For those of you who saw Lynsey Queen of Clean's appearance on This Morning recently, you'll know that many household items such as the humble toothbrush can contain worryingly high numbers of germs and bacteria. Lynsey informed Holly, Phil and the ITV viewers that poo particles spray up into the air when you flush the toilet - and land on our toothbrushes, making them a breeding ground for all sorts of nasties.
Unfortunately, another thing to add to this list of germy places in the home is your dog's bed.
Dr. Kelly Reynolds, Associate Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Arizona found that dog beds are one of the top 10 germiest spots in the house due to the hundreds of germs, MRSA and faecal matter that they can harbour.
Although you're obviously not the one sleeping in the dog's bed (although how many times has your child cuddled up in the dog's bed?!!) germs and infections can easily be passed from animals to humans after you pat and pet them - and many of these organisms can live in your dog's bed for up to 12 months without a host. Also, when your dog sleeps in its bed and then moves around the house, they are dragging invisible germs everywhere they go.
Despite all of this, following some research we commissioned with OnePoll in October 2017 we found that 1 in 20 dog owners NEVER wash their dog's bed!
But how frequently should they be washed?
How often should I wash my dog's bed?
According to the Dr Kelly Reynolds, you should wash your pet's bed once a week. She recommends that you remove the cover from your dog’s bedding and wash it in hot water, followed by drying it on a high heat to remove the dirt and germs.
According to another industry expert, Kathy Backus, DVM, Holistic Veterinary Services, in Kaysville, Utah, when determining how often to wash your dog’s bedding, you should also consider your pet’s activity level, how much they shed, the amount of time they spend outdoors and if they (or you) have allergies. If those factors are high, you may want to increase the number of washings to twice a week, she says. The longer you go between washes, the harder it will be for your washing machine to remove all the potential pathogens from the bedding.
The quick and easy way to wash your dog's bed
In the OnePoll survey we commissioned in 2017, we found that the main reason why people put off washing their pet bedding was due to the hair that gets left behind in the washing machine and tumble dryer - the hassle factor!
The good news is that there is now a quick and easy way to wash your pet's bedding without any hair left behind: using Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver. Vamoosh is added to your normal detergent and dissolves pet hair in the washing machine, leaving your pet bedding, blankets and washing machine hair-free and hygienically clean.
If you make it a habit of washing or changing your dog’s bedding with Vamoosh the same day as you wash your own, you can't go far wrong!