Washable Dog Beds

An important thing you may find yourself asking when making a new dog bed purchase is how it should be washed. Keeping your dog’s bed clean and fresh is important so don’t forget to check out the covers and the care instructions before making your choice.

Of course, all dog beds are washable to some extent, whether you are spot washing a waterproof bed or putting the whole thing in the washing machine. Dog beds vary as to how they should be washed. In this article we will look at the most common types of washable dog bed, talking you through the pros, cons and care of the various options available.

Dog beds with removable covers

The easiest type of dog bed to wash and care for is one with removable covers. Some dog beds only have a removable cover on the base cushion whilst others have fully removable covers. Be sure to check before purchasing if this is important to you.

You can view our range of dog beds with removable and washable covers. No more trying to jam the entire dog bed into the washing machine. Woof!

Beds with zippered or removable covers are also a great option if you like to have a spare set of covers on wash day or so you can ring the changes when you fancy another design. If that is what you would like, check if the bed you are buying has the option of spare covers for laundry day.

At D for Dog we have a range of dog beds with removable and washable covers, zippered base covers and spare covers, making keeping your dog’s bed clean easy.

Fully washable dog beds

When you see “fully washable” stated for a dog bed, it usually means that the covers do not come off and instead the whole bed is washable in the washing machine. For most sizes of bed this isn’t an issue but for very large dog beds you may need to use a larger or industrial washing machine e.g. at the dry cleaners or launderette.

P&L Oval Softee Sherpa Fleece Dog Bed
from  £69.95
Nordic Snuggle Bed
from  £24.99

Dog beds that are fully machine washable can save time as there is no fiddly and tricky removing of covers on wash day, but washing bulky bed inners can be cumbersome and it will take longer to dry than just washing the covers.

Washable base cushion

An in-between option is a dog bed where the outer covers are fixed but the cover on the base cushion is removable and can be washed separately. This is quite a good compromise as the base cushion is the part of the bed that is going to need the most cleaning.

If this is not what you are looking for, be sure to check exactly what is meant if the bed states a removable cover. Find out if it is the entire bed or only the base cushion cover that can be removed.

Spot cleaning and non-machine washing

Some dog beds are not machine washable. Examples might include some waterproof dog beds, leather or sofa beds. In these cases you can spot clean any issues. Be sure to always follow the maker's care instructions though, so you don’t damage the leather or fabric.

Memory foam beds are another type that won’t favour a spin in the washing machine as the foam will become damaged. For the best care of an orthopedic bed, the covers should be removable, at least over any part of the bed that contains memory foam.

The best washable dog beds

When most people are searching for washable dog beds they are wanting a bed where the covers can be removed for easy washing. This means that you don't have the worry about whether it will all fit in the washing machine and it also means that the bed inners don't need to be washed, which can lead to a loss of structure over time.

But, as we have discussed, not all bed covers are fully removable and in some cases this may or may not matter. If you are looking to make a dog bed purchase, check out how washable it is and whether it can be machine washed or whether it needs to be dry cleaned, so you don't get a nasty surprise come laundry day.

Need help?

We hope that has helped but if you need any further assistance choosing a washable dog bed for your furry friend, just ask – we are always happy to help.

You can shop online from our range of easy to wash dog beds. To see our full range of dog beds please visit Dog Beds UK.