Dogs bring much joy into your life until they make a mess, and you’ve got to take extra time from your already busy life to clean up a splash or three on your expensive carpet.
Your dog could be a puppy who still needs to be trained, you could be traveling with your dog and stuck in a roadblock, or you live in a small apartment on the 12th floor, and the elevator is regularly out of service. Use pee pads to manage urine and poop, so your home and car stay clean.
While you could opt for traditional doggy pee pads (the disposable kind), these get expensive quickly and are not environmentally friendly. So instead, choose washable pee pads, but which ones are the best, and how do you choose the right one for you and your dog?
What Are Washable Pee Pads for Dogs?
Washable pee pads go by a few different names: potty pads, training pads, wee-wee pads, and puppy pads. A pee pad is made from layers of absorbent sheets, usually with a waterproof layer at the bottom to keep your car or home clean, and they feature built-in odor control, so you don’t have to worry about that ammonia pee smell.
These pads are a lifesaver for managing your dog’s urine and poop when they can’t go outside for their bathroom break.
You may need to use reusable pee pads when your dog:
- Has incontinence issues
- Is a senior canine that leaks or dribbles every so often
- Is confined to a crate because they are recovering from surgery or healing from a broken bone
- Isn’t housebroken yet, and you need to manage the “oopsies”
- Gets car sick
- Travels with you, and you can’t stop for a nature break
- Is stuck inside because of adverse weather conditions, such as a blizzard or severe snowstorm
- Your dog or dogs are home alone because you are out and about
- Can’t go outside regularly because you live in an apartment
A washable pee pad is similar to a disposable one, but as the name suggests, it’s reusable and can be laundered. This makes reusable potty pads a much more economical way to manage your dog’s pee and poop when nature calls, and it’s kinder to the environment too.
The Benefits of Using Washable Doggie Pee Pads
There are various advantages to using washable potty pads for your dog. Reusable pee pads:
- Are environmentally friendly
- Makes clean up easy and quick since you place the pad in the wash and put a clean one out for your dog
- Are easy to wash in your washing machine, and air dry them on the washing line
- Can be used at home, in the car, or when you travel with your furry companion
- Are kind on your wallet (especially compared to buying disposable potty pads)
- Are long-lasting as one quality washable pad lasts for at least 250-300 washes
- Are thick enough that your dog won’t use them as chew toys (why do dogs think this is okay!)
When to Use Washable vs Disposable Pee Pads
Choosing the environmentally friendly option of washable pee pads should always be the best and only course of action, but there are times when a disposable pee pad works too.
Go with disposable potty pads when you:
- Can’t wash the pee pads, and throwing them away is the only option you have
- Are in a new city and buying disposables is convenient
- Only need a pee pad as a once-off or a short period
- Use reusable potty pads when you:
- Need pee pads for an extended period
- Prefer the cost-effective and durable option
- Want a thicker and more absorbent pee pad that doesn’t need as frequent changing as a disposable pad
- Need built-in odor control
- Don’t want your dog to use a thin disposable pad as their next chew toy
- Care about the environment and don’t want to add more disposable potty pads to landfills
What to Look for When Buying Washable Pee Pads for Your Dog
While you can buy the first washable potty pads online or at your local pet shop, how do you know they are the best and will last up to 300 washes? The answer? Know what to look for in a reusable pee pad to make the best decision.
Keep these factors to keep in mind when shopping for washable wee-wee pads for your furry pal:
Absorption
The absorption of a pee pad refers to how much liquid the pad can hold before it leaks or becomes soggy.
When you buy a high-quality washable pee pad, it should hold a couple of cups of liquid.
Check the absorbency of the pee pads since a small puppy pees smaller amounts than a large or giant-sized dog like a Great Dane or St. Bernard. Also, check the wicking technology, as you want a product that absorbs urine as fast as possible, as this will help to prevent your dog from tracking wet paw prints all over your just-cleaned hardwood floors!
Size
Size matters. The larger the pee pad, the more liquid it can hold. But there are other reasons to consider the potty pad’s size.
Large dogs should have an appropriately sized pee pad, so they don’t think they are on the pad but urinate or poop on your floor or furniture instead.
There’s also the case of having a too-large pad for your floor space, and consider that you may not want to step on the pee pad or try to step over it. Miss your footing and slip, and you could do yourself some mischief.
You also want to ensure the washable pee pad fits into your washing machine, and while you can wash these by hand (if necessary), throwing a few in the washer is more convenient. If you have a puppy, choose a bigger training pad so you can continue using the washable pad as they grow.
Washability
A significant aspect of a reusable potty pad is that you can wash and reuse it. See how many washes the manufacturer recommends, as this impacts the longevity of your chosen product. You also want to see how long it’ll take to dry, so your dog doesn’t go without a pee pad when they need it most.
Odor Control
No one wants their home to smell like an ammonia forest, so odor control is necessary when choosing the best washable potty pad for your cutie-patootie.
Some potty training pads have a layer that absorbs the urine and controls the smell. The benefit of the order control feature is that you can use the potty pad in a high-traffic area and not worry about what the visitors will think when they come for dinner.
Leak-Proofness
It doesn’t help using a potty pad to keep your home clean when the pad doesn’t even do that. So while you’d want a pee pad that holds quite a lot of liquid, you should look at the leak-proof factors of the pad too. Is there a leak-proof or waterproof backing that protects your great granny’s ottoman, pricey carpet, or leather car seats?
Non-Skid Backing
When a pee pad has a non-skid backing or a non-slip bottom, your dog can more easily “pose” when they need to pee or poop. This is especially important for a senior dog that struggles to “squat” because of arthritis. Plus, a non-skid pee pad will ensure your new puppy that’s still unsteady on their feet won’t slip and injure themselves.
The Number of Pads in the Package
You can’t just have one pee pad; you need at least two to have one in the wash while your dog can use the other. But more is better as you have extra, and you can place the pads in a couple of locations in your home. See how many pads are sold in the package and whether a bulk buy works out cheaper.
How to Wash a Reusable Doggie Pee Pad
It’s easy to clean a washable dog potty pad; follow these steps:
- Pick up feces with a poop-scooper and a standard dog poop bag. Throw the bag in the trash.
- Follow the washing instructions from the manufacturer. Generally, you can place the pee pads in the washing machine with an environmentally friendly enzymatic cleaner to eliminate the stains and odor.
- Add white vinegar if the pee pad is particularly smelly.
- When the machine’s washing cycle is done, air-dry in the shade or tumble dry at a low temperature.
5 Best Washable Pee Pads
1. Peepeego Upgrade Non-Slip Dog Pads Extra Large
The Peepeego Upgrade Non-Slip Dog Pad is an extra large washable pee pad for your dog to place on your furniture, carpet, or bed while your doggie needs to do their business. These pads are ideal if you have a large or giant dog breed or need to cover a larger space.
Even the light gray color works well with any decor scheme, so that’s a worry off your shoulders! Plus, the gray helps hide any pee stains.
Pros
- Extra large at 72” x 72”
- Holds 8 cups (or 68 oz) of liquid
- Won’t slip due to the anti-slip rubber backing
- Can be washed 300 times
- Can be placed in the tumble dryer on low heat
Cons
- Only one pee pad in the package
- Because it’s so large, it takes quite a while to air dry
2. Super Absorbent Washable Pee Pads for Dogs
If absorbance is a top priority, a great choice is the Super Absorbent Washable Pee Pads for Dogs by Pitpet. These potty pads have a four-layer construction, a super comfy outer layer, a highly absorbent second layer, a waterproof breathable inner layer, and non-slip gel rubber bottom.
Pros
- Comes in various sizes, from 18” x 24” to 36” x 72”, to suit your needs
- Cute design in gray with paw prints
- Get two potty pads in the package
- Can take 20-30 uses before you need to wash it
- Wash in the machine and tumble dry on low
- Very affordable
Cons
- It might be challenging to get poop stains out
3. Soloshine Reusable Pet Training Pads, Incontinence Bed Pads
The Soloshine Reusable Pet Training Pads are ideal for all your pets, from dogs and cats to rabbits. These pads also feature a four-layer construction: a highly absorbent layer, one that has a premium velvet top, a waterproof layer, and a slip-resistant rayon bottom.
Pros
- Get two pee pads in the package
- One of these pee pads can be washed at least 500 times
- Soft polyester fleece surface for your doggie’s comfort
- Recyclable since the polyester fiber can be used as a raw material for something else
Cons
- Only available in one size, 34” x 52”, which may be too big for your pet
- Light blue design may stain easily
4. SincoPet Washable Dog Pee Pads
Another great option is the SincoPet Washable Dog Pee Pads because you can choose the pad size or how many you want in a packet (one, two, or four pads). Maybe best of all, the potty pad has a bristled rubber glove to help you scoop up poop and collect pet hair. Or you can use the glove to help groom your dog during shedding season.
Pros
- Comes in various sizes, from 18” x 24” to 72” x 72” so you can easily find the right size
- Has an anti-slip silica gel bottom
- Made with four layers for comfort, maximum absorbency, 100% leak-proofness, and non-skid
- Can hold at least 20-30 times its weight
Cons
- May not dry quickly if you rely on air drying the pad
5. Green Lifestyle Washable Underpads – Great for Dogs, Cats, Bunny & Seniors
If you want many options (color, size, and how many in a pack), go for the Green Lifestyle Washable Underpads, which you can use for your other pets and little and senior humans.
Pros
- Comes in green or blue, depending on the size, which ranges from 18” x 24” to 48” x 48”
- Quilted cloth makes these pee pads comfortable while locking in moisture and preventing leaking
- Dries quickly
- Durable because of the reinforced edges
- Heavy-duty design to deal with large amounts of liquids
Cons
- Might be too small if you have a giant-sized dog
- Can wash these pads around 100 times before you need to replace them
Final Thoughts on the Best Washable Pee Pads for Dogs
Keep your dogs healthy and comfortable while keeping your home clean with washable doggie pee pads. If you choose the wrong size or a potty pad that isn’t absorbent, you’ll have messes to clean up, which you are trying to avoid.
So look at the size, absorbency, washability, non-slip backing, and how leak-proof the pee pad is before you click buy.