Doggy laundry – a safe and smart way to wash your pup’s stuff
Let’s talk the messy side of living with a dog. A furry friend means a lot of muddy paw prints, slobbery stains and dog hair everywhere. I bet your dog is lucky and you are one of these best dog parents, so probably there are plenty of dog toys around your place, some of them made of fabric, like most of the snuffle toys and puzzles I make. And if your dog is really into these toys, after some time they are probably a bit dirty, with some treat scraps and visible food and saliva stains, probably with some dog hair too.
When snuffle toys get dirty, they aren’t safe for your pet – they become a great playground for bacteria.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧, 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 – 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐩?
First of all, choose washing detergent wisely! Think about your dog’s nose – it is much more sensitive than yours, so fragrant detergents might be irritating for your pup. I use unscented hypoallergenic washing liquid for newborns and babies – this way my dogs’ noses don’t inhale any scents and won’t get any allergic reactions.
Secondly, at all costs avoid fabric softeners! Strong fragrance irritates sensitive dogs’ noses but this is not the only problem! The smell softeners leave on fabric comes from chemical substances called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) 
. VOCs can be the cause of coughing, itchy skin, and even stomach problems (want to learn more on this? I highly recommend The Forever Dog, a great book written by Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib. This book became my bible even before it was published).
. VOCs can be the cause of coughing, itchy skin, and even stomach problems (want to learn more on this? I highly recommend The Forever Dog, a great book written by Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib. This book became my bible even before it was published).𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒈𝒈𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆?
First I wash less “hairy” accessories, like harnesses and leashes, treat bags, and a walkies bag.
Next step are fabric dog puzzles and snuffle toys . Before I put them into a washing machine, I give them proper whip to get rid of any forgotten treats and dog hair. I wash them within pillow cases, with Velcro balls which catch dog hairs. Then I dry them flat (snuffle toys, not dog hair 
). When they dry, they can be safely used again – there’s no risk that any scents will distract or irritate busy noses of my dogs.
). When they dry, they can be safely used again – there’s no risk that any scents will distract or irritate busy noses of my dogs.Finally I wash dogs’ blankets. Again, I shake them over the bathtub to get rid of hairs and wash them with Velcro balls.
After I’m done with washing, I wait for a day for my washing machine to dry inside and then … I vacuum the drum. Yes, I do it, I couldn’t find a better way to remove dog hair from it 
