How to Clean Dog Toys?

Dirty toys of your dog can be dangerous. It is true that you cannot clean the dog toys every single day. However, dog chewing filthy dog toys can cause certain health problems. Even if your dog is capable of handling more bacteria than you or other types of pets, you need to focus on cleaning the toys regularly. Continue to read, and we will share more details with you on the importance of cleaning dog toys.

• Why It Is Important to Clean Dog Toys?

As a dog owner, you will go ahead and buy numerous toys for him to play with. These toys spend a lot of time in the mouth of your dog. On the other hand, you can also see them lying in the yard. They can pick up lots of germs, grime, and dirt. That's why you should focus on cleaning the toys of your dog regularly.

One of the most common health problems that dogs can get due to unclean toys is puppy acne. Bacteria and dirt that settles within the pores of the toys can get into the hair follicles of the dog. This will result in irritation. The irritation will look pretty much similar to small red-colored bumps. If you can sanitize your dog toys regularly, you can keep your loved companion away from getting dog acne. 

• When Should I Toss a Toy?

When you notice dirt and grime in the toys of your dog, you can clean them. Even if not, it is better to clean the dog toys at least once a month. If your dog is playing with the toys every day, it is better if you can clean them every week. However, you cannot continue with cleaning the toys of your dog forever. You will come across a situation to throw out the toys instead of cleaning them.

If you noticed that the toys are in bad shape, you can proceed with throwing them away. Even if the toys have any missing pieces, you should throw them away. You can inspect the toys of your dog and see if there is a choking hazard or not. If you noticed a choking hazard or any other similar problem, it is a good idea to throw away the toys instead of cleaning them. This will not be a major issue for the dog squeaking toys. You can allow your dog to play with those toys for a longer period of time.

• Cleaning Products You May Need

Let’s now take a look at the steps to clean the toys of your dog. As the very first thing, you need to get cleaning supplies. Here are the cleaning supplies that you will need to get to clean the toys.

• Soap
• Towel
• Brush
• Vinegar (5% Vinegar)

Once you have these items, you can continue to read the next section, as we explain the steps on how to clean your dog toys.

• Plastic, Rubber, and Other Hard Toys

Cleaning dog squeaking toys made out of rubber is quite an easy thing to do. By following the below-mentioned steps, you will be able to clean the toys.

Step 1: Use a brush or towel to clean the dirt on the surface

As the very first thing, you will need to use a brush or a towel to clean the surface. This will help you to clean the visible dirt that you can find on the surface of the toy. A used toothbrush will be able to help you with it. Make sure that you rub the towel or brush in a circular motion so that you can effectively clean the entire toy.

Step 2: Thoroughly clean it with plain water or with soap

Next, you can clean the toy with plain water or soap. It is better if you can use lukewarm water so that you can clean it quite effectively. It will be possible for you to fill up a small tub with water and soak the toys to clean them. This will help you to get rid of tough stains that are present on the toys.

Step 3: Drying in the sun

Once you are done with washing the toys, you can dry them in the sun. Drying the toys in the sun for just a couple of hours would be more than enough to finish cleaning.  

• Plush, and Other Soft Toys

If you have given plush or other soft toys to the dog, it will not be possible for you to clean them by following the above-mentioned steps. You will need to carefully follow the steps that we mention below to clean the plush and other soft toys.

Step 1: Use a brush or towel to clean the dirt on the surface

Similar to the previous process, you should be using a brush or a towel to clean dirt on the surface of plush or soft toys. You can get rid of visible dirt on the toys effectively with the help of this method. If you noticed that the toys are unclean, you just need to follow this method and clean them.

Step 2: *If they are washing machine safe

Some soft and plush toys are washing machine safe. If your toys are like that, you can simply wash them in the washing machine. This will help you to save time and clean the toys without a problem. However, you should be careful at the time of selecting a detergent for cleaning the soft toys. For example, there can be harsh chemicals present in the detergent. These chemicals can lead your dog to health risks.

After you wash the soft toys in the washing machine, you should keep your eyes on the dog as he continues to play with them. That’s because some chemicals present in detergents can cause adverse effects. If you notice any symptoms such as difficulties in breathing, vomiting, and inflammation of the lungs, you will need to meet your vet right away.

Instead of using chemicals with detergents, you may think about using white vinegar or diluted baking soda as well. You can soak the toys in such a solution for a period of 30 to 60 minutes. Then you can proceed with washing the toys manually.

Step 3: Drying in the sun

Once you are done with cleaning, you can dry the soft toys in the sun. As mentioned above, drying them in the sun for a couple of hours would be more than enough.

• How to Keep Toys Clean Daily?

You can purchase an alcohol sanitizer or alcohol sanitizing wipes to keep the toys of your dog clean. Every morning, you can make it a habit to clean and sanitize the toys of the dog. Then you will be able to provide clean toys to the dog every day.

If your dog is playing with the toys outside, you will need to think about cleaning them more than one time a day.

No matter what, you will need to be mindful of the cleanliness of the toys that your dog uses. Adhere to these tips, and you can clean the toys effectively.