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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Machine wash tennis ball?

23 replies

1frenchfoodie · 21/02/2017 19:34

Can you wash tennis balls in the washing machine? Dog breath and ball honk - I suspect of human poo (from local park). Doggy will mellow but I can't really bear to touch the ball. The idea of being cooped up with a spaniel cross who has not run off some energy with a ball is unpaletable too. I can't get a new ball til the weekend. Help!

OP posts:

BiteyShark · 21/02/2017 21:02

I tend to hand wash mine. I wouldn't like to think about the noise a ball banging about in the washer would make

Floralnomad · 21/02/2017 21:31

I always keep a stack of new spare balls in case of loss / damage . The ones that are in use are all lined up outside the front door and we just pick one up with the ball thrower when we go out ,it would never have occurred to me to wash one . I rarely actually touch a ball with my hands .

dalmatianmad · 21/02/2017 21:33

Buy a new one?

RitaConnors · 21/02/2017 21:38

She says she can't buy a new one until the weekend.

I would. I'm always washing trainers in the machine and they come out great.

piginboots · 21/02/2017 21:39

Human poo of unknown origin?

Seriously, I would bin it on hygiene grounds, even if the dog had to go without playing fetch for a few days.

Shambolical1 · 22/02/2017 01:03

It'll be fine in the washing machine. Stick an old towel or something in there with it to mute the thumping about. Used to wash last dog's all the time; current dog isn't really interested.

Also use (clean) tennis balls in the tumble drier to make sure a down jacket dries evenly without all the fluff clumping together.

UsernameSmusername · 22/02/2017 01:21

Seriously?! Bin it, that's revolting!

Original poster

1frenchfoodie · 25/02/2017 19:21

It came up beautifully in the washing machine . Good job too as last night he dropped it in what I think was human poo again. Came up good again. Getting bit sick of pooey park.

OP posts:

mojitomint · 26/02/2017 19:56

Right ok.......

TattyCat · 26/02/2017 20:01

Where the hell do you live that there's so much human poo kicking around? Is this a common thing nowadays?

Original poster

1frenchfoodie · 26/02/2017 21:06

Paris. Very few parks, quite a lot of rough sleepers. Not supposed to let the dogs off in the parks but they'd be a nightmare if I didn't throw the ball for the young one and the 13yo iikes a wander around too.

To be fair the young one was liable to roll in fox poo where we used to live if I didn't watch him like a hawk and that would be much harder to deal with in our rental flat.

OP posts:

MiddleClassProblem · 26/02/2017 21:08

TattyCat clearly missed the runner threads about pooing out and about then?

pigsDOfly · 27/02/2017 10:32

Oh god, I couldn't deal with that, and it definitely wouldn't be going into my washing machine.

At the beach once my dog's ball landed in dog poo, I picked it up in a poo bag and threw it in the bin. However, I always carry a spare ball on walks and keep a good supply at home.

MrsJayy · 27/02/2017 10:35

You need to go to sports direct and buy tubs of tennis balls i couldnt be bothered with poo all the time yuck

Original poster

1frenchfoodie · 27/02/2017 11:20

We have a 11 month old and use reusable nappies so the washing machine deals with a fair amount of poo, just pleased it can clean tennis balls too.

I think it is best to regard dog's tennis balls as biohazards in any case, you never know what they have landed in even if they don't stink or look too bad.

OP posts:

jcsp · 27/02/2017 11:24

If you can wash trainers etc you can wash tennis balls - and tumble them. Might be noisy if the ball is in on its own - and power to do this might cost more than a new ball?

Not unrelated...

You can't dishwash a paint roller. the roller ends up clean but it then takes longer to clean the dishwasher.

pigsDOfly · 27/02/2017 12:40

When I used reusable nappies many years ago they would be put into a sterilising solution before being put into the washing machine. At the time that was the standard way of cleaning them.

Maybe I'm over fussy but I wouldn't wash my trainers in the washing machine either with or without added poo.

All that apart, at least the nappies are from you own baby and not the poo of some random stranger who could be harbouring all sort of nasties.

If you need to wash tennis balls, I wash my dog's when they get very muddy, just wash them in a bucket with some washing up liquid, why do they need to go through a washing machine cycle?

MrsJayy · 27/02/2017 12:47

Ah read you are in france cant see there being a sports direct but stll random poopers poo i could not cope with just for a tennis ball

Sparklywine · 27/02/2017 13:03

Get some chuckit balls (Amazon do them, recommend the three pack with the glow in the dark one which is fab), they're made of a hard rubber type thing so can't be chewed and you can stick them in the sink. I still wouldn't want someone else's poo in my washing machine though, so perhaps a load of cheap ones you can just bin might be more palatable. Loving your stoic attitude though, respect!

Original poster

1frenchfoodie · 27/02/2017 13:05

I think most reusable nappies nowadays suggest or even urge 'dry pailing' i.e. chuck in a nappy bin til you have a full load. The ones we use certainly do.

I think it is few pennies to run a machine (rapid wash, 40) where the balls are fairly expensive (he chomped through too many cheapy ones and proper sports ones seem a lot more bouncy) We now have more balls so I can do a full load as it were but beats washing off random poo in the mop bucket. The balls always travel in a nappy sack in my pocket.

OP posts:

xStefx · 27/02/2017 13:07

I used to wash my tennis balls if they got too muddy after a game, It wont fall apart or hurt the machine. I used to add some Milton to the wash to kill the germs

Yokohamajojo · 28/02/2017 11:43

My mum always washed our puffer jackets in the machine and used tennis balls to even out the down in them.

TattyCat · 28/02/2017 22:33

I've just thrown 7 or 8 tennis balls into the washing machine along with the filthy dog towels. I forgot to do a 60deg and put it on my normal 95deg wash as I do just for the towels, so I'll come back and let you know whether the tennis balls have survived 95deg!!

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