01/05/2020
How to Clean Dog Bedding with vinegar
Vinegar is a cheap, easy way to clean and deodorise your dog's bedding. For regular washing, add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) to a wash cycle with hot water, in addition to a mild detergent. For strong odours, add a full cup of vinegar. To wash a full dog bed, fill your bathtub with warm water, detergent, and vinegar, and soak. Keep your dog's bedding fresh by washing it every week or two, and by spraying it daily with an even mixture of vinegar and water.
1. Doing a Routine Wash
Remove bedding. Remove the blankets or dog bed cover from your dog's sleeping spot. Note whether the bedding smells bad enough to warrant a more intense cleaning. Place items in the washing machine.[1]
If you notice stains on the bedding, treat them with a stain remover prior to washing.
2. Pick settings for the washing machine. Look for any care labels on the dog's bedding that might offer specific cleaning instructions. If no special directions are listed, choose a hot water wash cycle. Add a mild detergent, in the normal quantity recommended for a single load.
3. Add vinegar. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of white vinegar to the softener dispenser of the machine. Start the wash cycle. If your machine does not have a softener dispenser, run the machine as usual and add the vinegar at the beginning of the final rinse cycle.
If the smell on your dog's bedding is especially strong, add a full cup of vinegar to the final rinse cycle.
4. Dry the bedding. If possible, hang your dog's bedding on a clothesline to dry - the outdoor air will help with neutralising odours and freshen the bedding. If line drying is not an option, air dry the items indoors or use the clothes dryer. If you choose the latter option, be sure to clean out the lint trap carefully afterwards to remove all pet hair.
Avoid using dryer sheets, which may irritate your dog's skin.
5. Clean the machine. After washing your dog's bedding in the washing machine, clean the machine to remove any lingering odours or pet hair. Add a 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach. Run a full hot water wash cycle.