Washing your furry friend's fleece(and why you should use a pet laundry bag!)
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There's always been a bit of confusion with how exactly you should wash your fleece items. What temperature, what detergent, what extras? So I wanted to make a quick post with some "Do"s and "Don't"s.
Do:
- Wash with cold or warm water
- Use unscented or mild detergent
- Add a cup of vinegar to the washer, for softness(optional)
- Dry on low or hang to dry
- Use a pet laundry bag(also optional, I'll gush about them below)
Don't:
- No bleach or strongly scented detergents
- Don't wash with hot water(can damage fleece)
- No fabric softeners(can stop fleece from wicking away liquid)
- Don't dry on hot(can singe/melt fleece)
So, I recently discovered pet laundry bags, and I'm in love.
I don't have a washer and dryer at home, so I have to use laundromats, and one thing I always dread is washing the pet stuff. Between the sugar gliders and the guinea pigs, their stuff is always covered in fur. No amount of brushing/shaking/soaking even comes close to getting most of it off. It's embarrassing enough trying to wash this stuff in public, because of the smell, but then I also have to scramble trying to wipe as much fur out of the machine as possible.
But recently, I found out about pet laundry bags. They're basically these giant laundry bags, similar to the ones for delicates, but for your pets! It does add a few extra steps to the washing/drying process, though honestly I feel it's completely worth it. It keeps the fleece hidden from sight, most of the smell stays inside the bag, and most importantly, it keeps the fur out of the machines!
Basically, after your normal pre-washing steps(shake/brush off fur and debris), fill up the bags with your fleece.
- You shouldn't fill each bag more than halfway, but you can use two bags in one washer.
- Add your detergent right in the bag, zip up and wash!
- Once it's done, just pull everything out and shake it out to get most of the fur off.
- To dry, you can tumble dry either in the bag or out. Or, you can hang it all to dry.
Of course, it's great even if you don't use a laundromat. Since it contains everything, it helps keep the washer free of pet hair and debris. It also keeps it out of the laundry drainage system, reducing clogs.
Below are two of the more popular brands of these bags. I personally have the Fur Magic bag, but I've also heard great things about Wheeky Pets, and that it has a non-stick coating.
Fur Magic: $12.99
Wheeky Pets: $24.99
