Cleaning Non-Leather Collars

I have a dirty dog. Yes, I have to admit it. He runs around in the back yard, gets covered with mud or dirt and even his own spit. He is rambunctious, full of energy and loves to explore.

I bought him this Kong adjustable collar thinking that it would be tough enough to withstand his daily wear and tear. Soon it started to stink and was dirty so I got rid of it and bought him another one. Here we are a few months later and AGAIN it is stinking and is dirty. I was really hoping to get past the New Year with out having to buy him a new collar so I started thinking of ways to clean the collar.

Here is what I came up with:

First, get a container that you don't eat out of and put hot water in it with a dribble of dish soap (I used the new Palmolive Fresh Infusions in Lime Basil because it had a nice, clean smell) and mix. Then soak the collar for an hour (or more, depending on how dirty). This should clean the dirt, oils and some bacteria out of the collar. Empty the water and rinse the collar.

Then, refill the container with hot water again. This time add a few squirts of Oxy Clean spray and soak the collar for another hour. You should see little white foamy bubbles around the collar which means it is is working! When you remove the collar the water may be a little dirty, but not like the first soak. Rinse the collar and lay it out on some paper towels to dry over night.

The dish soap takes care of the dirt while the Oxy takes care of the smell and the remaining bacteria. Now I can get a few more months out of his collars :) I am always looking for ways to save some money! Now my little stinker can have more dog toys for Christmas and not a new collar LOL.

Hope this helps anyone with a stinky pup!
Jenn (and Bentley)