Washing a dog’s toy can feel very insignificant and pointless. However, a dog owner needs to clean all the dog’s toys regularly as they may contain every sort of bacteria and pathogens that may cause adverse effects on your dog’s health. Keep reading to learn the right way to wash dog toys and learn some necessary precautions.
Are you supposed to wash dog toys? Click here to learn more.
Why is it Important For You to Clean Your Dog’s Toys?
As mentioned, dog owners usually feel very demotivated when cleaning their dog’s toys. They probably think, “it’s going to get dirty again pretty soon, so why even bother? ” We can’t emphasize how important cleaning your dog’s toys are.
It is important for your dog’s health and helps you check the condition of the dog’s toys. Let’s say you are cleaning your dog’s toys and find a toy in pretty bad shape. You might’ve saved your dog’s life. How? Broken and torn-apart toys are a choking hazard that can be fatal for your dog. In such a case, you must discard the broken toy and replace it with a new one.
Besides this, washing your dog’s toys also ensures that it is free of any pathogen that may cause some serious damage to your dog’s health. For instance, your dog can be exposed to parvovirus if you are not careful.
This virus attacks the intestinal cells of your dog, causing destructive effects on your dog’s mental and physical health. If you don’t immediately take your dog to the vet, it can cause death within 2 to 3 days. Young pups (up to 20 weeks old) are most susceptible to this illness because their immunity is still developing.
Besides parvovirus, ringworm is a very common illness that mostly occurs in dogs that share their toys with other dogs. It can cause fungal infections on your dog’s skin. It may not be fatal, but it can still cause irritation and dermatitis in your dog. The infection can even spread amongst humans. ( mostly children )
So looking at all the points discussed above, it’s no secret that washing your dog’s toys IS significant for your dog’s health and welfare. Anyone who says otherwise fails to comprehend the consequences of such a lazy approach.
Should I wash my dogs toys after buying? Click here to learn more.
How to Wash the Toys of Your Dog?
Now that we know how important cleaning your dog’s toys are, we move on to our main topic of discussion. How exactly do you clean your dog’s toys? Well, fortunate for you, you don’t need any special equipment or products. You can do it at home with a washing machine or by hand and using a dog-friendly detergent.
Before we start discussing the process, we need to remind you that there are different methods for different types of toys. The two most famous types of toys for dogs are either plush toys or chew toys. We’ll briefly discuss each type of toy and how you can clean them.
How often do dogs need new toys? Click here to find out.
Can You Wash Dog Toys In the Washing Machine?
When it comes to plush toys, they’re very soft and easy to wash. One way is to toss them in a washing machine. However, the most common mistake here is that dog owners usually use regular detergents to clean the plush toys. You must use a dog-friendly detergent, as normal detergents can be toxic for your dog.
Plush toys are very soft, which might get damaged in your washing machine. We recommend using a mesh bag to keep the soft toys safe from all the washing machine bashing. Ensure your dog’s plush toys are completely dry to prevent mold growth.
How to wash plush dog toys with squeakers? Click here to learn more.
Can You Wash Your Dog’s Plush Toys By Hand?
Sometimes, you don’t feel like washing your dog’s plush toys in a washing machine. Maybe you don’t have a mash bag, and you’re afraid the washing machine might damage the plush toys. What to do in such a case? Well, then you begin cleaning the toys old-style with your bare hands.
It provides extra care to the toys. You can pick out all the hard-to-remove dirt and remove it more thoroughly. In many cases, when you’re washing something bare hands, you wouldn’t want the detergent to damage your skin.
However, in this case, you don’t have to worry about such stuff, as most dog-friendly detergent is safe for your skin. If you’re still not convinced, there’s still a solution. You can use a half water and half vinegar solution to clean the plush toys. It’ll get the job done.
Got dirty dog toys? Check out our post “9 Easy Methods – How to Clean Dog Toys.”
Can You Wash Your Dog’s Chew Toys By Hand?
When it comes to cleaning the chew toys, it might be harder than plush toys as these are not equally soft. However, with excellent care and caution, even this process will be like a walk in the park. One of the safest ways to clean your dog’s chew toys is by hand. First, you must ensure to tape any opening in the plush toy, as the cleaning material can enter through that opening and it’ll stay there.
After closing all the openings, you scrub the dirt off the chew toys. Make sure to keep a check on the physical condition of a chew toy. If the toy is broken down or deformed, throw it away, as it can cause a choking hazard. It can also indicate that the toy might release unsafe chemicals that harm the dog’s health.
Can You Wash Your Dog’s Chew Toys in a Dishwasher?
One of the most convenient ways to wash chew toys is by putting them in a dishwasher. However, this applies to certain types of toys only. While some chew toys are safe to wash in the dishwasher, others are instructed not to.
The reason behind this instruction is that the scalding water flow and the dishwasher’s heat cycle may affect the toy’s structural integrity, which will permanently deform it.
What Laundry Detergent is Safe for Dog Toys?
We have mentioned before in this article that you cannot use regular detergent to clean dog toys. Instead, you would need a dog-friendly detergent. Many dog-friendly detergents in the market are easily available and affordable.
Some of the most commonly used and effective pet-friendly detergents are:
- Concentrated Laundry Detergent by Seventh Generation #ad
- Laundry Boost by Nature’s Miracle #ad
- Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent by Tide #ad
- Natural All-Purpose Cleaner by PURR #ad
- Natural Detergent Powder by It’s So Pure #ad
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