Can You Wash a Vet Bed? Yes, and Here’s How!

Sleeping is a huge part of your dog's health, getting between 10 and 12 hours of sleep every single day [1]. After spending so much time on their beds, it stirs a couple of questions about cleaning them.

Keeping your pup's bed clean is really important for their overall health and hygiene. You wouldn't expect to never wash your own bed sheets, and the same goes for your dog. Washing your dog bed will ensure that you provide a safe and clean sleeping environment for your pet, which is important, considering how much time they spend on it!

Luckily, all of our Bronte Glen beds are fully machine-washable, so you can keep them clean really easily. Read on to learn how to wash our vet bedding to maintain a healthy and hygienic environment for your pup.

How to Wash a Dog Bed

At Bronte Glen, we manufacture and supply a number of dog bed ranges, from Non-Slip mat beds to cosy cushion beds. Each type of bed has its own washing instructions, which will come with the bed when supplied, and it's really important to follow them for best cleaning results.

All of our beds can be cleaned in a domestic machine wash, so it's really easy to throw them into the washing machine and get them clean. The important thing to take note of is the cycle temperature.

The temperature you should wash your dog beds is listed below:

Although some of our beds can withstand higher wash temperatures, we recommend a 30°C wash cycle for the best cleaning results – with the exception of our wool products, which include Merino and Country Classic Tweed covers and wool-filled cushion inners. These should be put on a delicate cool wash with a wool protection product added in, like the Nikwax Wool Wash.

Simply separate the bed covers from the cushion inserts, pop them into your washing machine (following the correct washing instructions for each) and set the wash cycle to the temperature listed above. 

How to Wash a Dog Bed with a Removable Cover

All our Cosy dog beds come with a removable cover that can be zipped or velcroed off, and you'll need to remove this before washing. Simply remove the cover from your pet's bed and wash the liner.

The cushion inserts can also be washed with the liner, so you can give the bed a complete clean.

Can I Use Laundry Detergent to Clean My Dog Bed?

The short and sweet answer here is no, you shouldn't use your regular laundry detergent to wash your vet bed. They could cause irritation to your pup's skin, as they contain additional chemicals which are designed for our clothes. Instead, you should use a pet-safe laundry detergent that is non-biological.

We have a selection of 3 pet-safe Nikwax washes that work wonders at cleaning your dog's bed from dirt, dust mites, bacteria and other allergens without ruining the quality of the fabric.

For our Merino Wool Beds, use some of the Wool Wash when cleaning, to keep the fabric nice and soft. The Tech Wash and TX Direct Wash-in products are specifically designed to keep the waterproof layer of your waterproof beds intact after washing.

How to Dry Vet Bed

Once your dog bed has been washed fully, you'll need to make sure you dry it correctly. If you don't leave the bed to dry properly or in the correct way, you might cause the fabric to lose its quality.

We recommend leaving the bed to air dry out of direct sunlight, as this will help to maintain the fabric's colour and quality. Airdrying allows the bed to dry naturally without any heat or UV light damaging the material.

Some of our dog beds can be tumble dried on a low-temperature setting if you need to get your bed dry quickly. However, we don't advise this for all of our beds, so it's good to check before putting any in the tumble dryer.

How Often Should You Clean Your Dog’s Bed?

One of the biggest reasons pet owners and vets love our dog beds is that they don't require frequent washing. The fabrics we use to make our beds have antibacterial and antiallergenic properties, which prevent bacteria, dust mites and other irritants from building up.

You can use a brush or vacuum to clean up dried dirt and light mess, but the frequency with that you should machine wash the bed will vary from pet to pet.

Sometimes, you can go a few months without washing the bed, depending on how much mess your pup makes. Obviously, if you have a mucky pup, you'll need to wash the bed more often, but otherwise, you should just wash it when it starts to look dirty.

Summary: Can You Wash a Dog Bed?

Giving your pup's bed a wash once in a while is really important for their health and hygiene. Thankfully, all of our Bronte Glen beds are machine-washable, so it's really easy to keep them clean.

We use anti-allergenic and antibacterial fabrics to keep your pup's bed cleaner for longer, providing a more safe and less frequent washing experience. But, when it comes time for a clean, make sure you follow the instructions on your product to ensure the best results.

If you ever need any advice on product care or cleaning instructions, our team is always here to help! Just send us an email, and we'll be happy to assist.

FAQs

To help with caring for and washing dog beds from our Bronte Glen range, we've answered a couple of our most-asked questions below. If you can't find the answer to your query here, don't hesitate to drop us an email at sales@bronteglen.co.uk or phone 01535 662359 with your question.

Is it Safe to Wash a Dog Bed With Detergent?

It's safe to wash your dog bed with a detergent as long as it's non-biological. We recommend using our Nikwax washes for the best results to maintain the fabric's quality and keep your dog's skin from getting irritated.

How Long Does a Vet Bed Take To Dry?

We advise air drying your vet beds, as this is the safest and gentlest way to dry out any fabric. The amount of time it'll take to dry will depend on the environment it's in and the type of fabric, but usually, air drying takes around a day.

Some of our beds can be tumble-dried at a low temperature, but please refer to your specific bed's washing instructions before doing this.

How Many Times Can Vet Bedding Be Washed?

Bronte Glen dog beds don't need to be washed very frequently, thanks to the anti-allergenic and antibacterial fabrics we use. When you do need to give it a wash, all of our beds can be machine-washed following the cleaning instructions.

How to Wash Wool Dog Beds?

Our Merino Wool Beds come with a removable cover, so you'll need to take this off before washing. Put the cover into the wash and use the Nikwax Wool Wash to clean for best results. You can then air-dry the bed until it's completely dry. The cushion inserts don’t need to be washed with Wool Wash unless they are wool-filled.

Sources: [1] https://thesleepdoctor.com/animal-sleep-habits/how-much-do-dogs-sleep/