To not want to wash a filthy cat bed in our washing machine?

[PurpleCurtain]

We have a cat - or should I say, my husband has a cat as I'm not an animal person and therefore the agreement is that my husband looks after her and feeds her etc. She sleeps in our utility room, bed on top of our tumble dryer.

We also have a baby on the way imminently. I'm trying to ensure the house is suitably clean for baby's arrival - and asked DH when he last cleaned the cat bed. To be told, probably 9 months ago. I peered in to the cat's bed and it looks FILTHY.

It definitely needs washing but my instinct is I'm really reluctant to do it in our washing machine and follow it up with washing baby clothes etc - is this what others do?! Won't everything be forever covered in cat hair and potentially worse / our washing machine break?

Am I unreasonable to ask DH to take the cat bed down to the nearest launderette?!

Don't be so silly.

Would you wash at 60? Higher? Lower? Haven't inspected too closely but looks like there is dirt in the bed - so over 9 months it doesn't seem impossible that that doesn't contain our or another cat's excrement (though may just be believing my mother!), but yes my own main concern is the volume of hairs.

For the record, I am nice to the cat - though consider her a pet not equivalent to a child, and sorry if that upsets anyone!

Wash the bed , give it an extra rinse. Hot empty wash afterwards( won't need it but it'll make you feel better) then empty the filters. Sorted.

Purple I'd suggest getting a new cat bed and then just wash it more often so it doesn't get a build up of gunk. And a bag to pop it in to save your pipes from blockage. 60° wash and you can even get antibacterial washing liquid if it makes you feel happier. Job done.

For someone who hates cats so much you do seem to post a lot about cats... I think the cats are winning tbh

Honestly, I think you're giving this a lot more thought than it needs so it must be really stressing you out. You can get a new cat bed for £15 or less. So just chuck it out and start fresh. Put a blanket it that you can wash weekly, then wash the whole bed monthly.

I do the same as notgoodenoug I’ve put machine on at 90degrees with bio capsule after washing something really dirty. You are supposed to do this from time to time anyway, as I do a lot of washing on 30 degree and use non bio washing gel.

Quick tip, stick on a pair of rubber gloves and rub down the bed, the hair will clump together and be easy to remove. It works on all kind of hair, on furniture, carpets, bedclothes, car seats etc. Can you tell we have a few dogs???

I'd just time it so the cat bed was washed immediately before the cleaning cycle tbh.

Cats are by nature very clean animals, constantly grooming themselves and not fond of an already soiled litter box so it must be emptied very frequently. Cats don't poop in their bed unless they are very, very unwell, and you would know if they had.

Do you poop where you sleep? No, so why would a cat?

Sound like you have some underlying anxiety (by the sounds of your DM it's not surprising) that you will need to get in check before baby arrives as things are about to get very messy and germy. Caused by baby, not the cat.

@greenlynx

I do the same as notgoodenoug I’ve put machine on at 90degrees with bio capsule after washing something really dirty. You are supposed to do this from time to time anyway, as I do a lot of washing on 30 degree and use non bio washing gel.

I do this too. EVERYTHING gets shoved in my machine but I do clean it regularly. there is also this stuff which might make the OP feel better? Its used instead of detergent www.dettol.co.uk/household-disinfection/laundry/dettol-laundry-cleanser-fresh-cotton-1000-ml/

How are you going to cope when your baby gets poo on their clothes? Presumably by putting it in the washing machine to be cleaned.

Thr cat bed will be a lot cleaner than that!

Why would cat poo be on the bed?
Because cats bury their poop with their paws, or pad about in their litter trays, then track it into their beds.

I suppose my concern stemmed from my mum's reaction - that by washing it I would be getting cat poo everywhere if it hasn't been being regularly cleaned,

Cats are really fastidious about keeping themselves clean, so I doubt the cat bed is covered in poo. You'd be able to smell it anyway, if it was. It's probably just mud and grime. I'd probably wash at 50, and put a couple of capfuls of anti-bac wash in with it as pp have suggested.

@AlwaysLatte

Why would cat poo be on the bed? Because cats bury their poop with their paws, or pad about in their litter trays, then track it into their beds.

In my experience, cats are generally very careful not to get poo on their paws!

To save everyone the argument and upset, place the cat bed in the bin and purchase a new one. Nice and clean ready for both cat and the baby, and no washing machines are at risk of harm.

Sound like you have some underlying anxiety (by the sounds of your DM it's not surprising) that you will need to get in check before baby arrives as things are about to get very messy and germy. Caused by baby, not the cat.

This ^^ in spades.

Honestly OP, you do sound over anxious.

Your baby will be picking up all sorts of germs, just like babies have since time began.

Chill out and perhaps clean your washing machine filter after the cat's bed.

Use biological powder for the cat bed. From experience, washing the cat bedding cleans it but cat hair hooks on. Marks on the bedding are more likely to be mud or flea muck than poo. And your washing machine will have to deal with baby poo on a regular basis. Stick some napisan in with cat and baby washes if it makes you feel better.

Nice and clean ready for both cat and the baby

Better make it a double then 🤣

It won't hurt your washing machine or anything that is washed in there afterwards. I always put cat bed in the machine and it came up fine.

please don't yell about the environment and waste of money but tumble drying stuff is BRILLIANT for getting cat and human hair off after washing of course.

PS: The cat's bed needs washing more often than once in nine months. Pull off any fur/hair that will be in the cracks, before washing.

Make sure the cat is wormed regularly and has monthly spot on flea protection.

All shall be well, to quote someone famous.

Hoover the bed first.
Wash bed in washing machine.
Run a 90° wash with a splash of Zoflora or disinfectant of your choice.
It's good for the washing machine to do a maintenance wash every month or so, so just do the cat bed before each one.

My cat is fab, very clean, ok she has a slightly weepy eye from car accident years ago.
You’re over thinking stuff , washing machines cope

We have a white cat who sleeps in a white furry bed. The bed gets washed every few weeks, but I just spent five minutes picking bits of garden off both cat and bed. She would be really distressed/very, very ill to ever poo in her own bed - on the very rare occasion she has had an upset stomach she has (smartly) gone into the bathroom!

I wash her bed at 60, on a day when I can stick it on the line if possible. Otherwise in the boiler cupboard. Honesty though, I feel like I inhale hair with every breath, no matter how much we sweep and hoover. Good job we love her!