Need advice about cleaning harnesses, etc.

[k9diabetes]

We have a drawer full of STINKY harnesses and leashes. Jack does a fair amount of swimming in decent weather so this stuff gets wet, which I understand may be the cause of the odor as much as the dog...

I have tried to clean them with enzyme cleaner and dishwashing soap but they still reek.

Suggestions?

I was thinking maybe vinegar... not sure how they would look after that.

Any helpful hints would be much appreciated.

Jack smells way better than his harness.

Natalie

[Carol G]

What are the harnesses made of?

[AlisonandMia]

I'm assuming that they are made out of some sort of synthetic material - if so try soaking them in methylated spirits (I think you may know it as Denatured Alcohol). It's what I use to get "doggy" smells out of leashes etc.. Works best if you half fill a sealable container (small covered bucket or tupperware-type container) with the stuff and immerse the item overnight. You can reuse it to an extent, just keeping it in the closed container between uses.

The theory behind its effectiveness is that the fibers of synthetic materials are hollow and the smelliness gets into space within the fibers. The methylated spirits is able to get into the fiber and wash out/dissolve or whatever the pongy compounds. Anyways, it seems to work!

You can either let it evaporate or wash again. I usually just let it evaporate.

Alison

[k9diabetes]

Yes, nylon webbing. Within a few weeks of using them, they start to smell bad.

[AlisonandMia]

My stuff is nylon webbing too.

Zac's foam crate matress in his outside crate smells so ghastly (no doubt exactly the same smell as your harness!) after weeks and weeks of rain (over summer here) and having a wet dog hopping in and out with muddy feet that I'm about to soak the shadecloth cover in methylated spirits and replace the foam. Replacing the foam is easier and cheaper than trying to soak it in meths. I don't have a 44 gallon drum of the stuff on hand.....:p

Alison

[Carol G]

I like Alison's suggestion. I've read that rubbing alcohol is good for removing urine odors.

I've had good luck with X-O-Odor Neutralizer (you can buy on Amazon) but I'd try the alcohol first.

McGill never smelled himself but I could always tell when he needed a bath because his bed would stink.

[k9diabetes]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! :) We have a ton of old leashes and harnesses lying around - even after donating a bunch to the local SPCA - so lots of stuff that can be sacrificed to an experiment or two.

Right now, Jackie himself could use a bath but he's not keen on the tub and the river is too high and fast and muddy to let into the water.

The one I want to especially preserve is his Gentle Walker harness that we use to restrain him in the car and when we take him out of a long lead. He has to have the "tweener" size, which they never have at the store and I have to order. It comes with a DVD and a leash and it's expensive, plus it takes a while to get it adjusted properly. So I don't want to replace that one any more often than necessary. It's also the one that gets wet and muddy every time he does.

Natalie

[k9diabetes]

We have some rubbing alcohol, which is denatured... not sure if they are the same thing.

[AlisonandMia]

I think the rubbing alcohol would be fine - the denaturing is to stop people drinking it. Which doesn't work in some cases anyways.

You need to actually immerse the item in the alcohol - simply rubbing it on may settle the smell down a bit but to really do the job you need full immersion and preferably overnight.

I always wash the gear in the washing machine first to get rid of any free dirt and grease and then once it is dry give it the alcohol treatment. That way I can reuse the alcohol.

Personally, I'd never use rubbing alcohol because every rubbing alcohol I've ever met smells horrible to me - but some people can't stand meths and would choose rubbing alcohol over meths any day. I find the meths smell dissipates as the item dries.

Alison

[BestBuddy]

I've never tried it but I am told tomato juice will take the smell out of webbing horse leads and girths. Soaking overnight is what I am told so I guess it would work pretty well on dog smells too.


Jenny