Can you wash a dog bed in the washing machine?

Most dog beds with a removable cover can — unzip the cover and machine wash it; the inner foam or fill usually cannot go in a home machine and is spot-cleaned instead. Always check the care label first. For beds without a removable cover, small ones may fit a large-capacity or front-load machine, but big or foam-core beds often exceed a home washer's capacity and are better hand-washed in a tub or taken to a laundromat. Shake off loose hair and vacuum the bed before washing so you are not clogging the machine with fur.

What temperature should you wash a dog bed at?

Warm to hot water is best for sanitizing — hot water is most effective at killing dust mites, bacteria and flea eggs, so use the warmest setting the fabric's care label allows. Many pet-bedding covers tolerate a hot wash; check the label to avoid shrinking or damaging the cover. Wash separately from your own laundry, use a fragrance-free, pet-safe detergent, and skip fabric softener, which leaves residues that can irritate a dog's skin. A hot wash plus a hot dryer cycle, if the label allows, is the most thorough combination for pests and allergens.

How do you get dog smell out of a dog bed?

Deal with the source, not just the scent. Vacuum off hair, then pre-treat odor and stains with an enzyme cleaner made for pets, which breaks down the organic compounds that cause smells rather than masking them, and let it sit before washing. Add half a cup of baking soda to the wash along with pet-safe detergent, and wash on the warmest safe setting. Dry thoroughly — a damp bed quickly smells musty again. Avoid heavily scented additives; they cover the smell temporarily and can bother a dog's nose and skin. Regular washing is what keeps odor from building in the first place.

How often should you wash a dog bed if your dog has allergies?

Weekly, at minimum. A dog with itchy skin or allergies benefits from more frequent washing because dust mites, pollen and dander accumulate in bedding and worsen symptoms, and a clean bed reduces the allergen load the dog rests in. Use hot water to kill dust mites, a fragrance-free detergent to avoid adding irritants, and rinse thoroughly so no detergent residue remains. The same applies to homes where a person has pet allergies. Pair frequent bed washing with regular vacuuming of the areas the dog frequents for the biggest reduction in allergens.

Is it bad to not wash your dog's bed?

An unwashed bed becomes a reservoir for shed hair, dander, dead skin, dust mites, bacteria, yeast and potentially flea eggs, which can contribute to skin irritation, odor, and allergy flare-ups for both the dog and the household. It is not an emergency, but over weeks and months the buildup is real, and it is far easier to prevent than to deal with once a bed smells or a dog develops a skin issue. A 1-to-2-week washing routine keeps the bed hygienic with minimal effort, and immediate washing after any accident or flea exposure prevents the worst problems.

How Often Should You Wash a Dog Bed?

Written & researched by Derek Holt Home & Appliances Editor

Updated October 2026

Close-up detail of the material being worked in a pets at home project, in soft overcast light

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Wash a dog bed every 1 to 2 weeks as a general rule, and weekly if your dog sheds heavily, has allergies, goes outside a lot, or the bed sits in a high-traffic spot. Wash it immediately after any accident, or when the dog comes in wet or muddy, or after flea exposure. Machine wash the removable cover in the warmest water the care label allows — hot water is what kills dust mites and flea eggs — with a fragrance-free detergent and no fabric softener. Vacuum off loose hair first, and dry the bed thoroughly to prevent a musty smell.

How often is right for your dog?

The 1-to-2-week baseline moves with how the bed gets used. Match the frequency to the dog and the situation.

Situation	Wash frequency
Average dog, indoor, low shedding	Every 1–2 weeks
Heavy shedder, or bed in a busy area	Weekly
Dog with allergies or itchy skin	Weekly, hot water
Goes outdoors a lot / gets dirty	Weekly, or as needed
Rarely used, clean dog	Every 2–4 weeks
After an accident, mud, or flea exposure	Immediately

Between full washes, a quick daily or every-other-day habit keeps things manageable: shake the bed out, vacuum off hair, and spot-clean any marks. Washing a bed cover between the sheets you already run is easy; the buildup that makes it unpleasant only happens when weeks go by untouched.

Three-quarter view of a person vacuuming pet hair from a rug while a dog watches from a couch, in soft early-morning light

How do I wash it properly?

The method depends on the bed's construction, so check the care label first.

Remove loose hair. Shake the bed outdoors and vacuum both sides — fur clogs washing machines and blocks drains.
Pre-treat stains and odor with a pet enzyme cleaner, which breaks down the organic sources of smell rather than masking them. Let it sit — see best enzyme cleaners.
Wash the cover on the warmest setting the label allows, with a fragrance-free pet-safe detergent and, optionally, half a cup of baking soda. Skip fabric softener, which leaves skin-irritating residue.
Handle the insert. Foam cores usually cannot go in a home machine — spot-clean and air them. Fiber fill sometimes can; follow the label.
Dry thoroughly. A hot dryer cycle (if the label permits) adds sanitizing power; make sure the bed is fully dry before the dog uses it, since damp fill turns musty fast.

Wide view of a person vacuuming pet hair from a rug while a dog watches from a couch, in warm late-afternoon light

Why does hot water matter?

Because heat is what actually sanitizes. Dust mites, bacteria, yeast and flea eggs survive a cool wash, and hot water is the most effective way to kill them, which is why the warmest label-safe temperature is the target — especially for a dog with allergies, where dust mites in bedding directly worsen itching. A fragrance-free detergent avoids adding the very irritants you are trying to remove, and a thorough rinse leaves no residue against the dog's skin. If the cover cannot take hot water, a warm wash plus a hot dryer cycle helps close the gap. Frequent hot washing of bedding is also part of controlling fleas once they appear, alongside treating the dog and the home.

Close-up detail of the material being worked in a pets at home project, in bright midday sun

What happens if you skip it?

An unwashed bed steadily accumulates shed hair, dander, dead skin, dust mites, bacteria and, if fleas are around, their eggs — turning the one place a dog rests most into a reservoir of irritants. Over weeks that buildup contributes to odor, skin irritation and allergy flare-ups for both the dog and the people in the home. None of it is an emergency, but all of it is easier to prevent with a simple 1-to-2-week routine than to fix once a bed smells or a skin problem starts. Choosing a bed with a removable, machine-washable cover makes the whole job trivial and is worth prioritizing when you buy. This is general care guidance; for any persistent skin or allergy issue, consult your veterinarian.

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