because high heat melts and matts the pile.
• 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.
• Make sure it is bone dry before your dog uses it. A cushion that is damp in the middle will go musty within days. Give it 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. Between washes, a quick daily brush-down and a weekly vacuum keeps hair and dander under control and makes each wash easier.

If your bed is 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. Our handmade luxury beds are made with removable covers and replaceable inners for exactly that reason, and a washable faux-fur blanket over the top takes most of the daily wear so the bed itself stays cleaner for longer.

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 easy. For one-piece beds, use the largest machine you can, a gentle cycle and a low spin, then air-dry fully.

What temperature should you wash a dog bed at?

30 to 40 degrees handles normal use and protects colour and fabric. Use 60 degrees only after illness or for heavy soiling, and only if the label permits it.

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

Most odour lives in the cover. Brush off loose hair, pre-treat with a little bio detergent or pet-safe stain remover, wash with a fragrance-free detergent and an extra rinse, then air-dry completely. Avoid fabric softener, which traps odour over time.

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, more often for dogs with allergies, heavy shedding or muddy walks.