Dog toys spend their lives in mouths, on floors and in the yard, so they get dirty fast. The good news is that most can be cleaned in minutes with things you already own. Here at The Pet Geek, this is how to wash dog toys by type, which cleaners are safe, and when a toy belongs in the trash instead.

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Quick answer: Wash plush toys in the machine with fragrance-free detergent and no fabric softener. Put rubber and hard plastic toys on the dishwasher’s top rack or scrub them in hot, soapy water. Rinse well, dry completely, and throw out anything torn, cracked or moldy.

How Often Should You Clean Dog Toys?

There is no single universal schedule, because different toy materials attract bacteria at very different rates. Here is a practical breakdown by type.

Toy Type	Recommended Wash Frequency
Soft and plush toys	Every 1–2 weeks, or immediately after outdoor use
Rubber and hard plastic toys	Every 1–2 weeks
Rope toys	Weekly — rope fibers trap moisture and bacteria fastest
Water toys	After every single use — standing water accelerates bacterial growth rapidly

Beyond the schedule, certain signs mean a toy needs washing immediately regardless of when it was last cleaned:

Visible dirt or mud from outdoor play
Slimy texture — that slick coating is biofilm, a mix of bacteria and organic matter from your dog’s saliva
Bad smell — especially a sour or musty odor
Visible mold spots, usually appearing as dark or greenish patches on fabric or inside rubber toys

A useful rule of thumb: if you would not put it in your own mouth, wash it. Your dog mouths their toys constantly, so the hygiene standard should be higher than you might initially think.

Safe Cleaners for Dog Toys

Dogs lick and chew toys for hours, so anything left behind ends up in their mouths. Choose cleaners that rinse off completely and have no fragrance.

Cleaner	Use on	How
Fragrance-free dish soap (e.g. Dawn Free & Clear)	Rubber, plastic, rope	A few drops in hot water, scrub, rinse twice
White vinegar, mixed 1:1 with water	Rubber, plastic, plush	Soak 15 minutes, scrub, rinse well
Baking soda paste	Stuck-on grime, smells	Scrub, then rinse off completely
Baby bottle detergent	Food toys, lick mats	Use as directed, rinse well
Unscented castile soap	Plush, rope	Dilute well and rinse until no suds remain

“Unscented” and “fragrance-free” aren’t the same. Unscented products can still contain masking fragrance, so look for “fragrance-free.”

What to avoid

Fabric softener and dryer sheets, which leave a coating dogs then chew
Laundry detergents with optical brighteners or strong scents
Undiluted bleach on plush or rubber toys
“Natural” cleaners with essential oils, since some oils are toxic to pets
Dishwasher pods for hand washing; they’re too concentrated

If your dog chews or swallows a detergent pod or cleaner, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

How to Wash Plush and Fabric Dog Toys

Plush toys are among the easiest to wash but also the most likely to grow mold if they are not dried properly. Before washing, check for any battery-powered squeakers or electronic components — the vast majority of standard squeaker mechanisms will survive a gentle machine wash, but any toy with batteries, lights, or electronic sound chips needs to be hand washed only.

Machine Wash Method

Place the toy inside a mesh laundry bag to protect it from getting snagged or losing stuffing.
Wash on a cold water, gentle cycle using a pet-safe detergent for dog toys
Do not use fabric softener — it can leave a residue that irritates dogs’ mouths and skin.
Remove promptly after the cycle ends so the toy does not sit damp.

Hand Wash Method

Fill a basin or sink with warm water and add a small amount of mild unscented soap.
Submerge the toy and squeeze soapy water through the fabric repeatedly, working it through the stuffing.
Rinse thoroughly under running water, squeezing until the water runs completely clear with no suds. Soap residue left inside stuffing is a common mistake — it can irritate a dog’s digestive system if ingested.

Drying Plush Toys

This step is critical. Never return a plush toy to your dog while it is still damp. Moisture trapped inside the stuffing creates ideal conditions for mold, and mold can establish itself within 24 to 48 hours.

Tumble dry on low heat is fine for most plush toys, but squeakers can be damaged or deformed by heat. When in doubt, air dry.
Air dry by laying the toy flat or hanging it in a well-ventilated spot. Give it a squeeze test before returning it — if any part of the interior still feels damp, keep drying.

How to Wash Rubber and Hard Plastic Toys

Rubber and hard plastic toys are generally the easiest to clean. Because they are non-porous, bacteria sit on the surface rather than penetrating deep into fibers, which makes removal more straightforward. The main challenge is textured surfaces and treat-dispensing cavities where food debris can collect.

Dishwasher Method (Fastest)

Most solid rubber toys are dishwasher safe. Place them on the top rack only and run a normal cycle. Critically, turn off the heated dry setting — high heat can warp or degrade rubber over time. Let toys air dry after the wash cycle completes.

Check the toy manufacturer’s guidance if you are unsure whether a specific toy is dishwasher safe. Some cheaper hard plastic toys may warp even on the top rack.

Hand Wash Method

Fill a sink or basin with warm water and add a small amount of mild unscented soap.
Use a bottle brush or old toothbrush to scrub all textured surfaces, ridges, and holes. Bacteria and food debris accumulate in exactly the spots that are hardest to reach by hand alone.
Rinse thoroughly, running water through every hole and opening until no soap remains.

Cleaning Kong and Treat-Dispensing Toys

Dried food residue inside a Kong or similar toy is notoriously stubborn. The key is to soak first.

Soak the toy in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes to loosen dried food.
Use a bottle brush (Kong makes dedicated cleaning brushes sized for their toys) to scrub the interior.
Rinse thoroughly through all openings — food debris trapped inside creates a warm, moist environment where bacteria and mold thrive quickly.
Air dry upside down so water drains out of all holes rather than pooling inside. Do not cap or seal a Kong while it is still wet.

How to Wash Rope Toys

Rope toys are the hardest type to fully clean. The tightly woven fibers are excellent at trapping bacteria, food particles, and moisture deep inside the strands — places where soap and rinsing water struggle to reach. Weekly washing is important precisely because contamination builds up faster here than in any other toy type.

Method 1: Microwave (Recommended for Surface Bacteria)

This method is fast and effective for killing surface bacteria without fully saturating the rope.

Step 1: Wet the rope toy thoroughly under running water — it must be fully saturated, not just damp. A dry rope toy in the microwave is a fire hazard.

Step 2: Place it on a microwave-safe plate.

Step 3: Microwave on high for one minute.

Step 4: Let it cool completely before handling or returning it to your dog.

Important: This method only works for rope toys with no metal parts — no metal rings, clips, or wire reinforcements. Check the toy carefully before microwaving.

Method 2: Hand Wash

Fill a basin with hot water that is as hot as practical, then add a small amount of mild, unscented soap. Fully submerge the rope toy and work the soapy water through all the strands by separating and gently squeezing the fibers. Rinse the toy thoroughly afterward, as soap residue can remain trapped in the rope and may irritate your dog’s mouth. Rinse longer than you think is necessary to ensure all soap is removed.

Drying Rope Toys

Drying is the most important step with rope toys. A damp rope toy will begin to mold within hours, not days. Hang the toy in direct sunlight or in front of a fan and allow it to dry completely — this can take several hours. Squeeze and check the interior strands before returning it to your dog.

When to Throw Out a Rope Toy Instead of Washing It

Torn seams or exposed stuffing
Cracks or pieces missing from rubber toys
Loose or exposed squeakers
Mold or a smell that stays after washing
A toy that’s become small enough to swallow

How to Wash Squeaky Toys

Squeaky toys split into two categories, and the wash method follows the material, not the squeaker itself.

Plush squeaky toys (fabric exterior with an internal squeaker mechanism): Treat these exactly like any other plush toy — machine wash gentle with cold water and pet-safe detergent, or hand wash in warm soapy water. Air dry or tumble dry low. The squeaker mechanism inside is usually a simple plastic air bladder that survives gentle washing, but avoid high heat.
All-rubber squeaky toys (solid rubber with a squeaker hole): Treat these like any rubber toy — dishwasher top rack without heated dry, or hand wash with warm water and a brush.

After washing any squeaky toy, test the squeaker before returning the toy to your dog. Squeeze it several times to confirm it still functions. If the squeaker is cracked, broken, or if the mechanism has become loose and accessible, discard the toy. A loose squeaker is a choking hazard.

When to Throw the Toy Away Instead of Washing It

Not every dirty toy is worth cleaning. Some toys have deteriorated to the point where they are a safety risk, and washing them will not change that. Replace a toy if any of the following apply:

Visible mold that will not wash off — especially mold embedded deep in rope or plush stuffing
Rope toys with heavy fraying that your dog is actively chewing off and ingesting
Cracked rubber with sharp edges — cracks also harbor bacteria in ways that are impossible to clean properly
Plush toys with stuffing coming out through tears — the stuffing is an ingestion hazard, not just a mess
Any toy that has been in contact with wildlife feces or a sick animal — the contamination risk is too high to manage with household cleaning

The general principle: if washing does not restore the toy to a reasonably clean and intact condition, replace it. Toys are inexpensive. Veterinary bills are not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put dog toys in the washing machine?

Plush and rope toys, yes. Rubber, plastic and electronic toys should be hand washed or put on the dishwasher’s top rack.

Can I use regular Dawn dish soap?

Fragrance-free Dawn is the safer pick. If you use regular dish soap, use very little and rinse twice.

Is vinegar safe for dog toys?

Yes, mixed 1:1 with water and rinsed well. It’s a good choice for regular cleaning.

How do I get mold off a dog toy?

Don’t. Mold grows deep into fabric and rubber where you can’t reach it. Throw the toy out.

Conclusion

Wash food toys after every use and everything else weekly or every other week. Use fragrance-free soap, rinse twice and dry fully.

Clean toys pair well with clean bowls, so see our stainless steel dog bowls guide too. For new toys that are easy to keep clean, browse our interactive dog toys, and for food puzzles see our slow feeder guide. Once you know how to wash dog toys by type, the whole job takes less than half an hour a week.

We’re dog owners, not vets. If your dog swallows a cleaning product or part of a toy, contact your vet right away.