A quick and simple DIY (Do it Yourself) lesson tutorial on how to sanitize a dog’s toys.
Say no to toxic chemicals and microfibers in a healthy way with a natural or homemade cleaner.
Do you or your family have a dog? If so, you probably spend quite a bit of time playing with them. Our furry friends can be really entertaining, but they also need their toys cleaned from time to time, especially after they’ve been chewed up.
At first, you might think that dog toys don’t need to be cleaned too often, but if you think about it, that’s not actually true. We can’t always control when our pups get their grubby paws on them and they end up getting dirty pretty fast.
Reasons why you should clean and sanitize your dog’s toy
Some people might tell you to just throw away all of your dog’s toys so they can be replaced. But what about all the money you’d spend doing so? If you have a big dog who likes to play rough, then you might even have quite a collection.
That’s why it’s important to know how to sanitize them properly so you don’t have to throw out any of their toys. Most people who own a dog probably already have a bottle of dog toy cleaner around.
But what is this usually made up of? They can be harmful, and not in a good way! Either they’re full of chemicals that can damage your pup’s internal organs when they get into their system, or they’re full of microfibers that your dog may end up ingesting when playing with the toy over time.
How to make a home natural sanitizer (sanitize a dog’s toys)
It’s much better to make your own cleaning solution at home using natural ingredients instead. Not only does this save you money, but it will also be a lot more environmentally friendly.
When you make your own dog toy cleaner at home, you can make a very potent cleaning solution without much effort.
Ingredients
¼ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup water (warm or cold), ¼ cup baking soda (optional).
Unless your toys don’t need it as well as pet bedding, then leave this out. Be warned, It can be harmful to your dog if ingested.
Make sure that your dog toys are 100% non-toxic pet bedding before making homemade cleaners for them. This is one of those things that should go without saying.
The ratio you will use for homemade cleaners is ¼ cup of liquid per one ounce of dry cleaning powder. You don’t want to make the liquid any more diluted than it already is.
You will be adding in some extra liquid (¼ cup) to help dilute the cleaner, but this liquid should not exceed half of your recipe.
Depending on how many toys you need to clean at once, you can make more than the exact amount that you need for this recipe. If they’re small, then just double or triple what you’re making (there really isn’t much difference when using this ratio).
Instructions to take to sanitize a dog’s toys:
1. Start with a clean, empty bucket and throw in ¼ cup of white vinegar.
2. Next add in ¼ cup water. It’s important to use water from the tap whenever making cleaning solutions at home since it has no minerals in it.
If you use spring or distilled water, it could cause reactions when mixing with mild cleaners such as vinegar or baking soda. For this recipe, you can use either warm or cold tap water, but never hot water.
3. Add ¼ cup baking soda to your solution if your toys need a bit of extra help sanitizing due to your dog chewing through the toy and exposing the stuffing inside that usually contains microfibers from pets’ beds.
4. Use a funnel that allows you to pour it into your dog toys without making a mess. This way, the cleaner will only go into the toy and not all over your countertop as well as your hands.
5. Pop them in the dishwasher or wash them by hand with a gentle soap and water solution afterward before giving them back to your dog. Both methods will ensure that no bacteria will be able to grow on them since they have been sanitized properly beforehand.
Tips to sanitize a dog’s toys homemade:
Before using this homemade pet toy cleaner, wash all of the toys that you want to keep sanitized first with a small amount of dishwashing liquid before rinsing them off completely under an even larger amount of cold water afterward.
This will make sure that there are no bacteria on the toy to cause any problems after the cleaner has been used.
If you make homemade cleaners once in a while, your dog toys will be much cleaner after making them at home for you instead of using store-bought products that can potentially harm your pet.
Of course, using these cleaners only after your dog has chewed on their toy will ensure that no harmful microfibers can get into your pup’s system, but if they inadvertently ingest some of the cleaners when playing with the toy, then you will know when it happens since it will be rather obvious.
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If you have a puppy, then you might want to consider tossing them toys that are made from all-natural non-toxic materials instead. Chew toys made from different food-grade plastics such as bone rubber, latex, or nylon can get pretty nasty if your pup eats it.
Or if it gets wet and they try to eat it again (happens with bone rubber, which is why we recommend using all-natural rubber dog toys).
You might also want to consider getting a dog toy that can be activated by an automatic ball launcher if you have a pet that likes to play fetch and you don’t want them chewing your belongings and possibly destroying them. This way, you won’t have to worry about the toys.
In conclusion, it’s definitely worth making these homemade cleaning solutions for your dog toys at home.
They are just as effective as using store-bought products, but they are also much safer for your pup since you’re using natural ingredients instead of harsh chemicals. We will tell you the ten best home remedies to use when you sanitize a dog’s toys.
10 best natural Home Remedies to use when you sanitize a dog’s toys
1. Plain Water –
Although plain water doesn’t have much of a cleansing effect, if you keep spraying it on your dog’s toy until they stop chewing on it, then the moisture should prevent it from being so tasty so that they stop chewing on their toys in the first place. This is a good temporary fix that doesn’t require a lot of work or effort on your part.
2. Borax –
This is usually used to wash clothes, but you can also use it on your dog’s toys. Make sure to dilute the solution to half of its normal strength with water because if you don’t, then it might irritate their skin.
3. Vinegar –
You can use any type of vinegar that you have at home for this purpose, but distilled white vinegar works better since it doesn’t contain any chemicals in it that could potentially harm your pup’s sensitivity insides if they ingest some of the compounds.
4. Lemon Juice –
This is another natural cleaning solution that you can use to sanitize your dog’s toys. It has the same effect as vinegar, but it’s also acidic, which can help to deodorize your dog’s toy as well.
5. Baking Soda –
Baking soda is great for killing odors, and if your dog likes to chew on certain toys more than others, then this could be the reason why. Maybe they smell something delicious on it that they want to eat so badly! If so, then baking soda is a great way to take care of this problem for you once and for all. Just sprinkle some on the top of the toy so that they don’t remove it instead of eating it.
6. Homemade Cleaner –
This is the best cleaning solution that you can make since it will get rid of any harmful chemicals or bacteria that might be left behind on your dog’s toys after chews on them. It’s also pretty easy to make this solution at home using products that are already in your house, which is why it’s a great option for you to consider if you want to keep your dog safe instead of having to purchase store-bought products that are filled with chemicals.
7. Meat Cleaver –
This is actually a pretty good option, especially if you have a dog who likes to chew on things. You can cut up pieces of meat and put them inside of the toy. The reason why we suggest this method is because if you’re not careful, then your dog can just eat pieces of meat that you’ve already prepared, and then they will begin chewing their toys again.
8. Pepper –
If your dog likes to chew on their toys and it’s not for chewing on their rawhide, then pepper might do the trick for you. Just rub some salt onto it or sprinkle some pepper onto it to keep your pup at bay.
9. Egg Shells –
If your dog is a puppy and they just can’t resist chewing on their toys, then you might want to try putting together some eggshells for them. They won’t be able to get through the shells and will eventually lose interest in chewing on them altogether.
10. Shelled Peanuts –
Just like eggshells, if you put together some peanuts for your puppy when they’re teething, then the shells are going to keep them occupied when they’re feeling the urge to chow down on their toys.