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It’s important to wash your pet bed to remove odors, stains, and dirt and to prevent fleas. First, vacuum the bed and any bedding to remove pet hair. For a machine-washable pet bed with a removable cover, wash at a high temperature with unscented non-toxic laundry detergent, and air dry or place in the dryer at a low temperature without dryer sheets. For a pet bed without a removable cover, you can hand-wash by submerging and soaking the bed in soapy water for 15 minutes, or in water infused with a cup of white vinegar and some baking soda. Rinse, wring out excess moisture, and leave to air dry. 

Properly removing pet urine from fabric is a multi-step process. First blot the urine dry using a paper towel, being careful not to rub it in. Next, soak the soiled garment in a combination of water, vinegar, and baking soda for at least 15 minutes to help neutralize the odor. Finally, launder it in the washing machine with non-toxic laundry detergent, using cold or lukewarm water (hot water may further set the stain), taking care not to throw anything else into the wash. Then leave to air dry. If this doesn’t remove the stain, clean it again using an enzymatic cleaner.

Because pet hair and water can clog your washing machine plumbing, the goal here is to remove as much pet hair as possible before you put a hairy blanket in the washing machine. One popular trick is to run the blanket on a no-heat dryer cycle for 10 minutes to loosen hair, which will end up in the lint trap. Remove the blanket, give it a good shake to further remove stray hair, then wash with non-toxic detergent and add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle for good measure, which can help loosen any hairs that have become embedded in the fabric. As a preventative measure, brushing your pet daily and disposing of excess hair will help reduce stray hair build-up around the house.