Cat hair and care: how to clean a cat bed properly

What really decides how long a bed lasts isn't its comfort or its price: it's how easily you can get the hair off it. A bed that needs vacuuming every day ends up in a cupboard within two months. And knowing how to clean a cat bed means knowing one counter-intuitive rule: don't wash a bed too often, or your cat may abandon it.

Why a bed gets covered in hair so fast

A cat sheds hair all year round, with two seasonal peaks in spring and autumn. They also spend much of their waking time grooming, which loosens dead hair — and they often do it on their bed.

Then there's dander, the tiny flakes of skin that are the main feline allergen. An unwashed fabric bed builds up far more of it than a bed in a smooth material.

Hence the key question when you buy: does this material let go of hair, or hold on to it?

Materials ranked, from easiest to most demanding

That's the main selling point of a woven cotton rope bed: with no padding or plush cover, hair doesn't cling, and a simple sweep of the hand makes the bed as good as new. The same logic applies to a rattan bed, where only the cushion cover goes in the machine, or to a camp-style bed whose fabric comes off.

By contrast, beds made entirely of fabric — a sleeping bag, a villa cat house, a capsule bed — need more regular care. They have other qualities, but it's worth knowing before you buy.

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The routine that works

Every week. Remove the hair: a damp rubber glove run over the surface, a pet hair brush or a lint roller. The damp glove is the most effective and costs nothing — the hair clumps together instead of flying about.

Every two to four weeks. Wash the fabric or the cover at 30 or 40 °C.

Twice a year. A deep clean, at the end of the spring and autumn moults.

⚠️ The counter-intuitive rule: don't wash too often

A bed carries your cat's scent, and that's exactly what makes it their bed. A wash wipes out that scent marking.

Many owners report a cat snubbing their bed “for no reason” right after a big clean: this is the reason. Space out the washes, and above all use no fabric softener and no scented detergent — the lingering smell is enough to put a cat off.

A simple tip: if you have two sets of fabric for the same bed, wash them in turn. One keeps the scent while the other is clean.

Cleaning mistakes

Scented detergent and fabric softener. The number one cause of a bed being suddenly snubbed.

A hot tumble dryer. It mats the fibres, shrinks covers and makes the padding go hard.

Household cleaning products on frames. On rattan or wood, plain water and a cloth are enough. Scented disinfectants leave a lingering smell.

Washing it just as your cat has taken to it. Wait at least three to four weeks after setting up a new bed: they've only just left their scent on it.

Allergies: what cleaning the bed really changes

A point worth clearing up, because a lot of half-truths go around. The cat's main allergen isn't hair: it's a protein found in saliva and dander, which your cat spreads over their coat when grooming, and which then ends up wherever they sleep.

The practical upshot: removing hair isn't enough — you have to wash. A bed that's brushed every week but never goes in the machine keeps building up allergens.

Three measures that make a measurable difference in a sensitive household:

• Wash the fabric every two weeks at 40 °C minimum — the difference compared with a cold wash is clear.
• Choose a bed whose fabric part comes off, otherwise the wash will never happen.
• Keep the bed out of the bedroom of whoever is affected, rather than piling on treatments elsewhere.

A bed in a smooth material — woven rope, rattan, wood — builds up less than a plush one, but none of them gets rid of the problem. And of course this is no substitute for medical advice if the allergy is confirmed.

What to check before you buy

Three questions to ask yourself, in this order:

1. Does the part that touches your cat come off? A removable cover, a lift-out mat, detachable fabric. Without that, the whole bed has to go in the machine — or never does.
2. Is it machine washable, and at what temperature? 30 °C minimum is a reasonable standard.
3. Can the part that wears out be replaced separately? That's what separates a bed that lasts three years from one that lasts six months.

A bed that ticks all three will last. A bed that ticks none will end up being replaced, whatever it cost.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get embedded hair out of fabric?

A damp rubber glove is still the most effective: run in one direction only, it clumps the hair together. A slightly damp sponge works too. A sticky lint roller soon runs out of steam on a large surface.

Can I vacuum a cat bed?

Yes, with a brush attachment and on a moderate setting. On woven rope or rattan, avoid full power, which can loosen the fibres.

What can I do about a bed that holds on to a smell?

Wash it at 40 °C with bicarbonate of soda, no fabric softener, then let it air-dry completely. If the smell persists, the inner padding is often to blame: only replacing it will fix the problem.

Should I treat the bed for fleas?

Washing at 60 °C kills eggs and larvae when there's a confirmed infestation — but check that the fabric can take it. For prevention, it's treating your cat that works, not treating the bed.

My cat's bed is rattan. How do I clean it?

Dry dusting or a low-power vacuum for the frame, the machine for the cushion cover. Avoid soaking it, which loosens the weave.