How to clean your dog’s toys

Dogs absolutely love their toys! It’s healthy for your dog to have these toys to keep them mentally and physically stimulated, however, it’s also important to clean your dog’s toys regularly.

Toys live on the floor and in the dirt, so it’s no wonder they tend to get pretty filthy! When you consider how dogs use their mouths and feet to play with their favourite toys, it’s easy to see why giving them a good clean every now and then is a good idea.

However, you don’t want your pets ingesting harmful chemicals from cleaning agents, so we’ve listed some helpful non-toxic, safe options for you to consider. Keep reading to learn our top tips on how you can safely clean your dog’s toys.

Soft Dogs Toys

Soft toys can be a haven for dust mites and dirt. Eww! To clean these, pop the soft items in the washing machine with a natural detergent, or you can sprinkle some baking soda onto the toys with a few capfuls of white vinegar to do the trick.

For squeaky toys, you may have to squeeze out the excess water before air drying them in the sun. Alternatively, you can put them in the dryer on a low setting.

Are you unsure about which toys to get your dog? See our guide for how to choose the right toy for your pooch here.

Hard Dogs Toys

Did you know you can throw your hard dog toys in the dishwasher? Separately to your dishes, of course! To wash, use either a natural dishwashing detergent or vinegar and give the toys a full wash cycle. Don’t worry about the vinegar smell either, as this will disappear once the toys are dry.  Hint: You can also do all your dog accessories cleaning at once; fountains, dishes, puzzle toys, non-leather collars and leashes can all go through the dishwasher for a quick and non-toxic clean.

Does your dog have a chewing problem? You might find our article on how interactive toys can help dogs with destructive chewing issues here.

Quick home made remedies to clean your dog’s toys

• Alternative cleaning options for you can be to soak your pet’s toys in the sink or the bathtub with equal parts water with white vinegar
• Use a scourer on extra dirty toys with baking soda, or simply dump the toys in the sink with the solution
• For a quick clean, put the vinegar and water mix in a spray bottle and wipe down toys with a cloth

Hopefully these tips are helpful for you when it comes to caring for your pooch’s toys. Unfortunately, not all toys are suitable for dogs. Educate yourself on the dangers of cheap and chewable toys in our blog here.