If you are someone who’s fond of petting furry fellows, you might have asked yourself “How to wash a dog leash?” It's really good that you pay close attention to your dog and look after their daily needs. Most people won’t even concern themselves with this much detail going as far as washing a leash for a dog. Whenever you go out with your dog, a leash is always attached. Most of the time you will find your dog getting dirty and since the dog leash goes with him/her, it will get dirty as well. The dirty leash will probably have many germs due to running in the rain, dropping in puddles, and catching fur from your dog. Dirty leashes are quite stinky and whenever you take your dog out for a walk, his/her strong sense of smell will pick up this offensive odor which can be quite upsetting. That is why it is quite important that you know how you wash a dog leash.

We mentioned above that your dog will spend time getting dirty and the leash gets dirtier along with him/her. But, even if you keep your dog clean, the leash will start to absorb skin oils, grime, and dirt from your dog’s body. It will cause the leash to smell. The materials that are used to create dog leashes include nylon, leather, or canvas. Also, there’s a metal buckle attached to it. So, you can’t simply put it in a washing machine to get cleaned up. That’ll ruin the leash and it may damage your machine as well. But lucky for you, we have put together several procedures that you can follow to wash the dog leash and keep both your dog and their accessories in the best condition. First, we have to analyze the material used for creating the leash, every material follows a bit of a different approach.

Determining the Material

The first step in getting to know how to wash a dog leash is to determine the material used to make it. If the dog leash comes with packaging, there has to be some instructions given on how you can wash it. It’ll be best if you follow that procedure. But, if there’s no such thing, there’s no need to worry. If the material is nylon, then it gets easier for you to wash it as you can just dump it in the washing machine. But on the other hand, if it’s leather, putting it in the washing machine will strip away the quality of the material. You can avoid that through some care regimen. 

Whenever you are using new detergent or vinegar, you ought to try the washing method on the test part and see how it turns out. In most cases, the shampoo you use for your dog comes into play as it will be gentle. Using the dog shampoo will be ideal for your dog as well, as they’ll be familiar with this odor. It can help avoid skin irritation as well.

How to wash Dog Leash (Leather)

To keep the condition of the leather in an ideal state, it should not be soaked in water. Instead, you should try using the soapy water solution, perhaps, the dog shampoo, or you can use vinegar or baking soda. Don’t use the normal brush for leather, you can get around by scrubbing using a toothbrush. Don’t let the leather stay wet, rinse it immediately, and with the help of a towel, blot the leather dry. After that, apply a leather conditioner to it. You can also use commercial leather cleaners. But it’ll be precautionary that, first, you find if your dog reacts to it.

How to Wash a Dog Leash (Canvas)

To wash canvas material, there’s a very calculated procedure. You need to get your hands on ¼ cup of liquid detergent (the one you use for washing dishes), or you can use the same amount of dog shampoo. Dissolve either in a gallon of warm water. Now dip the leash into the solution. Use your hands to rub the dirt off of it gently. For this material, you can also use a soft brush. Later, rinse the solution and hang the leash to dry. You can also wash the leash in the washing machine with warm water and mild detergent. Don’t use the dryer to dry out a canvas leash.

Washing a Dog Leash (Nylon)

Most dog leashes are made of nylon material. Nylon is comparatively very easy to clean. You can either use the same method mentioned above in the canvas section, or you can simply put it in the washing machine. Experts say you can put the leash into some kind of a small mesh bag and put it in the washing machine with your regular laundry. This particular bag will come in handy in preventing the metal fixture from getting snagged on your clothes. It can also prevent it from damaging the washing machine. The mesh bag will keep all the metal pieces together. 

There are other procedures that you can follow as well. For instance, you can wash the dog leash made of nylon material by using one part water (room temperature), one teaspoon salt, along with one-part white vinegar. Let the dog leash soak in that solution. Later rinse using clean water and let the dog leash dry. This will keep the color of the leash like brand new.

Key Takeaways

Now that you are familiar with how to wash a dog leash, you can take care of your little friend. Always start your daily walk with everything being in an ideal state. A clean dog leash is one of those things. Enjoy those morning and evening walks without having to deal with the stench of dirty dogs. Your furry fellow will enjoy every bit of it.