How to clean a dog harness: keep it fresh, soft and looking New

Your harness comes along for everything. Every day, through rain, past the ditch, straight into the bushes where your dog is absolutely certain something is hiding. That is exactly what it was made for. But after a while you start to notice the smell, or that faint ring of dried sand along the edge of the fabric.

The good news: cleaning a dog harness takes far less effort than you would think. A few minutes here and there keeps it smelling fresh, holding its colour, and sitting comfortably on your dog. Here is exactly how.

Step 1: protect the harness before you use it

The easiest clean is the one you never have to do. Treat your harness with a water repellent and stain repellent fabric spray before the very first walk. The spray leaves an invisible layer across the fibres, so rain and mud mostly slide off instead of soaking in.

Here is how:

1. Start with a clean, dry harness. Never spray over dirt, or you seal the dirt in.
2. Hold the bottle twenty to thirty centimetres away and spray evenly, in slow passes.
3. Let it dry completely before putting it back on your dog. A half dried layer feels tacky and will not bond properly.
4. Reapply after every wash, on a dry harness of course.

Check the label on the spray. Choose one made for textiles rather than leather or suede, and test a small spot first. That goes double for coloured and printed fabrics.

Step 2: the everyday refresh with dish soap and a toothbrush

For ordinary dirt, sand and dried mud splashes, this is all you need.

1. Rinse off loose dirt first with lukewarm water. Never start scrubbing straight away, or you grind grains of sand into the fabric.
2. Mix a mild solution. A bowl of lukewarm water with a few drops of dish soap. Non abrasive is the only requirement.
3. Scrub with a soft toothbrush. Work in small circles over the dirty spots. A toothbrush gets right between the stitching and around the buckles, where a cloth cannot reach.
4. Rinse thoroughly with cold water. Soap residue makes fabric stiff and can irritate your dog's skin, so rinse until the water runs clear.
5. Air dry somewhere with good ventilation. Not on the radiator, and never in the tumble dryer.

With a teddy fabric harness, do not use a toothbrush on the teddy fabric. Use your hands instead, and squeeze the excess water out rather than wringing it. Wringing pulls the loops out of shape.

Step 3: stubborn stains and that unmistakable dog smell

Sometimes soapy water is not enough. Think canal water, or the harness that spent a week damp in the utility room.

1. Soak it in lukewarm water with a splash of white vinegar, around five minutes. Vinegar neutralises odours naturally.
2. Go over it again with the toothbrush and a little dish soap on the spots that took the worst of it.
3. Rinse with cold water and dry completely. The vinegar smell disappears, or at least fades, as it dries.

With light colours, test the vinegar on a hidden corner first. And do not soak longer than necessary, especially with printed fabrics.

Can you put a dog harness in the washing machine?

You can, with a few conditions. Put the neoprene harness in a mesh laundry bag so the buckles and D rings do not damage the drum or the rest of your washing. Wash it separately, on a cold cycle, with the spin off or on the lowest setting. Use a mild detergent with no bleach.

Always air dry afterwards. The tumble dryer is the fastest way to ruin a harness: heat breaks down the elasticity, warps plastic buckles and can leave teddy fabric looking fuzzy.

Teddy harnesses are better kept out of the washing machine altogether. The fabric stiffens up faster that way.

What not to do

• No bleach or harsh all purpose cleaners. They eat away at the fibres and leave residue that ends up against your dog's skin.
• No tumble dryer. See above.
• Never store it damp. That is where mould starts, and where the musty smell comes from.
• No drying on the radiator. Too much direct heat shrinks fabric and fades colour.
• No stiff brushes. A toothbrush is soft enough. A washing up brush is not.

How often should you clean a dog harness?

That depends on your dog and where you walk. A rough guide:

• A quick rinse every week with daily use
• A proper clean every month with soapy water and a toothbrush
• Immediately after any mud bath or swim, however brief
• Reapply the spray after every wash

Frequently asked questions

Can I wash my dog harness in the washing machine?
Yes, in a mesh laundry bag, on a cold cycle, separately from your other washing and with the spin off. Air dry afterwards. Teddy harnesses are the exception, wash those by hand.

How do I get the dog smell out of a harness?
Soak it for five minutes in lukewarm water with a splash of white vinegar, rinse well and let it dry completely. Odour usually comes from moisture that never fully dried out.

Does waterproof spray actually work?
Yes, as long as you apply it to a clean, dry harness and reapply regularly. The layer wears off through use and washing, so treat it as ongoing maintenance rather than a one off treatment.

Can a teddy harness handle water?
Absolutely. Just treat it a little more gently: no scrubbing with a toothbrush, no wringing, and let it air dry.

Finally

A clean harness smells better, looks better and simply lasts longer. A few minutes of care each month saves you from replacing a harness after a single season. And your dog heads out looking like it just came out of the box.