It's important to keep a clean and tidy house to prevent you and your family from getting sick.
A study has revealed failing to wash your dog's bed on a regular basis could not only affect their health, but yours too.
Research has found that one in 20 owners have never washed their dog's bed.
And according to Dr Kelly Reynolds, associate professor of environmental health at the University of Arizona, owners should actually be washing their pet's bed on a weekly basis.
She found dog beds to be one of the top 10 spots for germs in the house due to them harbouring MRSA and faecal matter.
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She recommends that owners remove the covers from their dog's bed before washing them in hot water and drying them on high heat to remove the dirt and germs.
However, another expert, Kathy Backus, DVM, holistic veterinary services, in Kaysville, Utah, says owners should also consider their "pet’s activity level, how much they shed, the amount of time they spend outdoors and if they have allergies" when it comes to the frequency of having their beds washed.
If those factors are high, she encourages owners to increase the number of washings to twice a week.
A spokesman for Vamoosh, who carried out the research, warned: "Although you're obviously not the one sleeping in the dog's bed (although how many times has your child cuddled up in the dog's bed) germs and infections can easily be passed from animals to humans after you pat and pet them - and many of these organisms can live in your dog's bed for up to 12 months without a host.
"Also, when your dog sleeps in its bed and then moves around the house, they are dragging invisible germs everywhere they go."
"In the OnePoll survey, we found that the main reason why people put off washing their pet bedding was due to the hair that gets left behind in the washing machine and tumble dryer - the hassle factor!
"The longer you go between washes, the harder it will be for your washing machine to remove all the potential pathogens from the bedding."
Do you have a dog story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
