How to Wash a Dog Bed: Cover, Liner and Foam
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A dog bed collects hair, dander, dirt and the odd accident, so it needs washing far more often than most people think. How you wash it depends on how the bed is built: some go in the washer whole, most foam beds only have a washable cover, and raised cot beds are hosed off. This page covers how often to wash a dog bed, how to wash the cover, the liner and a whole bed, how to dry it, what to do about the foam core, and what changes when fleas or accidents are involved.
The short answer: wash the removable cover about once a week, as the AKC suggests. Shake or vacuum off hair first, spot clean heavy stains, then machine wash the cover in cold water on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent and no bleach, and dry it on low or no heat. Follow the care label for your bed, because makers differ. If you see fleas, wash the bedding as hot as the label allows or replace it, and talk to your vet about treating your dog.
How we wrote this: the washing steps come from the care instructions published by the bed makers named below, plus the AKC, the US EPA and VCA Animal Hospitals, linked where they are used. We have not tested these beds ourselves. It is general care information, not veterinary advice. If your dog suddenly starts having accidents in bed, or you find fleas, see a vet.
How often to wash a dog bed
The AKC suggests a bed with a removable cover that you can toss in the wash weekly, to keep dog hair, dander and germs to a minimum. It adds that a bed that is itself machine washable and dryable matters most for older dogs with incontinence and puppies that are still potty training.
Our view, not a quote from the sources: wash sooner than weekly after a muddy walk, a bath with a wet coat, a sick day or any accident, and wash any blanket your dog sleeps on along with the cover.
First, check how your bed is built
- Removable cover over a foam mattress. Most orthopedic and memory foam beds. You wash the cover, and sometimes the liner, not the foam.
- Whole bed in the washer. Thin crate pads and some small fiber-filled beds. For example, MidWest lists its QuietTime crate bed as machine washable and machine dryable (MidWest).
- Bolster beds with separate pieces. iHeartDogs says the Furhaven L Chaise has its foam and bolster in separate cover compartments that must be removed before washing.
- Raised cot beds. Coolaroo says to rinse its elevated bed with a hose or mild soap and not to machine wash it (Coolaroo). Kuranda says its cot washes or hoses clean and has no stuffing (Kuranda).
How to wash a dog bed cover, step by step
These steps combine the care instructions from Big Barker, Bully Beds and KOPEKS. Where they differ, we say so. Your own bed’s label comes first.
- Remove loose hair. Our view, not a quote from the sources: take the bed outside and shake it, or vacuum the cover, before it goes in the washer. Clumps of hair clog the filter and stick to everything else in the load.
- Spot clean heavy stains first. Bully Beds recommends spot cleaning any heavily saturated areas to prevent stains before machine washing.
- Unzip the cover and take out the core. KOPEKS says to simply remove the cover and machine wash it. If the bed has a liner under the cover, take it off too and wash it separately (see below).
- Wash cold and gentle. Big Barker says to machine wash its cover with cold water on a gentle cycle. Bully Beds and KOPEKS both say cold water and a mild detergent.
- Skip bleach and harsh products. Big Barker says to use a mild detergent and avoid bleach or harsh chemicals, and not to iron or dry clean the cover.
- Dry low. Big Barker says tumble dry low with no heat. Bully Beds says air dry or machine dry on low heat. For the Furhaven chaise, iHeartDogs says cold water, gentle cycle and air dry.
- Put it back only when fully dry. Our view, not a quote from the sources: a damp cover zipped over foam traps moisture and smells sooner. Check the seams and corners before you zip it back on.
New bed? Big Barker recommends washing the cover before first use to prevent any dye transfer.
How to wash the waterproof liner
Many foam beds have a liner between the cover and the foam. Bully Beds includes a waterproof liner, and KOPEKS includes a waterproof removable inner cover. Liners are more delicate than covers. Big Barker says that if its water resistant liner needs washing, use cool water and hang it to dry, because high temperatures can damage the water resistant backing.
What about the foam core?
None of the maker instructions above tell you to put the foam mattress itself in a washing machine: they cover the cover and the liner. Our view, not a quote from the sources: treat the liner as the foam’s protection. Keep it on, spot clean the foam gently if something gets through, let it air dry completely before you cover it again, and contact the maker if the foam is soaked or smells after drying. For a dog that leaks, VCA says the bed or bed cover should be machine washable to protect against urine or fecal matter (VCA).
Washing a dog bed after fleas
Flea control is the one time the usual cold, gentle wash is not enough. VCA Animal Hospitals says flea eggs and pupae are very tough, and that to remove eggs and dead fleas you should wash your pet’s bedding in hot water or replace it, and vacuum carpets, floors and soft furnishings regularly. The US EPA says to wash all pet bedding, and family bedding pets lie on, in hot, soapy water every two to three weeks, and to replace old pet bedding if an infestation is severe.
Our view, not a quote from the sources: check the care label before a hot wash, since some covers and most water resistant liners are made for cold water. If a cover cannot take hot water, ask the maker about a replacement cover. Washing the bed does not treat the dog, so see your vet about flea treatment that is safe for your dog.
Beds that wash easily
If washing your current bed is a chore, these beds from our catalog have washable covers or are easy to clean:
Big Barker 7″ Headrest Edition Orthopedic Dog Bed
Machine washable, water resistant cover over thick foam, with published care steps for both the cover and the liner. Best for: large senior dogs. Skip if: your dog is small or medium, since there are no small sizes.
Bully Beds Original Orthopedic Memory Foam Dog Bed
Machine washable microfiber cover plus an internal waterproof cover. Best for: large and giant dogs that sometimes leak. Skip if: you have a small dog.
KOPEKS Orthopedic Memory Foam Dog Bed with Pillow
Zip-off cover you wash in cold water, with a waterproof removable inner cover included. Best for: medium to large dogs that like a pillow. Skip if: your dog chews bedding.
MidWest QuietTime Deluxe Ombre Swirl Pet Bed
The whole bed goes in the washer and dryer. Best for: crates and puppies in house training. Skip if: your dog needs orthopedic support or chews.
Coolaroo Original Elevated Cooling Dog Bed
No stuffing and no washer: hose it off. Best for: dogs that run warm or sleep outside on a porch. Skip if: you want a soft, plush bed.
For sizing, see our dog bed size chart. For older dogs, see the best dog beds for senior dogs and arthritis, and for everything else, our dog beds and crates buying guide.
Washing your dog’s toys too? See how to clean dog and cat toys.
FAQ
How often should I wash my dog’s bed?
The AKC suggests washing a removable cover weekly. Wash it sooner after accidents, mud or illness.
Can you put a whole dog bed in the washing machine?
Only if the label says so. Some thin pads, like the MidWest QuietTime, are machine washable and dryable as a whole. Most foam beds only have a washable cover, and raised cot beds such as the Coolaroo are hosed off instead.
What temperature should I wash a dog bed cover at?
Big Barker, Bully Beds and KOPEKS all say cold water for their covers, and Big Barker says cool water for its liner because heat can damage the water resistant backing. The exception is fleas: VCA and the EPA say hot water for bedding, so check the label and replace what cannot take it.
Can I use bleach on a dog bed?
Big Barker says to avoid bleach or harsh chemicals on its covers. Follow your own bed’s care label.
How do I dry a dog bed cover?
Low or no heat. Big Barker says tumble dry low with no heat, Bully Beds says air dry or machine dry on low heat, and iHeartDogs says to air dry the Furhaven chaise cover. Make sure it is completely dry before zipping it back over the foam.
My dog has started having accidents in bed. What should I do?
See your vet, since a change like this can have a medical cause. In the meantime, a waterproof liner under a machine washable cover, as VCA recommends for dogs that may soil their bed, protects the foam.