How to Wash Dog and Cat Beds Without Ruining the Washing Machine

The biggest risk when washing a pet bed is not a ruined bed – it’s a wrecked washing machine. An overstuffed, waterlogged bed can break drum bearings, burn out the motor, or flood your laundry room. The short answer: always wash the bed alone, never fill the drum more than half full, and skip the spin cycle if the bed is more than 3 inches thick. Start by checking the bed’s care tag; if there’s no tag, treat it as a large bulky item and follow the steps below.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Gather these items before touching the machine so you don’t improvise mid-cycle with the wrong tools.

• Pet-safe, enzyme-based detergent – 1 to 2 tablespoons max. Excess suds trap dirt and cause lingering odor.
• White vinegar – ½ cup in the rinse cycle neutralizes ammonia and helps loosen embedded hair.
• Dryer balls or clean tennis balls – these fluff the filling while drying.
• A large bathtub or utility sink – keep this as a backup if the bed won’t fit or is too heavy.
• A rubber brush or damp sponge – for removing loose hair before washing.

The Wash Sequence: Checkpoints and Ordered Steps

Step 1: Check the Bed’s Condition Before You Wash

Pick up the bed and squeeze the filling in one spot. If it stays compressed rather than springing back, the foam has broken down. Stop here – washing a deteriorated bed releases foam chunks that can clog your drain pump and void your machine’s warranty. Replace the bed.

Also check for tears, loose seams, or exposed stuffing. A rip will expand in the wash, and loose filling fibers can wrap around the drum seals. Repair the tear or replace the bed before washing.

Step 2: Remove the Cover If Possible

Many beds have a zippered, removable cover. Wash the cover separately from the foam or stuffing. The cover gets all the dirt; the filling usually just needs a refresh. Wash the cover on a normal cycle with cold water and gentle detergent, then air-dry or tumble-dry on low.

Verification checkpoint: If the cover alone removed most of the visible dirt and odor, you may not need to wash the inner filling at all. This saves your machine from the heaviest load.

Step 3: Extract Loose Hair and Debris

Take the bed (or the filling) outside and give it a vigorous shake. Use a rubber brush or damp sponge to lift embedded hair. This cuts the wash load by half and prevents hair from clogging your machine’s drain pump – a common failure point that can require a $150 service call.

Step 4: Perform the Waterload Test

Foam padding can hold up to 10 times its dry weight in water. Before putting the bed in the drum, pick it up: if it feels heavy or soggy, skip the machine. A waterlogged foam bed can cause the washer to become unbalanced or stall. Instead, hand-wash it in a bathtub.

Stop/escalate threshold: If the bed weighs more than 5 lb when dry (for a standard 4.5-cu-ft machine), or if it feels heavier than a soaked bath towel, do not machine-wash. Move to the bathtub method described later.

Step 5: Load the Machine Correctly

• Front-loader: Place the bed loosely in the drum – it should not fill more than ⅔ of the drum volume.
• Top-loader without an agitator: Spread the bed around the center, not heaped in one spot.
• Never stack two beds or add towels “to balance” – that increases the weight beyond safe limits.

Step 6: Choose the Right Cycle and Settings

• Water level: Use “Bulky” or “Bedding” if available; otherwise, set to “Heavy Duty” with an extra rinse.
• Temperature: Cool or warm water (max 85°F for synthetic fills, 105°F for cotton covers). Hot water can shrink synthetic filling.
• Spin speed: Low – high spin can twist the filling and damage drum bearings. For memory-foam beds, skip the spin entirely.

Step 7: Dry Thoroughly – and Slowly

A damp inner fill will smell musty and grow bacteria. Dry on low heat with dryer balls, and stop the cycle every 30 minutes to fluff the bed by hand. If the center still feels cold or damp after 90 minutes, switch to air-drying with a fan. Never put a foam bed in the dryer unless the tag explicitly says “dryer safe.”

Success check: The bed should feel dry to the touch throughout, with no cold spots at the center. If you squeeze the filling and moisture appears, it needs more drying. Musty smell after drying means the center stayed damp – strip the cover off and air-dry the filling separately for another 24 hours.

Quick Fit Confirmation Before Loading

Run through these checks before you commit to a machine wash. If any check fails, move to an alternative method.

• The bed’s care tag says “machine washable.”
• The bed fits loosely in the drum – at least 3 inches of space above the load when dry.
• The foam or stuffing compresses less than 50% when squeezed (if it stays compressed, it’s waterlogged).
• Your washer’s manual lists a “bulky items” cycle or a spin-speed limit.
• The bed weighs under 5 lb when dry for a standard 4.5-cu-ft machine (check your manual for your model’s capacity).

If you answered “no” to any item: Use a bathtub and a laundry plunger instead.

Washing Method by Bed Type

Different bed materials need different handling. Use this table to pick the right approach.

Bed Type	Best Wash Method	Spin Recommendation	Drying
Memory foam	Hand-wash in a tub	No spin	Air-dry only
Synthetic fiber fill	Machine wash on a bulky cycle	Low spin or no spin	Tumble-dry low with dryer balls
Cotton cover (removable)	Machine wash the cover	Normal spin	Tumble-dry low

The One Thing Most Owners Get Wrong About Pet Bed Laundry

Most people think they need to wash the entire bed every time. In reality, the cover does all the dirt work. The inner foam or synthetic filling rarely needs more than a spot clean or a vinegar-water mist. Over-washing the filling breaks down the fibers, creates lumps, and invites mold inside the core.

A better routine: wash the cover monthly, and only wash the whole bed every 3 to 6 months (or when it starts to smell). Spot-clean stains with a 50/50 vinegar-water spray and a microfiber cloth.

Failure mode to watch for: If you wash a synthetic-fill bed monthly, you will eventually notice lumps forming inside the fabric channels. This happens because the fill fibers break and clump together from repeated agitation. Once lumps appear, the bed will never sit flat again, and your pet may avoid sleeping on it. The fix is to replace the filling or the entire bed.

What to Do When the Bed Is Too Big for Your Machine

The Bed Fits But the Drum Is Tight

Use the “Bulky” cycle with an extra rinse and no spin. Remove the bed while it’s still heavy with water, then roll it in a dry towel to absorb excess moisture before drying.

The Bed Does Not Fit at All

Bathtub method (best for foam beds):

1. Fill the tub with cool water and ½ cup of pet-safe detergent.
2. Submerge the bed and stomp on it or press with a laundry plunger for 5 minutes.
3. Drain and refill with fresh water and ½ cup vinegar. Soak for 15 minutes.
4. Drain, press out water, then use a wet/dry vacuum to extract as much moisture as possible.
5. Dry flat on a drying rack with a fan – this can take 24 to 48 hours.

Laundromat caution: Commercial machines often have larger drums, but they also have high-speed spins that can ruin foam. Ask the attendant for a “low spin” or “hand wash” cycle. Never use a commercial dryer for foam beds – heat damages the material.

The Bed’s Filling Is Lumpy or Damp After Washing

Stop – the filling has deteriorated or the drying step was insufficient. If the filling is lumpy, replace the bed. If it’s still damp, remove the cover and air-dry the inner fill for 24 hours with a fan pointed directly at it. If mildew odor persists, discard the bed – mold can cause respiratory issues for your pet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wash a pet bed with towels or blankets?
No. The added weight makes the washer unbalanced and strains the motor. Always wash one pet bed alone.

How do I get pet hair out of the washing machine after washing the bed?
Run an empty “Clean Washer” cycle with 2 cups of white vinegar, then wipe the rubber gasket with a damp cloth to remove trapped hair.

Is it safe to wash a pet bed in a top-loader with an agitator?
Only if the bed is small and lightweight (under 2 lb). Agitators can tear seams and wrap the fabric around the center post. For larger beds, use a front-loader or hand-wash.

How often should I wash the inside foam?
Every 3 to 6 months, or when it holds an odor after spot-cleaning. More frequent washing wears out the foam faster.

What’s the first sign that a pet bed needs replacing?
The filling stays compressed when squeezed and doesn’t spring back. At that point, washing will release foam particles into your machine, and the bed no longer provides proper cushioning for your pet.

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