Related: Best Dog Toys for Medium Size Dogs: Sized for Real Jaws
The job is simple: get the slobber off, kill the bacteria, and don't destroy the toy in the process. I've cleaned thousands of toys across 11 years and 400+ dogs, and I can tell you the internet is full of terrible advice.
Boiling water melts rubber. Bleach leaves residue. The dishwasher ruins squeakers. But here's the honest caveat: there is no single method that works for every toy, because every material reacts differently.
The good news is that the right routine takes about 10 minutes and costs pennies per wash.
KONG Classic Stuffable Dog Toy, Natural Rubber Chew, for Medium Dogs
Survives boiling, dishwasher, and bleach without breaking down
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WEST PAW Zogoflex Hurley Dog Bone Chew Toy – Floatable Pet Toys for Aggressive Chewers, Catch, Fetch – Bright-Colored Bones for Dogs – Recyclable, Dishwasher-Safe, Non-Toxic, Large, Aqua
Dishwasher safe, one-time replacement guarantee if cleaning damages it
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Nylabone 3 Pack of DuraChew Bone Dog Toy, XL/Giant, Chicken Flavor, Made in The USA
Includes 3 XL/Giant DuraChew bones in chicken flavor. Durable nylon for aggressive chewers.
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Chuckit! Ultra Ball Dog Toy, Durable Rubber, Medium 2.5-in, 2 Pack
Survives the washing machine, bleach, and boiling without losing bounce
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Benebone Wishbone Dog Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers, Real Bacon, Large
Nylon wipes clean, odor absorbing, lasts months
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Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Plush Squeaky Dog Toy, XL, 7" x 11.8"
Includes squeaky squirrels for hide-and-seek play
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Snuggle Puppy Heartbeat Toy, Calming Comfort, Medium Breeds - Biscuit
Pack of 3 Nylabone Dura Chew Giant Chicken Flavored Bone Dog Chew Toys. Give your dog something good to chew on. Made with tough, durable nylon, the Nylabone DuraChew Bone ultra long-lasting dog chew
Visit on Amazon →How I tested
I've cleaned toys in every way you can imagine. I've boiled KONGs on the stove while making pasta. I've run Chuckit! balls through the washing machine with my own jeans. I've scrubbed Benebones with dish soap until my fingers cramped.
I've bleached, vinegar-soaked, and dishwasher-cycled everything that would fit in the rack. Duke and Biscuit provided the dirt: slobber, mud from the kennel yard, and the mysterious brown residue that appears when 12 dogs share a toy bin.
I tested each method on each material, timed the drying, and sniffed the results. I tracked which toys survived 10, 20, and 50 cleaning cycles. I killed a lot of toys in the process. The graveyard shelf has a new section now.
The dishwasher method
This is the best all-around approach for rubber and plastic toys. KONG Classic, West Paw Zogoflex, and Chuckit! balls all survive the top rack of a standard dishwasher cycle. I ran KONGs through 40+ cycles over six months and they came out clean and structurally sound every time. The key is top rack only and no heated dry cycle. The heat from the drying element warps softer rubber.
West Paw explicitly says their toys are dishwasher safe, and I've confirmed it. The Zogoflex material holds up to the detergent and heat without losing its flexibility. Chuckit! balls survive too, though they tend to pick up food smells from the dishwasher. Run them on the top rack with a rinse aid and they come out fine.
The downside: stuffed toys, rope toys, and anything with a squeaker cannot go in the dishwasher. The heat melts the adhesive on squeakers and the water ruins the stuffing. I learned this the hard way with a Hide-a-Squirrel that came out looking like a deflated balloon.
The boiling method
Boiling is the heavy artillery for rubber toys. I fill a pot with water, bring it to a rolling boil, drop the KONG in, and let it go for 3 minutes. That kills bacteria, dissolves slobber, and doesn't damage the rubber. I've done this weekly for years with the same KONGs. They come out clean and ready for stuffing.
But boiling only works for solid rubber and silicone. Do NOT boil West Paw Zogoflex. The material can warp at high temperatures. I made that mistake once and the toy came out misshapen, like abstract art. It still worked, but it looked wrong. The manufacturer's replacement guarantee covered it, which was a nice safety net, but I didn't want to test it again.
Do not boil anything with a squeaker, anything with fabric, or anything with rope. The heat will destroy all three.
The washing machine method
For fabric toys, rope toys, and anything with stuffing, the washing machine is the answer. I wash Snuggle Puppy on a gentle cycle with cold water and mild detergent. The heartbeat unit removes easily, which is good because it's electronic and definitely not washable. The fabric comes out clean and the stuffing survives if you use cold water and a low spin cycle.
The problem: zippers. The Snuggle Puppy has a zipper pocket for the heartbeat unit, and that zipper is the weak point. Multiple buyers report the zipper dying after 2-3 washes. I had the same experience with a client's Snuggle Puppy. The zipper pulls broke, the teeth separated, and the heartbeat unit couldn't stay in place. It's a design flaw in an otherwise brilliant product.
For rope toys, the washing machine works but they take forever to dry. I put them in a mesh laundry bag and wash on cold, then hang them outside for 2 days. If you put a wet rope toy in a sealed container, it will mildew. I've seen it happen.
The hand-wash method
For toys that can't handle any machine, hand washing with warm water and dish soap is the fallback. Benebones fall into this category. The nylon material doesn't absorb water, so a quick scrub with a brush and soap handles the slobber and dirt. I use an old toothbrush to get into the nooks and crannies of the Wishbone's curves. It's tedious but effective.
The trick with Benebones is drying. The nylon doesn't absorb water, so they dry fast. A few hours on the counter and they're ready. The flavor infusion does fade with washing, but the bacon and maple flavors are baked in well enough that a weekly scrub doesn't strip them completely.
The bleach approach
Bleach is the nuclear option. I use a 1:10 bleach-to-water solution for kennel toys when there's been a contagious illness. It kills everything. It also degrades rubber faster than any other method. I only bleach toys that are already nearing the end of their life, or toys I'm willing to replace.
The KONG Classic handles it surprisingly well, but the surface gets tacky over time. West Paw Zogoflex gets cloudy.
Chuckit! balls lose their bounce.
If you use bleach, rinse thoroughly. Multiple times. Then rinse again. I soak the toys in clean water for 10 minutes after bleaching to make sure no residue remains. Bleach residue is toxic to dogs, and I've seen what happens when a toy isn't rinsed properly. It's not worth the risk unless you have a medical reason to use it.
KONG Classic
The KONG Classic is the only toy that survived every cleaning method I threw at it. I boiled it, bleached it, ran it through the dishwasher 40 times, and scrubbed it with every cleaner in my cabinet. It came out clean and functional every time. The rubber is thick enough to handle heat and chemicals without breaking down, and the shape holds up to years of abuse.
The cleaning routine is simple: into the dishwasher on the top rack, or boiled for 3 minutes, or soaked in soapy water and scrubbed. It dries fast because the rubber doesn't absorb water. The inside cavity can trap slobber and food residue, so I use a bottle brush to get deep into the hollow center. That's the only extra step.
At ~$13-18, the KONG Classic is the best overall cleaning value because it's also the most durable toy I own. I've had the same large KONG for 14 months with Duke, and it's still going strong. That's roughly 3 cents a day. The Extreme version is harder and works for aggressive chewers, but some dogs won't touch it because it's too hard. The classic red is the sweet spot.
West Paw Zogoflex
West Paw is the only brand where the marketing matches the reality. The Zogoflex material is dishwasher safe, which is the main selling point for me. I run their toys through the top rack every week and they come out clean and intact. The one-time replacement guarantee covers toys that fail, and I've used it when a toy warped from my boiling experiment. They sent a replacement without hassle.
The material has some give, which makes it easier on teeth than Nylabone. It also means it doesn't dry as fast as the KONG. I let West Paw toys air dry overnight before returning them to the toy bin. The texture is slightly porous, so slobber can cling to the surface. A quick scrub with dish soap handles it.
At ~$17-25, West Paw is priced at the survival threshold and it actually survives. The guarantee is a real benefit, but it exists because toys do wear out. Don't expect forever. Expect a year or more of regular use, which is better than most.
What else to consider
Nylabone DuraChew: The plastic construction means you can clean it with literally anything. Bleach, boiling, dishwasher, pressure washer, it won't matter. The downside is that some dogs shred it into plastic shards within days, which is a safety risk. Clean it however you want, but watch your dog's teeth.
Chuckit! Ultra Ball: The washing machine handles these perfectly. I toss them in with my laundry and they come out clean and bouncy. They float, which means they end up in the water bowl, which means more cleaning. At ~$10-15 for a two-pack, it's a solid value but not a deep-cleaning challenge.
Benebone Wishbone: Hand wash with soap and water, dry on the counter. The nylon doesn't absorb anything, so it's the easiest toy to clean. The flavor fades with washing, but the bacon and maple flavors are strong enough to survive weekly scrubs. Just watch for cracked teeth.
Outward Hound Hide-a-Squirrel: The fabric body is machine washable, but the squirrels are the problem. They get destroyed within days and the refills are overpriced. You'll be washing the tree long after the squirrels are gone.
Snuggle Puppy: Machine washable on gentle cycle, and the heartbeat unit removes easily. But the zipper dies after 2-3 washes. It's a design flaw in an otherwise brilliant product. Budget for a replacement sooner than you'd like.
Should you buy the KONG Classic?
If you want a toy that survives cleaning as well as it survives chewing, yes. The KONG Classic is the only toy in my kennel that handles every cleaning method without complaint. It's best for owners who want a low-maintenance toy that doesn't require special care. The dishwasher method makes cleaning a 10-second task that you can do while unloading your own dishes.
For travelers who want to stretch their money, the KONG Classic is the answer. It costs ~$13-18, lasts over a year with a power chewer, and cleans in minutes. That's the best cost-per-day math in the dog toy world. I've bought 6 of these over the years. I'll buy 6 more. I am this dog's personal toy dealer.
The only reason to skip it is if your dog refuses to touch it. Some dogs find the classic rubber too bouncy or too plain. For those dogs, the West Paw Zogoflex is the better bet because the material has more give and the replacement guarantee covers your investment.
Should you buy the West Paw Zogoflex?
If you want a toy that cleans easily and comes with a safety net, yes. The dishwasher-safe material and the replacement guarantee make it the best value for owners who want peace of mind. The one-time replacement is real, and I've used it. The toys themselves are durable, but they're not indestructible. The guarantee exists because toys fail, and that's honest.
For owners who worry about dental damage from harder toys, the Zogoflex material is the right choice. It has enough give to be gentle on teeth while still surviving a power chewer. That's a rare combination.
The only reason to skip it is if your dog is a surgical squeaker extractor. The Zogoflex toys don't have squeakers, so there's nothing to extract. If your dog needs the squeaker challenge, this isn't the toy for them.
The final word on cleaning
The best cleaning method depends on the material, not the brand. Rubber and plastic go in the dishwasher. Fabric and rope go in the washing machine. Nylon gets a hand scrub. Bleach is the nuclear option for medical situations only. And if a toy can't survive cleaning, it doesn't deserve to survive chewing.
I've killed more toys with bad cleaning methods than my dogs have killed with their jaws. That's the truth. But I've also learned the right way, and now my toys last longer and smell better. The graveyard shelf is still full, but it's full of toys that failed in the field, not in the wash.