Are You Washing Your Dog’s Toys Enough?

Every night after his dinner my dog Sherlock sidles up to me, letting me know that he’s ready for our evening ritual of me throwing his beloved Mr Giraffey across the room. Recently, as I crouched down to grab the grubby Kong Wild Knots toy, I realised I’d never washed it; in fact, I’ve never washed any of my two dogs’ toys. I scrub their bowls religiously yet I let them chew on festering plush and rope toys, ingesting god knows what. What germs are lurking on Mr. Giraffey? Are these pathogens the reason why my dog Lucy’s had a bad belly lately? Yikes.

Vowing to wash the toys in the morning, I wondered whether my laundry detergent was safe to use on items that my dogs chew. So. Many. Questions. If you’ve also been shirking your hygiene duties, fear not – I called on some experts to ask how often we should wash our dogs’ toys and how we should wash them…

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How often you should wash your dog's toys

My first port of call was Lucy Gorton, senior buyer at Pets at Home, who knows a thing or two about dog toys. She points out that while we should absolutely be washing our dog’s toys regularly, we don’t want to be cleaning them too much. Unsurprisingly for creatures that rate rolling in poo as a top hobby, dogs prefer their belongings on the grubbier side. 

“ Dogs are naturally drawn to familiar scents, so from their point of view, the muddier and more well-loved, the better,” Gorton advises. “However, it’s all about finding the right balance between hygiene and the familiar scent your pet loves. 

“As a general guide, frequency of washing depends on how often your pet uses the toys – if they become visibly dirty or develop an odour? It’s best to give them a clean.” 

Eyeing the mini mountain of plushies, ropes, and plastic bones on my living room floor in despair, I hit up Dr Edwina Gildea, vet and director of veterinary operations at Zoetis UK for some specifics.

Rubber/Plastic

“I recommend cleaning rubber or plastic toys at least once a week,” advises Dr Gildea. “If the toy is used to dispense food or treats, it should be washed after each use to prevent bacteria build-up.”

Plush/Fabric

Dr Gildea says to wash plush toys every other week unless they’re a particular favourite: “In this case washing weekly is best, especially if your dog carries them in their mouth regularly, or sleeps with them.”

Rope

Ever noticed how grubby rope toys get? Turns out they’re a hotbed of grossness. “The fibrous texture of rope toys makes them more likely to harbour bacteria, yeast, and other nasties,” warns Dr. Gildea. “Weekly cleaning is especially important for these types of toys.” 

Why you should wash your dog's toys

In a 2012 study of the germiest household items, dog toys came up as the eighth grubbiest, showing high levels of staph and coliform bacteria, as well as yeast and mould. Ew. 

“A dog’s mouth is full of germs that can spread to the toys, where they can replicate,” explains Dr Guy Sandelowsky, vet and co-founder of hypoallergenic pet food and supplement company Omni. “These harmful microbes can multiply and potentially make your dog sick.”

As well as the risk of gastrointestinal upset and internal infections, Dr Gildea warns that unwashed toys can also cause skin irritation.

“Keeping toys clean is especially important if your dog suffers from skin conditions like atopic dermatitis,” she explains. “This condition causes the skin to become more sensitive and reactive to allergens such as mould, dust mites, and bacteria, which can easily build up on dirty toys.”

Best way to clean your dog's toys

Rubber/Plastic

Perhaps the easiest to clean, Gorton suggests handwashing rubber or plastic toys in warm, soapy water, ensuring any soap residue is thoroughly rinsed off. They can also be put on the top rack of the dishwasher (if labelled as dishwasher safe). “Use a hot water cycle to sanitise, with no detergent,” advises Dr Gildea. “Make sure to get into all the small crevices, particularly for food-related toys.” Kong Classic, we’re looking at you, you hard to clean beast. 

Plush/Fabric

For your dog’s fave plushie, check the care label – if it can be machine-washed, Dr Gildea recommends placing it in a mesh laundry bag and running a gentle cycle with hot water and pet-safe detergent (more on that later). If your dog’s BFF contains a squeaker, proceed with caution, warns Gorton: “Submerging them may affect the squeaker's performance, so gently hand-wash these.” 

Rope

As with plush and fabric toys, rope toys can be washed in the machine or by hand, using warm water and a pet-safe detergent. 

However you clean your dog’s toys, air-drying is always the best option. If it’s a dry day, pop them outside to benefit from the natural disinfectant properties of the sun’s UV rays, and always make sure they’re completely dry before giving them back to your pet.

To ensure your dog doesn’t have to wait in limbo for toys to dry, why not have their toy collection on rotation? While there’s not much research on dogs and their toys (fancy that?!), a small study back in 2008 showed that when given a choice, most dogs prefer new toys over familiar ones. However, this excitement is short-lived, so having a regular swap-out is a great way of keeping your dog stimulated. 

Chemicals/products to avoid when cleaning dog toys

What makes a detergent unsafe for pets? Anything that contains harsh chemicals, according to Dr Sandelowsky. These include bleach, chlorine, artificial dyes and phthalates. “When used on dog toys, these can be ingested and damage their intestinal lining or cause toxicity,” he explains. “Heavily scented cleaning agents are also not ideal as they’ll smell much stronger to your dog and could put them off using the toy.”

Look for unscented non-bio detergents, or use soap nuts or a vinegar/baking soda mix. Add an extra rinse cycle to ensure there’s no remaining residue.

Can dogs share toys in a multi-dog household?

Thankfully, if your dogs are the sharing kind, it’s fine for them to share toys unless one of them is poorly. “If your dog’s recently been ill, especially with sickness or diarrhoea, it’s a good idea to wash all their toys immediately,” advises Dr Gildea. Don’t forget to keep toys separate until they’ve recovered. 

Special considerations 

In certain cases, washing toys more frequently is advised, especially if your dog has gum disease, eats poo (yum!), is immunocompromised, or is on a raw food diet. FYI, salmonella from raw food can be spread via a dog’s saliva, which could infect both you and other animals in the household. Puppies have weaker immune systems, so their toys should also be kept super clean.

When it’s time to get rid of a toy (no more washing)

All good things must come to an end, including dog toys. Weep. If a plush toy has ripped seams, protruding stuffing, or a squeaker that’s coming out, it’s best to confiscate it to avoid choking or intestinal blockage. The same goes for any rubber or plastic toy that’s developed sharp edges. If your dog is ripping off and swallowing parts of the toy, it’s a sure sign to send it to the graveyard. Au revoir! 

References

Berns, Gregory S., et al. “ Scent of the Familiar: An fMRI Study of Canine Brain Responses to Familiar and Unfamiliar Human and Dog Odors.” Behavioural Processes, vol. 110, Mar. 2014, pp. 37–46.

“ Are We Aware of Microbial Hotspots in Our Household?” ResearchGate. 

Colclasure, Victoria J., et al. “ Coliform Bacteria, Fabrics, and the Environment.” American Journal of Infection Control, vol. 43, no. 2, Dec. 2014, pp. 154–58.  

“ Neophilia in Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris) and Its Implication for Studies of Dog Cognition.” ResearchGate. 

Davies, R. H., et al. “ Raw Diets for Dogs and Cats: A Review, With Particular Reference to Microbiological Hazards.” Journal of Small Animal Practice, vol. 60, no. 6, Apr. 2019, pp. 329–39.