How best to clean dog bedding?

Sammie_03

Hi all
I have a medium haired border collie and everytime I was his bedding it makes my washing machine stinky and hairy!!

I like to was his bedding regularly as it can't be nice sleeping on a muddy blanket, his bedding can consist of old towels, blankets or sheets from charity shops etc. he has a large plastic type dog bed which I lay his bedding in. I Hoover his bed (and him which he loves!!) everyday and give his bedding a good shake outside before I wash it. However there is always a manky smell in the washing machine after that can take days to get rid of. I wipe the stray hairs out from the seal, door and drum but again I find hairs.
How do you all wash pets bedding? Do you run a couple of empty cycles after to get rid of smell? Thanks for reading and any advice to help me and my hairy friend would be great!!
Xx

krlyr

Invest in a wash bag or two, it's the best thing we did!
http://www.washingnet.org.uk/washing_bags.html

For smells, I add a touch of bicarbonate of soda to the small amount of detergent I use, which tackles the odours. You could replace fabric condition with vinegar to help too - I don't bother with the conditioner (the dogs have nice soft fur coats they're already laying on all the time!) but I'd do the vinegar thing if I had any in the house.

Fire_Fox

Vacuum the bedding before you put it in the machine with a powerful vacuum that is designed for pet hair. Use an enzyme cleaning product like Vanish extra hygiene, many laundry liquids are too gentle for stinky laundry. Don't use fabric conditioner at all, it can attract dirt and be a haven for bacteria.

Are you cleaning out your washing machine filter, powder drawer and running a hot service wash with washing machine descaler or washing soda regularly? You can do the service wash after you have done the dog's bedding.

Have you tried a Furminator for the dog? Are you giving him an occasional bath with very gentle shampoo? Are you feeding him a fairly natural diet? Remember the skin is an organ of excretion, its one way the body gets rid of waste products and toxins.

lostinrates

krlyr wrote: »

Invest in a wash bag or two, it's the best thing we did!
http://www.washingnet.org.uk/washing_bags.html

For smells, I add a touch of bicarbonate of soda to the small amount of detergent I use, which tackles the odours. You could replace fabric condition with vinegar to help too - I don't bother with the conditioner (the dogs have nice soft fur coats they're already laying on all the time!) but I'd do the vinegar thing if I had any in the house.

Thank you! I will be trying these as well.
I find dog washing a nightmare and this should really help!

krlyr

lostinrates wrote: »

Thank you! I will be trying these as well.
I find dog washing a nightmare and this should really help!

I wouldn't recommend putting the dog in the washing machine though, bag or not :eek:

Seriously though, they're a life saver. We bought two and keep one for the regular washing too as our old machine had a habit of making little nicks in certain fabrics. I used a fabric pen to write down which one was for the dogs' stuff though as they're both the same fluorescent orange (at least they're easy to spot..)

Sammie_03

Thank you for your replies everyone
In going to invest in one of those bags right now!! :j
Xx

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Are the washing bags reusable?

Also, my dog has a large doughnut bed. It comes in 2 parts: the large round part & the cushion part. I have to wash them separately. So which size bag would be suitable?

It is this bed:

http://http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8705565.htm

krlyr

Yup, you just shake them out and reuse, they're made from fabric (maybe some kind of acrylic, they dry really quicky).
I think I bought two large and they fit pretty much a whole washload with a bit of room to move, I think XL are designed for those with large horse rugs (and access to a larger than normal washing machine)

MarilynMonroe_2

Use a wet palm and brush off the hairs beforehand.

skivenov

Hoover it, take it outside and shake or beat it to shift all the loose bits.

Then if you still don't fancy having it in the washer, give it a pre-wash by hand in a plastic tub.

Not that my dog stinks or anything! :rotfl:

Brushing him as regularly as possible helps as well.