How to Clean Dog Toys by Material: Plush, Rubber, Rope and More
Wash plush toys on a gentle cycle, scrub rubber and nylon with unscented dish soap and hot water, soak rope and dry it fully, and brush out treat toys after every use.
In short
- Clean a dog toy by its material: plush goes in the washing machine, rubber and nylon get a scrub with unscented dish soap and hot water, and rope gets a soak followed by a full dry.
- Most plush toys with squeakers can go through a gentle cycle inside a mesh laundry bag, as long as the toy has no glued parts and the maker's tag allows it.
- Treat-dispensing toys need the most care: rinse them after every stuffed session and use a long bottle brush to reach the inside.
- Use plain, unscented soap and rinse until no suds or smell remain, because your dog will have that toy in their mouth within minutes.
- Retire a toy when it tears, when stuffing or a squeaker can come loose, or when rubber turns sticky, cracked or small enough to swallow.
The short answer: clean each dog toy the way its material wants to be cleaned. Soft plush goes in the washer, rubber and nylon get a soapy scrub in hot water, rope gets a long soak and an even longer dry, and treat toys get a brush down the middle. Below is the full routine, material by material, plus the signs that tell you a toy has earned its retirement.
If you are not sure what a toy is made of, our plain glossary of dog toy types sorts them by how dogs play, which usually tells you the material too. And always read the care tag or the maker's instructions first: when they say something different from this guide, follow the maker.
What to clean dog toys with
Plain, unscented dish soap and warm or hot water handle almost every toy. Dogs explore with their noses and mouths, so skip perfume and rinse a little longer than feels necessary.
- Unscented liquid dish soap for rubber, nylon, plastic and hard puzzle toys.
- Unscented laundry detergent, a small amount, for plush and fabric toys in the washer.
- Plain white vinegar diluted in water for a soak, followed by a thorough rinse. It is a cleaner, not a cure-all, so treat it as a rinse helper rather than a germ killer.
- Baking soda as a gentle scrub paste on rubber grooves, rinsed away completely.
- A long bottle brush and an old toothbrush for holes, grooves and the insides of treat toys.
Skip bleach, strong cleaners, scented wipes and anything with a label that does not say it suits pet items. If you want a product that claims to sanitize, use only one whose label says it is made for pet toys, and follow that label exactly, rinse included.
How to wash plush and squeaky toys
Plush toys can usually go through the washing machine on a gentle cycle, squeakers and all. Put them in a zipped mesh laundry bag or a pillowcase tied shut so a loose seam cannot spread stuffing through the drum. Use a small amount of unscented detergent, run an extra rinse, and skip fabric softener, which leaves a scent and a film behind.
- Check every seam and squeaker pocket first. Mend small gaps or retire the toy now, not after the wash.
- Shake out loose hair and dirt, then load the toys into a mesh bag.
- Wash on a gentle cycle with a little unscented detergent and an extra rinse.
- Squeeze each toy to push out water trapped around the squeaker.
- Air dry in the sun or a warm, airy spot, or tumble on low heat if the tag allows it. A toy is ready only when the stuffing is dry right through.
No washing machine? Hand wash in a sink of warm, soapy water, squeeze the suds through the toy, then rinse and squeeze again until the water runs clear. Toys with glued eyes, plastic parts or electronics, such as a heartbeat insert, should be spot cleaned or handled exactly as the maker says.
Plush toys that come apart, or never had stuffing
Stuffing-free and puzzle plush are the easiest to wash and dry.
Browse more soft plush toys when one wears out.
How to clean rubber and nylon chew toys
Scrub rubber and nylon toys with unscented dish soap and hot water, then rinse and dry. A toothbrush gets into grooves and textured nubs where saliva and dirt collect. For stubborn grime, a paste of baking soda and water works as a gentle scrub; rinse it all away afterwards.
Many owners ask whether these toys can go in the dishwasher. Some rubber toys can, on the top rack only, and only if the maker says so. High heat can soften, warp or crack some rubbers and plastics, and a toy with a hollow center can fill with water. When the maker is silent, hand wash.
| Material | How to clean | Dishwasher? | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural rubber | Dish soap, hot water, toothbrush in the grooves | Top rack only if the maker says so | Sticky or cracked surface |
| Nylon | Dish soap and a scrub brush, rinse well | Follow the maker | Sharp splinters or a worn-down end |
| Latex and vinyl | Wipe or hand wash in warm water | Usually not | Splits, holes, a loose squeaker |
| Hard plastic puzzles | Take apart, wash each piece in soapy water | Some, top rack, per the maker | Cracks and sharp edges |
Rubber and nylon toys that wash up easily
Smooth, solid shapes are quick to scrub.
If your dog is a power chewer, our guide to chew toys for strong chewers explains how each material wears, which tells you how often to inspect it. More options live in chew toys.
How to clean rope toys
Soak rope toys in warm, soapy water, rinse well, and dry them completely before your dog plays again. Rope is made of many tightly twisted fibers, so it holds water and dirt deep inside the knots. A damp rope left in a toy box can turn musty quickly.
- Soak the rope in a bowl of warm water with a few drops of unscented dish soap.
- Work the knots with your fingers to push dirty water out.
- Rinse under running water until it runs clear. A short soak in diluted white vinegar can help lift odor; rinse that out too.
- Squeeze hard, or roll it in a towel, to remove as much water as possible.
- Hang it in the sun or a warm, airy spot. Many cotton ropes can also go in a mesh bag on a gentle wash; check the maker's tag.
Rope toys
Cotton and cotton-blend ropes for tug and toss.
Replace frayed ropes from the rope and tug toy shelf.
How to clean treat-dispensing and puzzle toys
Rinse a treat toy after every stuffed session, and give it a proper scrub with a long brush at least weekly. Food left inside a hollow toy is the part most likely to go stale or smell. Soak the toy in warm, soapy water to loosen dried filling, then push a bottle brush through the center and twist it around the walls.
Puzzle boards with sliders and lids come apart more easily than people think: lift every piece out, wash them in soapy water, and let them dry on a towel before you reassemble. Our puzzle toys by level guide covers which designs suit which dogs.
The brush that reaches inside
A long bottle brush with a narrow tube brush tucked into its handle. Made for cleaning water bottles and tubes, it is just as handy for the hollow middle of a stuffable rubber toy.
- Wide bristles scrub the main chamber
- The narrow brush reaches small holes and caps
Treat toys worth keeping clean
Each one rinses out easily with a brush.
How often to clean dog toys
A good rhythm is to clean toys about weekly, and sooner when they look or smell dirty. Treat toys need a rinse after each use. Outdoor toys need a clean whenever they come in muddy. Plush and rope toys can go every week or two, depending on how much they get carried around.
- After every use: treat-dispensing and stuffable toys.
- Weekly: rubber and nylon chews, balls and puzzle toys.
- Every week or two: plush and rope, more often for a favourite.
- Right away: anything muddy, anything another dog has played with, and toys when anyone in the house is unwell. Ask your vet if you have questions about a sick pet.
A toy basket makes wash day easier: scoop everything up at once, and open weaves let damp toys breathe.
Toy baskets and bins
Open weaves and sturdy metal let toys air out between washes.
When to throw out a dog toy
Retire a toy as soon as it can come apart in your dog's mouth. Cleaning cannot fix a toy that is falling to pieces, so inspect each one on wash day.
- Plush: open seams, stuffing showing, a squeaker that can be reached, loose eyes or tags.
- Rubber: cracks, chunks missing, a sticky or crumbly surface, or a toy worn small enough to fit far into your dog's mouth.
- Nylon: sharp edges or splinters, or a chew end worn into a point.
- Rope: long loose strands, unravelling knots, or a mildew smell that washing does not remove.
- Any toy: if it stays smelly or stained after a proper wash, or your dog has outgrown its size.
Always supervise play with a new toy, and if your dog swallows part of one, call your vet. For the rest of your dog's own clean-up, see our step-by-step bath day checklist.
Questions people ask
What can I use to clean my dog's toys?
Plain, unscented dish soap and warm water clean most hard toys, and a small amount of unscented laundry detergent works for plush in the washer. Diluted white vinegar and baking soda are handy helpers. Rinse until no smell remains, and follow any care instructions from the maker.
Can I use dish soap to wash dog toys?
Yes, a mild, unscented dish soap is a good everyday choice for rubber, nylon, plastic and rope toys. Use a small amount and rinse very thoroughly, because any leftover suds end up in your dog's mouth.
Can you wash dog toys with squeakers in them?
Usually, yes. Put squeaky plush toys in a mesh laundry bag, wash on a gentle cycle with an extra rinse, then squeeze out the water around the squeaker and let the toy dry right through. Toys with electronics or glued parts should be cleaned as the maker says.
How do you clean dog toys without a washing machine?
Hand wash them in a sink of warm, soapy water. Squeeze soap through plush and rope, scrub hard toys with a brush, then rinse until the water runs clear and dry everything completely in a warm, airy spot.
How often should you throw out dog toys?
There is no fixed schedule: replace a toy when it tears, loses stuffing, exposes a squeaker, cracks, frays or wears small enough to swallow. Checking toys on wash day makes it easy to spot these signs early.
About the numbers
- Google search, United States, read 2026-10-28: People also ask: what to clean dog toys with, dish soap for dog toys, washing toys with squeakers, how often to throw out dog toys; related searches for washing machine, vinegar, baking soda and no-washing-machine methods.
