How to Wash a Dog Bed: The Complete Guide to a Clean, Fresh, Hygienic Pet Bed

Washing a dog bed sounds simple enough — but do it wrong and you can ruin the materials, leave behind detergent residue that irritates your dog's skin, or end up with a bed that smells worse than before. Do it right, and your dog's bed stays genuinely clean, fresh-smelling, and structurally intact for years. This is the complete guide to how to wash a dog bed — covering every bed type, every washing method, and the exact steps to get professional results at home. For a broader schedule covering every construction, see our complete pet bed cleaning guide.

Why Washing Your Dog's Bed Matters

A dog bed that isn't washed regularly becomes a concentrated reservoir of:

• Pet dander — a leading cause of pet-related allergies in humans
• Bacteria and yeast — from your dog's skin microbiome, multiplying in warm, moist fibers
• Dust mites — which thrive in pet bedding and can trigger respiratory issues
• Skin oils and saliva — which turn rancid and create persistent odor
• Outdoor contaminants — mud, pollen, pesticides, and other substances tracked in on paws
• Fleas and flea eggs — which can survive and reproduce in unwashed bedding for months

Regular washing doesn't just keep the bed smelling fresh — it actively protects both your dog's health and yours. Vets recommend washing dog bedding at least every 1–2 weeks for most pets.

Step 1: Check the Care Label

Before doing anything else, find and read the care label on your dog's bed. This small tag contains washing instructions specific to the materials used in that bed. Key symbols to know:

• Tub with water — machine washable
• Hand in tub — hand wash only
• Crossed-out tub — do not wash; spot clean only
• One line under tub — gentle/delicate cycle only
• Temperature dots — one dot = cold, two = warm, three = hot
• Square with circle — tumble dry safe
• Crossed-out dryer — do not tumble dry; air dry only

If the label is missing or unreadable, default to cold water, gentle cycle, and air drying — the safest approach for most dog bed materials.

Step 2: Pre-Wash Preparation

Proper preparation before washing makes the process more effective and protects your washing machine. If you're dealing with odor between full washes, our guide on how to get dog smell out of a dog bed without washing covers dry deodorizing and spot-treatment options.

1. Take the bed outside and shake it vigorously — removes loose fur, dander, and debris that would clog your machine's filter
2. Vacuum thoroughly — use the upholstery attachment on all surfaces including the underside; go over faux fur in multiple directions
3. Use a lint roller or rubber glove — for stubborn embedded fur, a rubber-gloved hand dragged across the surface is remarkably effective
4. Pre-treat stains — apply a pet-safe stain remover or 1:1 white vinegar and water solution to any visible stains; let sit for 10–15 minutes
5. Check for damage — inspect seams, zippers, and the non-slip base before washing; damaged seams can unravel completely in the machine
6. Remove any inserts or covers — if the bed has a removable cover, wash it separately from the insert

Shop the Winter Warm Pet Bed →

Step 3: Choose the Right Washing Method

Machine Washing (Most Bed Types)

Machine washing is the most convenient option for most dog beds. Use these settings for best results:

• Cycle: Gentle or delicate
• Water temperature: Cold — always cold for faux fur and sherpa; warm acceptable for plain polyester beds
• Detergent: Mild, fragrance-free, pet-safe liquid detergent — use half the recommended amount
• Additives: Add ½ cup of white vinegar to the drum for deodorizing and fabric softening
• Avoid: Fabric softener (coats fibers), bleach (toxic and damaging), scented detergents (irritating to pets)
• Extra rinse: Always run one additional rinse cycle to remove all detergent residue from thick fibers

Hand Washing (Oversized or Delicate Beds)

For beds too large for your machine, or beds that require extra care:

1. Fill a bathtub with cold water
2. Add 2–3 tablespoons of mild pet-safe detergent and 1 cup of white vinegar
3. Submerge the bed and agitate gently by hand for 5–10 minutes
4. Soak for 20–30 minutes
5. Drain and rinse thoroughly with clean cold water until water runs clear
6. Press out excess water — never wring or twist faux fur

Spot Cleaning (Between Full Washes)

For accidents and stains between washes, use the spot-cleaning steps in our between-wash dog bed odor guide:

1. Blot fresh stains immediately — never rub
2. Apply vinegar-water solution (1:1) and let sit for 5 minutes
3. Blot clean with a damp cloth
4. Allow to air dry completely before your dog uses the bed again

Step 4: Washing by Bed Type

Faux Fur & Sherpa Dog Beds

Always cold water, gentle cycle. The biggest risks are heat (permanent matting) and over-agitation (distorted bolster shape). Use half the normal detergent amount and always run an extra rinse. Air dry or tumble dry on the absolute lowest heat setting, fluffing every 20–30 minutes.

Standard Polyester Fill Beds

The most forgiving bed type — can tolerate cool to warm water and standard gentle cycles. Dry thoroughly to prevent mildew forming inside the fill.

Memory Foam Beds

Never machine wash the foam insert. Wash the removable cover only. Spot clean the foam with a damp cloth and mild detergent, and allow to air dry completely before reassembling.

Bolster & Donut Beds

Machine wash on gentle cold if the care label allows. The key is reshaping the bolster while still damp — the foam or fill inside the bolster can shift during washing; reform it manually while wet and dry flat to maintain the round shape.

Step 5: Drying the Dog Bed Correctly

Drying is where most dog bed washing goes wrong. An incompletely dried bed develops mold and mildew deep in the fibers — creating a health hazard and a smell that no amount of washing will fix.

Tumble Drying

• Use the lowest heat setting or air-only cycle
• Add wool dryer balls to prevent clumping and speed drying
• Check every 20–30 minutes — remove, shake, reshape, and return
• Test the thickest part of the bed for hidden dampness before declaring it dry

Air Drying

• Lay flat — never hang, as wet weight distorts the shape
• Reshape bolster edges immediately while damp
• Place a fan nearby to accelerate drying
• Flip every few hours for even drying
• Allow 24–48 hours for large faux fur beds to dry completely
• Check the interior thoroughly — press into the thickest areas to confirm no residual dampness

How Often Should You Wash a Dog Bed?

The right frequency depends on your dog. Our dedicated guide on how often to wash a dog bed to stop it from smelling covers the schedule in more detail:

• Every 1–2 weeks — dogs with skin conditions, heavy shedders, outdoor dogs, or dogs that have had accidents
• Monthly — average indoor dogs that are regularly bathed
• After every illness — wash immediately after any illness to eliminate bacteria
• After flea treatment — wash bedding as part of any flea treatment protocol

Between full washes, maintain freshness with weekly vacuuming, baking soda treatments, and immediate spot cleaning of any accidents. Our Baking Soda guide explains how to use it safely and effectively.

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Common Dog Bed Washing Mistakes to Avoid

• Using hot water — permanently mats faux fur and can shrink or warp other materials
• Using fabric softener — coats fibers and reduces warmth retention; use vinegar instead
• Not rinsing enough — detergent residue causes skin irritation and attracts dirt faster
• Overloading the machine — a wet dog bed expands significantly; overloading damages both bed and machine
• Not pre-removing fur — fur clogs drains and filters; always vacuum before washing
• Returning a damp bed to your dog — residual moisture promotes mold and mildew; always ensure complete dryness
• Ignoring the non-slip base — high heat in the dryer can degrade rubberized bases; always dry on low
• Machine washing memory foam — destroys the foam structure; always spot clean foam inserts only

The Winter Warm Pet Bed: Wash-Friendly by Design

The Winter Warm Pet Bed is engineered for easy, regular washing. Its faux fur fibers maintain their texture and softness through repeated cold gentle wash cycles, the bolster reshapes easily when reformed while damp, and the non-slip base holds up through regular machine washing when dried on low heat.

Follow the washing guide above — cold gentle cycle, half-dose mild detergent, ½ cup vinegar, extra rinse, low-heat tumble dry with regular fluffing — and this bed will stay as fresh and comfortable as the day it arrived, month after month.

Dust-Mite and Allergen Care

If allergies are the reason you're washing the bed, temperature matters. See our guide to what temperature kills dust mites in dog beds for the heat, drying, freezing, and washing requirements. Remember that killing mites and removing allergens are separate steps, so thorough washing and rinsing still matter.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to wash a dog bed correctly is one of the most practical skills you can have as a pet owner. The right approach — cold water, gentle cycle, mild detergent, vinegar boost, thorough drying — keeps your dog's sleeping environment genuinely clean and hygienic without damaging the materials that make the bed comfortable in the first place.

Wash regularly, spot clean between washes, and your dog will always have a fresh, healthy, and inviting place to rest.

Shop the Winter Warm Pet Bed →

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