How to wash a felt cat cave or tunnel without ruining it
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If you are wondering how to wash a felt cat tunnel, start with the maker's care instructions. For a cave that cannot go in the washing machine, unzip it into its two halves, wash them by hand, then hang them up to dry in the open air, with no bleach. Between washes, a brush is all it needs.
How do you wash a felt cat tunnel, step by step?
A felt cat tunnel is washed in five steps, and the first matters most: remove the fur before anything gets wet, because wet fur works its way into the felt.
On the felt cat cave and tunnel we sell, the zip that runs all the way round also helps with washing: undone, it separates a rimmed open bed from a dome, which are far easier to handle in a basin than a whole ring. The supplier's instructions fit on one line: hand wash, hang to dry in the open air, no washing machine, no bleach. It specifies neither water temperature nor detergent, so the rest of the steps below are simple precautions, not its instructions.
- Brush it dry. A soft brush or a slightly damp rubber glove, inside and out.
- Unzip and separate. Open the zip fully, the dome on one side, the bed on the other.
- Wash by hand. Dip each half in cold or lukewarm soapy water with an unscented detergent, and squeeze it gently rather than scrubbing.
- Rinse in clean water until it no longer foams: leftover detergent can be smelt, especially by a cat.
- Press, never wring, then hang. Press the water out into a dry towel, reshape each half and hang it up in the open air.
For wool felt, the Swiss felt maker Wiler Filz recommends a similar method: cold or at most lukewarm water, a wool detergent or shampoo, no kneading or hard rubbing, a cold rinse, and drying somewhere airy, out of the sun and away from the heating.
Why can't this felt cave go in the washing machine or near bleach?
First, because the supplier rules both out, without saying why. For wool felt, the reason is well known: heat, water and friction are what make wool felt, and a washing machine drum combines all three.
And the supplier of our cave does not disclose what its felt is made of: wool, synthetic or a blend, we do not know, and we promise nothing beyond its instructions. The careful approach is to treat it as the most delicate felt there is: barely warm water, no rubbing, no twisting.
Bleach is ruled out by the supplier, and your cat's nose gives another reason to avoid it. According to International Cat Care, cats have an extremely well-developed sense of smell and use it extensively to communicate; they also leave their own scent marks in the core areas of their territory. A bed that smells of household cleaner no longer feels quite like theirs.
A hideaway that unzips in two for washing
The felt cat cave unzips into a rimmed open bed and a dome: two halves that are hand washed and hung up to dry. Discover the felt cat cave →
How often should you wash a felt cat cave or tunnel?
A felt cat cave should be washed rarely and brushed often. The same felt maker advises skipping a full wash wherever possible and spot-cleaning marks instead. Washing also strips away your cat's scent, as our guide to keeping a cat bed clean explains.
| Situation | What to do | Full wash? |
|---|---|---|
| Fur on the felt | Soft brush or damp rubber glove, once a week | No |
| Dried mark, mud, crushed biscuit | Let it dry, brush it, then dab with a sponge and cold soapy water | No |
| Vomit, urine, faeces | Targeted clean straight away (see below) | Yes, by hand |
After a full wash, give it back its scent: a blanket your cat already sleeps on, tucked inside, does the job, just as when you win a cat over from a cardboard box to a bed.
What should you do after a urine or vomit accident in the cave?
After an accident, clean the cave quickly: a cat that can still smell urine may come back to the same spot. According to International Cat Care, you need to remove any smell your cat can detect, using an enzymatic cleaner made for cat urine and faeces, or failing that a 10% solution of biological or enzymatic washing powder, followed by a cold rinse and thorough drying.
- Avoid ammonia: according to the same source, it smells similar to urine.
- Test a small area first: International Cat Care advises this on delicate fabrics, and felt of unknown composition counts as one.
- Know when to let go: the same source recommends throwing away heavily soiled fabrics where possible.
If accidents keep happening, take your cat to the vet: according to the same source, a medical cause has to be ruled out first. Cleaning deals with the smell, not the cause.
What if you want a machine-washable cat cave?
If you want a cat bed that goes in the washing machine, the felt cat cave is not the right answer: it is hand wash only. The cat sleeping bag, on the other hand, is fully machine washable, and your cat can burrow right inside it.
If you do not have a tunnel yet, know what the upkeep involves: a basin, a towel, somewhere to hang two halves, and a little patience. Other hideaways and toys are in our play and enrichment range.
Frequently asked questions
Should you wash a new felt cat cave before giving it to your cat?
No: it has no familiar scent yet, and that scent is what you want to build. If it smells of the packaging, unzip it and let it air. Then tuck a fabric your cat already sleeps on inside.
Can you use a steam cleaner on a felt cat tunnel?
Better not: steam combines heat and moisture, and it is not part of the supplier's instructions. For felt of unknown composition, stick to hand washing.
How long should the felt dry before you zip the cave back up?
The supplier gives no drying time: it depends on the room and the season. Squeeze the felt at its thickest point, near the zip: if it still feels damp inside, wait. A cave zipped up while damp keeps a musty smell.
Key takeaways
- A felt cat tunnel is washed by hand, one half at a time, without rubbing or wringing, then hung up to dry in the open air.
- No washing machine, no bleach, no steam: as the felt's composition is not disclosed, treat it as the most delicate felt there is.
- Weekly brushing and spot-cleaning marks avoid most full washes, which strip away your cat's scent.
- For a machine-washable bed, choose a cat sleeping bag rather than a hand-wash-only felt cave.