Care guide
How to Wash a Dog Bed: Cover, Insert and Filling, Step by Step
What goes in the machine, what never does, how often to wash and how to dry everything without ruining the filling. Written by the team behind the Fritz Bed and the Nest Bed, two beds with zip-off covers.
Quick answer Vacuum off the hair, unzip the cover and close the zip again, then wash the cover on its own, cold, on a gentle cycle, with a mild fragrance-free detergent and no fabric softener. Set the filling aside: it does not go in the machine with the cover, and memory foam is spot cleaned. Air-dry the cover, then refill and fluff. Wash the cover every one to two weeks.
What you need
- A vacuum cleaner, a rubber glove or a lint roller.
- A mild detergent without fragrance or dyes.
- An enzyme cleaner for urine or vomit stains.
- Baking soda and white vinegar for smells.
- Room to dry things flat: a drying rack, a table or a clean floor.
How to wash a dog bed, step by step
- Read the care label. Each part can have its own instructions: the cover, the inner cushion and the fillings are not always washed the same way. For any other bed, the label beats the general advice in this guide. For the Fritz Bed and the Nest Bed, the instructions below are ours.
- Remove the hair. Vacuum the whole bed, seams and corners included. A slightly damp rubber glove picks up what the vacuum leaves behind. Less hair on the bed means less hair stuck in your machine.
- Pre-treat stains. Put an enzyme cleaner on urine, vomit or drool stains before the wash and leave it as long as the bottle says. Hot water alone can set these stains.
- Unzip and remove the cover. Open the zip and take out the filling. On the Nest Bed, the inner cushion and every raised side have their own cover: take the fillings out first. Then close each zip again so it doesn’t snag anything in the drum.
- Wash the cover on its own. Wash it cold, on a gentle cycle, with a mild fragrance-free detergent. Skip fabric softener, bleach and scented dryer sheets: perfume and residue stay in the fabric, right under your dog’s nose. An extra rinse takes out the last of the detergent.
- Look after the filling. Memory foam does not go in the washing machine: the drum tears it and it hardly dries inside. Dab stains with a cloth and a little soapy water without soaking it, then let it air out. For the Fritz Bed, set the recycled filling aside: it does not go in the machine with the cover.
- Dry everything fully. Our covers air-dry, not in the dryer. Dry flat, away from radiators and direct sun, and turn the pieces now and then. Depending on the room and the weather this can take a day or more. Check that everything is dry all the way through before you put the bed together: damp filling ends up smelling musty. Once the cover is fully dry, refill it and fluff the cushion.
- Put it back together. Turn the cover inside out, put your hands into the two far corners, grab the corners of the cushion and roll the cover over it. Fold a filling in half to get it through the opening, then open it up inside and pat it flat before you zip.
30 °C or 60 °C?
Guides disagree on this, for a good reason. Hotter water is better at killing bacteria and dust mites; cooler water is kinder to fabric and colour. The care label decides, because it says what the fabric can take. If your dog has fleas or a skin infection, ask your vet for advice rather than going above the label temperature. For the Fritz Bed and Nest Bed covers, we wash cold, on a gentle cycle.
Each part, its method
| Part | How to clean it | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Fritz Bed cover | Zips off, machine washable, on its own with the zip closed. Cold, gentle cycle, mild fragrance-free detergent, no fabric softener. Air-dry. | Every 1 to 2 weeks |
| Fritz Bed insert | Recycled filling: set it aside, it does not go in the machine with the cover. Spot clean and air out as needed. | As needed |
| Nest Bed covers (cushion and sides) | All zip off and are machine washable. Take the fillings out first. Cold, gentle cycle, air-dry. | Every 1 to 2 weeks |
| Nest Bed fillings, memory foam | Never in the machine. Spot clean with a barely damp cloth, then air out flat. | As needed |
| Any bed without a removable cover | Hand wash in the bath, or a large machine if the label allows. Squeeze out the water and dry it through. | Every 2 to 4 weeks |
How often should you wash a dog bed?
For most dogs, washing the cover every one to two weeks keeps it clean and stops smells from building up. Wash it weekly if your dog sheds a lot, has allergies, often comes home wet or muddy, or during flea season. In between, vacuuming once a week already makes a real difference.
The filling needs washing far less often: clean a stain as soon as you see it and let the filling air out while the cover is in the machine.
How to wash a dog bed with stuffing and no removable cover
Without a removable cover, the whole bed gets wet at once, filling included. Check the label first, then:
- Vacuum and pre-treat stains as above.
- Fill the bath with lukewarm water and a little mild, fragrance-free detergent and let the bed soak for about twenty minutes, pressing it now and then.
- Rinse with clean water until there is no more foam.
- Squeeze the water out without wringing, then roll the bed in large towels to soak up the rest.
- Dry flat until the inside is dry, which can take several days.
A very large bed often fits better in a big machine at the laundromat, if the label allows machine washing.
Smells and accidents
- Doggy smell: sprinkle the bed with baking soda, leave it for about thirty minutes, then vacuum it up.
- Urine: an enzyme cleaner breaks down what your dog can still smell, even when you can’t. Otherwise your dog may go back to the same spot.
- In the rinse: a splash of white vinegar in the softener drawer helps neutralise smells without adding perfume.
- Skip: bleach and scented fresheners. They irritate your dog’s nose and skin and only cover the smell.
If the smell comes back right after a wash, the filling is usually the cause: dry it better or replace it.
Getting dog hair off the bed
Remove as much hair as you can before the wash: a damp rubber glove pulled in one direction rolls hair into clumps you can pick up, and a lint roller finishes the job. In the machine, wet hair sticks to the drum and clogs the filter. After the wash, run the empty drum for a few minutes, wipe the door seal and clean the filter.
A spare cover, and when to replace a part
The easiest trick is a second cover. While one dries, your dog keeps their favourite spot and isn’t tempted by the sofa. Fritz Bed covers and inserts are sold separately in Standard and Grande: choose the size of the bed you already have. The Fritz Bed cover does not fit the Nest Bed.
Replace a cover when it is torn or a smell stays after washing. Replace the insert when it has gone flat or lumpy, or your dog can feel the floor through it. Changing one part costs less than replacing the whole bed.
Spare
The Fritz Bed Cover
From $123.00
A second cover keeps the bed in use while the other one dries.
Shop now
Replacement
The Fritz Bed Insert
From $97.00
For an insert that has gone flat: replace the inside, keep the cover.
Shop nowWhat makes a dog bed easy to wash
- A cover that comes off completely, not just the top: otherwise the base and sides stay dirty.
- A zip long enough to get the filling out without a fight.
- Parts sold separately, so you can replace a cover or insert instead of the whole bed.
- Fabric that copes with daily life, splashes and wet paws included.
The Fritz Bed is a flat cushion bed in cotton canvas, water-resistant against everyday splashes, with a zip-off cover. The Nest Bed has filled raised sides, and every part, cushion and sides, has its own machine-washable cover.
For sprawlers
The Fritz Bed
From $231.00
Flat cushion bed with a zip-off, machine-washable cover and recycled filling.
Shop now
For curlers
The Fritz Nest Bed
From $390.00
Raised sides to curl up against; the cushion and every side have their own washable cover.
Shop nowChoosing the size
Measure your dog lying stretched out, from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail, then add 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in). Compare that number with the sleeping surface, not the outside size: on a bed with raised sides, only the inner cushion counts.
| Bed | Standard | Grande |
|---|---|---|
| Fritz Bed | 35 × 25 in (approx. 89 × 64 cm) | 40 × 31 in (approx. 102 × 79 cm) |
| Nest Bed, inner cushion | 19.7 × 15.7 in (50 × 40 cm) | 29.5 × 21.3 in (75 × 54 cm) |
Dogs that sleep stretched out do well on a flat cushion; dogs that curl up often love raised sides. All dimensions are in our size guide.
Dog bed washing FAQ
Can you put a dog bed in the washing machine?
The cover, yes, if it zips off and the label allows it: wash it on its own with the zip closed. The filling depends on what it is made of: memory foam never goes in the machine.
What temperature should I wash a dog bed at?
The one on the care label. Hotter water kills more bacteria, cooler water is kinder to fabric and colour, and the label says what the fabric can take. For the Fritz Bed and Nest Bed covers: cold, gentle cycle.
Can you wash the foam insert of a dog bed?
Not in the machine. The drum tears foam and it hardly dries inside. Spot clean stains with a barely damp cloth, then let it dry flat.
How do you wash a dog bed with stuffing that doesn’t have a removable cover?
By hand in the bath, with lukewarm water and a mild fragrance-free detergent. Rinse, squeeze without wringing, roll it in towels and dry it flat until the inside is dry.
How often should you wash your dog’s bed?
Every one to two weeks for the cover, and weekly for dogs that shed a lot, have allergies or often come home wet. Vacuum in between.
What detergent is safe for dog beds?
A mild detergent without fragrance or dyes, with an extra rinse. Skip fabric softener, bleach and scented dryer sheets.
Can you put a dog bed in the dryer?
Only if the label allows it. The Fritz Bed and Nest Bed covers air-dry, not in the dryer. Drying flat is also the only choice for foam fillings.
How do I get the dog smell out of a dog bed?
Sprinkle baking soda, leave it for about thirty minutes and vacuum it up; use an enzyme cleaner on urine; add a little white vinegar to the rinse. If the smell comes back quickly, dry the filling better or replace it.
How do I get dog hair off a bed cover before washing?
Vacuum first, then use a damp rubber glove or a lint roller. After the wash, clean the machine filter and door seal.
When should I replace my dog’s bed, or just the cover or insert?
When the cover is torn or keeps a smell after washing, or when the insert has gone flat or lumpy. With parts sold separately, you only replace what is worn.
A bed made to go in the wash
The Fritz Bed and the Nest Bed have covers that zip off and go in the washing machine, and Fritz Bed parts are also sold on their own.
Shop the Fritz Bed Shop the Nest Bed