How to Clean Dog Toys

From time to time, all pet toys need to be cleaned. After weeks of being chewed and carried around the house and outside, they get dirty. Washing off germs and bacteria will keep your dog healthy, the dog toys looking better and your home cleaner.

Things You'll Need

• Washing machine
• Dryer
• Laundry Basket
• Bleach
• Scrub brush
• Sink
• Hot water
• Towels

Instructions

1. Collect all your dog’s toys from around the house including soft plush toys, vinyl, plastic and even bones. Look under couches, tables and beds. Go outside and collect toys that are hidden under decks, trees and bushes.

2. Sort the dog toys into groups. Put all plush, fabric and cloth toys into a laundry basket. Put all vinyl, plastic, rubber and nylon toys in a mop bucket. Place all natural bones in the kitchen sink. Discard any toys that are broken, torn or have small parts hanging loose. They may pose a choking hazard.

3. Fill the mop bucket with hot water. Add one-half cup of bleach to the bucket and let the toys soak in the bleach water solution. After they have soaked for at least 30 minutes, use the scrub brush to loosen any dirt. Dump the bucket of bleach water, and refill with clean, clear hot water. Let the toys soak another 30 minutes. Remove the toys from the bucket, and hand rinse each toy under a faucet. Be sure no smell of bleach is left on the toys. Allow the dog toys to dry on a towel before giving them back to your pet.

4. Use the scrub brush and hot water to clean the natural bones in the sink. Loosen any mud or dirt from outdoor play. Do not use any chemical cleaners on natural bones. Allow the bones to dry on a towel before giving them to your dog.

5. Start a load of laundry for your plush and fabric dog toys. Select the hot water wash, and a partial load if you don’t have many dog toys. Add your laundry detergent before the toys so they don’t absorb all the soap. Add a small amount of bleach to the water. After the wash cycle is complete, put the dog toys into the dryer on the hottest drying cycle. This will help kill any germs and bacteria on the toys.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish