While you’d make Marie Kondo proud with your cleaning game, we both know there’s one spot in your home that you dread cleaning – your dog’s bed. Just like you wouldn’t go to bed on dirty sheets, your dog doesn’t need to sleep on whatever has rubbed off onto their bed’s fabric. It’s time to think of easier ways to clean your dog’s bed that will fit seamlessly in your cleaning routine.  

Get an Easy-to-Clean Dog Bed

This might be cheating, but you don’t have to worry about all the hassle of cleaning your dog’s bed if you get one that’s super easy to clean in the first place. When we designed our LAY LO beds, we did over two years of testing to make sure our materials were easy to clean. Here’s what you get with our beds:

• A 3-sided zipper cover that makes it easier to take it off and put it in the washer. 
• Cover with breathable and fast-drying fabric to air-dry in 30-minutes or less. 
• Insert designed to be accident-resistant, so the water beads up on the fabric and makes it easier to be wiped away without seeping into the mattress. 

Want to know the best way to clean your LAY LO’s dog bed? Just take off the cover, wash dog bed in cold water using a gentle detergent. Take it out and dry it in the sun for about 30-minutes. Done! I can’t get easier than that. 

1. Use Your Vacuum’s Power for Quick Cleaning

Even if your dog doesn’t go out often, their fur is excellent at picking up dander, dust, and whatever else is still lying on your floors. The quickest way to keep your dog’s bed clean is to use a vacuum with hypoallergenic filters. These HEPA filters prevent molecules from becoming airborne and distributing them all over your home. 

Use the different pet-specific attachments of your vacuum to capture hair, fur, and other dander stuck to your dog’s bed. If you can fit this into your weekly routine, you won’t have to do deep cleaning as often. 

2. Do Some Deep-Cleaning Removing the Bed Cover

Sure, vacuuming your dog’s bed will get rid of dirt, hair, and some dust, but is that enough? At LAY LO, we think a fair guideline to follow is to wash dog bed at least once every two weeks, if not every week. 

Just remember, the longer you wait in between washes, the harder it will be to remove all dirt from the bedding. 

Going the Machine-Washable Route

Hopefully, you got yourself a machine-washable dog bed cover. All LAY LO bed covers are machine washable. Of course, to maintain the vibrant color of our fabrics and extend their life, we do have some suggestions and care instructions for you to follow. 

We recommend that you wash our bed covers using cold water. Run it through the laundry on the delicate cycle and only use a touch of detergent. Remember that your dog’s skin is highly sensitive, so consider using organic detergents with no harsh chemicals to protect them. Think baby detergent for this task.

Choosing Hand-Washing Instead

If you prefer to hand-wash your dog’s bed, that’s an excellent option for deep cleaning. The easiest way is to fill the bathtub or sink with a few inches of water. Mix in a small amount of detergent and mix it well to start creating some bubbles. 

Throw in your bed cover and continuously submerge it to wash. If you see any stains or ultra-dirty spots, you might use a soft brush to help release those stains – we’ll tackle stains more deeply below. If your dog’s bed is on the smelly side, add about ¼ cup of baking soda to the mix since baking soda helps neutralize odors. 

Drain the dirty water, fill the tub again with clean water; continue to submerge the cover until it rinses clean. Repeat this process, if necessary. Allow it to air dry and admire your clean dog’s bed. 

3. Tackle Those Stains With Gentle Love

With pets, accidents are bound to happen. And, when they do, learning a few cleaning tricks to tackle those pesky stains can be a life-saver. Overall, you want to use natural and non-toxic stain cleaners on your dog’s bed to avoid their fur and skin coming in contact with harsh chemicals. 

• Cleaning mud stains:  wipe it clean with a damp cloth and use your vacuum to dry and lift any loose dirt leftover. If stains occur, just throw it in the wash on a cold, gentle cycle.
• For urine stains: the moment you notice the stain, blot with a towel to absorb what you can. In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of vinegar, 2 cups of warm water, and about 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Spray the surface over the stain and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. Blot again with a soft cloth to absorb and wipe clean the stain. If possible, run the bed cover through a delicate laundry cycle to eliminate any leftover bacteria and ultimately lift the stain. 
• Cleaning vomit stains: when your pup is sick, vomit is a very common thing. In a bowl, mix 2 cups of warm water, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of non-toxic dish soap, and ½ cup of vinegar. Then, start by blotting and wiping the surface clean. Grab a sponge, dip it in your stain-fighter mix and start scrubbing the stain away. Wait for it to dry, wash in the machine after if needed. 

4. Don’t Forget the Mattress

To fully clean your dog’s bed, you also want to take care of the inner mattress. After you’re done cleaning the cover, use a simple DIY carpet cleaner to keep pet scents on the mattress and cover to a minimum. 

Find a glass container and mix 2 cups of baking soda, ½ cup of cornstarch, and ½ cup of cornmeal. Give them a good mix or combine them in a food processor until you get a fine powder. You can also add some essential oils if you want, and your dog’s skin tolerates them.

Sprinkle the powder directly onto the dry mattress and cover. Use a hand brush to distribute the mixture across the surface. Allow the powder to sit for as long as possible – we try to leave them on overnight. 

Finally, vacuum the powder as usual and enjoy your refreshed dog bed. This is something you can do every other week to keep your dog’s bed fresh and clean. PD: this homemade cleaner can also be used on your carpet!

Tips to Keep Your Dog’s Bed Clean

Use these tips to keep a clean bed for your canine companion:

• Make it a habit to vacuum your dog’s bed whenever you vacuum your floors
• Place your dog’s bed in direct sunlight at least once a week; this will help remove stale odors
• Sprinkle our homemade cleaning formula (mentioned above) before vacuum your dog’s bed
• Spot clean new stains as soon as possible with warm water and non-toxic detergent
• Don’t forget to follow caring instructions when washing your dog’s bed cover

The cleanliness of your dog’s bed is vital for their health and yours! At LAY LO, we know how much you care for your home and your pup’s health. All of our bed covers are 100% machine washable, so you don’t have to stress much about keeping up with your dog’s bed cleaning schedule.