Are Laundry Detergents Safe for Dogs?

What should you use to wash your dog's bedding?

We spend a great deal of time thinking about what our dogs eat, the products we put on their coats and the chemicals we use around the home. But what about the products we use to wash their bedding?

Dogs can spend many hours every day lying on blankets, beds and vet bedding. Their skin and coat are therefore in prolonged contact with freshly washed fabrics, and dogs also lick their feet and coat.

Detergent, fragrance and sensitive skin

Laundry detergents contain surfactants, which help lift dirt and grease from fabric. Depending on the product, they may also contain enzymes, preservatives, optical brighteners, perfumes and other ingredients.

In the UK, certain fragrance allergens must be identified on detergent labels when present above specified concentrations. These include substances such as limonene, linalool and citral.

Fragrances can be irritating to some people and animals, particularly those with sensitive skin or allergies. For this reason, there is little advantage in heavily perfuming a dog's bedding. To us, the smell of freshly washed linen may be pleasant, but a dog's sense of smell is far more sensitive than ours.

Do laundry detergents cause cancer in dogs?

At present there is no reliable veterinary evidence showing that normal exposure to properly washed bedding causes cancer in dogs.

Some concerns have arisen because individual chemicals found in fragranced household products have been studied for their potential health effects. This is very different from demonstrating that the small amount, if any, remaining on properly rinsed bedding causes cancer.

Reducing unnecessary chemical and fragrance exposure is perfectly reasonable, but there is no need to panic or throw away your normal washing liquid.

So what should we use?

For dog bedding, blankets and towels, a simple fragrance-free or unperfumed detergent designed for sensitive skin is a sensible choice.

• Choose fragrance-free or unperfumed products where possible.
• Look for formulations suitable for sensitive skin.
• Avoid unnecessary dyes and strong perfumes.
• Use the manufacturer's recommended amount rather than adding extra detergent.
• For particularly sensitive dogs, consider an additional rinse cycle.

You do not necessarily need an expensive detergent marketed specifically for pets. Thorough rinsing and avoiding unnecessary fragrance are more important considerations.

Biological or non-biological?

There is no convincing evidence that every dog needs bedding washed in non-biological detergent. Biological detergents contain enzymes designed to break down substances such as fats and proteins and can be very effective at cleaning dirty dog bedding.

However, if a dog has sensitive or irritated skin and you suspect its washing detergent may be contributing, changing to a simple fragrance-free or sensitive formulation is a reasonable thing to try.

What about fabric conditioner?

There is little need to use fabric conditioner on dog bedding. Unlike detergent, which is intended to be washed and rinsed away, fabric conditioner is designed to leave substances behind on the fibres to make them feel softer and smell fragranced.

Dogs do not need their bedding to smell of flowers or “spring freshness”, and eliminating fabric conditioner is an easy way of reducing unnecessary fragrance and residue.

Be particularly careful with laundry capsules

A veterinary study involving 443 dogs compared exposure to traditional liquid or powdered laundry detergent with exposure to detergent pods. Dogs exposed to pods were more likely to develop clinical signs, including coughing.

Detergent can cause vomiting and irritation, and there is also a risk that foamy detergent or vomit may be inhaled into the lungs.

“Natural” doesn't automatically mean safer

It can be tempting to replace conventional detergent with something advertised as natural, botanical or containing essential oils. Natural, however, does not automatically mean safe for dogs.

Some naturally derived fragrances and essential oils can themselves cause irritation or toxicity, particularly when concentrated. A heavily fragranced “natural” detergent is not necessarily a better choice than an ordinary fragrance-free sensitive detergent.

How to wash dog bedding

1. Remove as much loose hair as possible before washing.
2. Wash according to the bedding manufacturer's instructions.
3. Use a sensible amount of fragrance-free or sensitive laundry detergent.
4. Avoid fabric conditioner where possible.
5. Use an additional rinse if you are concerned about detergent residue or have a particularly sensitive dog.
6. Dry bedding thoroughly before giving it back to the dog.

Higher-temperature washing can be useful for heavily soiled bedding and for reducing germs and parasites, provided the fabric can safely be washed at that temperature.

If your dog suddenly becomes itchy

If a dog develops itching, redness or irritation and you have recently changed washing detergent or fabric conditioner, it is worth considering whether the new product could be contributing.

Rewashing the dog's bedding using a fragrance-free detergent and an additional rinse is a simple precaution. Persistent itching should be investigated by a vet because allergies, parasites, bacterial or yeast infections and numerous other skin conditions are much more common explanations.

The bottom line

There is no good evidence that washing your dog's bedding normally with household laundry detergent causes cancer.

The more genuine risks involve dogs gaining access to concentrated detergent — particularly laundry capsules — and possible irritation from detergents, perfumes or other ingredients in sensitive individuals.

A simple fragrance-free or sensitive detergent, used at the correct dose and thoroughly rinsed, is a sensible choice for most dog bedding.