Last updated: August 15, 2026
Knowing how to wash a cat bed without ruining it comes down to checking the material and the care label before you do anything else. Most plain fabric and stuffed beds can go in the washing machine on a gentle, cold cycle, but felt beds, wool beds, and anything with an electrical cord need a different approach entirely, usually hand washing or spot cleaning instead.
This article covers machine washing, hand washing, and the specific quirks of heated, fluffy, felt, and wool beds, along with what detergent to use and how often the whole thing needs doing.
Quick Answer
How do you wash a cat bed?
- Check the care label first: plain fabric beds are usually machine washable, felt and wool ones often are not.
- Never machine wash a heated bed. Unplug it and wipe or spot clean the cover only.
- Use a mild, unscented detergent and skip fabric softener, which can leave a scent your cat avoids.
Washing Method by Material
| Material | Recommended method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plain fabric or stuffed bed | Machine wash, cold, gentle cycle | Check the label for a removable cover to wash separately |
| Heated bed | Unplug and spot clean or hand wash the cover only | Never submerge the heating element or put it in a machine |
| Fluffy or plush bed | Machine wash on gentle, air dry | Tumble drying can flatten the pile; low heat if used at all |
| Felt bed | Hand wash or spot clean only | Felt can shrink, warp, or lose shape in a machine |
| Wool bed | Hand wash in cool water | Wool felts and shrinks easily with heat or agitation |
Can You Wash a Cat Bed in the Washing Machine?
Can you wash a cat bed in the washing machine is usually yes, for standard fabric or lightly stuffed beds, but always check the care label first since materials vary more than they look. Use a cold or warm gentle cycle rather than the machine’s regular setting, and a mesh laundry bag if the bed has loose stuffing or a shape that could snag on the drum. Beds with a removable cover are the easiest case: wash the cover in the machine and spot clean or air out the cushion insert underneath.
If a bed has any electrical component, foam that isn’t rated for water, or a manufacturer label that says spot clean only, skip the machine entirely and use one of the hand washing methods below instead.
How to Wash a Heated Cat Bed
How to wash a heated cat bed starts with unplugging it and, if possible, removing the cover from the heating element or pad. The cover, if removable, can usually be hand washed or machine washed on its own gentle cycle depending on the fabric. The heating element itself should never go in a washing machine or be submerged in water; wipe it down with a damp cloth and let it dry fully before reassembling and plugging it back in. Our guide to choosing a safe heated cat bed covers more on what to look for if you’re shopping for a replacement.
If the bed has no removable cover at all, spot cleaning with a damp cloth and a small amount of mild detergent is the safer option over trying to force any part of it into a machine.
Fluffy, Felt, and Wool Beds Each Need a Different Approach
How to wash a fluffy cat bed generally follows the same rules as a plush stuffed animal: gentle machine cycle, cold water, and air drying rather than a hot tumble dryer, since heat can flatten and mat the pile permanently. How to wash a felt cat bed is a different story. Felt is made by pressing and matting fibers together, and a washing machine’s agitation and heat can shrink or warp that structure irreversibly, so hand washing or spot cleaning with a barely damp cloth is the safer route.
How to wash a wool cat bed follows a similar logic to felt: wool shrinks and felts further when exposed to heat, agitation, or a big temperature swing between wash and rinse water. Hand wash in cool water with a wool-safe or mild detergent, gently press out excess water without wringing, and lay it flat to dry rather than hanging it, which can pull the shape out of a wool bed as it dries.
How to Wash a Cat Bed by Hand
How to wash a cat bed by hand, useful for felt, wool, or any bed without a machine-safe label, is straightforward: fill a basin or tub with cool to lukewarm water, add a small amount of mild detergent, and gently work it through the fabric without twisting or wringing. Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear, since leftover detergent is one of the more common reasons a cat avoids a freshly washed bed afterward. Press out excess water with a towel rather than wringing, then lay flat to dry.
How to clean a cat bed without a washing machine at all, for households without easy machine access, works the same way as hand washing, just on a larger scale using a bathtub instead of a basin for bigger beds.
What to Wash It With, and How Often
What to wash a cat bed with matters almost as much as the method. A mild, unscented, dye-free detergent is the safest default, since strong fragrances and fabric softener residue can make a freshly washed bed smell unfamiliar enough that a cat avoids it afterward. Skip fabric softener entirely; it tends to coat fibers in a way that also reduces how effectively the fabric absorbs future washing.
How often to wash a cat bed depends on use, but a general rule of thumb is every few weeks for a bed in regular use, or sooner if you notice odor, shedding buildup, or fleas anywhere in the household. Between full washes, shaking out loose hair and vacuuming the surface keeps a bed usable longer without a full wash cycle each time.
Drying a Cat Bed the Right Way
Drying matters almost as much as washing. A hot tumble dryer is the fastest way to flatten plush and fluffy fabrics permanently, and it can also warp foam inserts that aren’t designed for sustained heat. Air drying, laid flat rather than hung, is the safest default across nearly every material, though it takes longer, especially for a thicker, well-stuffed bed.
If you do use a dryer for a plain fabric bed with no foam insert, a low-heat or air-only setting reduces the risk considerably compared with a standard hot cycle. When in doubt, or for felt, wool, or foam-filled beds specifically, air drying is worth the extra time.
Common Mistakes When Washing a Cat Bed
- ❌Machine washing a felt or wool bed without checking the label first, then finding it has shrunk or lost its shape.
- ❌Using strong-smelling detergent or fabric softener, which can make a cat avoid a bed after it’s freshly washed.
- ❌Attempting to clean a heated bed’s electrical element with water instead of unplugging it and wiping it dry.
- ❌Tumble drying on high heat, which flattens plush and fluffy fabrics and can warp foam inserts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you wash a cat bed in the washing machine? Most plain fabric or stuffed beds can, on a cold, gentle cycle. Felt, wool, and heated beds generally cannot, so check the care label before you start.
How do you wash a heated cat bed? Unplug it first. Remove and wash the cover separately if it detaches, and wipe the heating element clean with a damp cloth rather than submerging it or putting it in a machine.
How often should you wash a cat bed? Roughly every few weeks for a bed in regular use is a reasonable rule of thumb, sooner if you notice odor or shedding buildup.
What should you wash a cat bed with? A mild, unscented, dye-free detergent works best. Skip fabric softener, since the residue can leave a scent that makes a cat avoid the bed afterward.
How do you clean a cat bed without a washing machine? Hand wash in a basin or tub with cool water and a small amount of mild detergent, rinse thoroughly, press out excess water, and lay flat to dry.
Why won’t my cat use her bed after I washed it? Leftover detergent scent or fabric softener is the usual cause. Rewashing with a milder, unscented product and rinsing thoroughly often fixes it, as covered in our guide to what to try when a cat won’t use a bed.
The Bottom Line
Most plain fabric cat beds are safe to machine wash on a cold, gentle cycle, but felt, wool, and heated beds need hand washing or spot cleaning instead. A mild, unscented detergent and a thorough rinse matter more than the exact method, since leftover scent is the most common reason a cat avoids a freshly washed bed.