Clean a dog life jacket off the dog, using the care method on the vest's label. Washing the shell and checking the vest's condition are separate tasks: a clean jacket still needs intact straps, buckles, seams and flotation material.
Inspect the whole vest first
Look over the shell, accessible lining, straps, buckles and seams. Set a damaged vest aside. Do not cut seams, open a closed assembly or remove flotation material to make washing easier.
Use the labeled hand-washing method
Ruffwear Float Coat care calls for securing fasteners, hand washing with mild detergent and air drying. Do not bleach, iron or dry clean this model.
Outward Hound Granby Splash specifies hand washing with warm water and mild soap, followed by air drying. Its instructions also say to remove and replace a damaged product.
Keep each care method with its model. A removable layer on a different vest does not make another jacket's lining removable. For a Pawlivy vest, follow the care label supplied with the selected option.
Air dry the lining and overlaps
Check the accessible lining and overlapping strap areas separately from the shell. Keep the vest out of use while any accessible area remains damp. A dry-looking exterior does not establish that every interior layer is dry.
Keep the jacket off the dog during maintenance. A rescue handle is not an instruction to suspend the jacket during drying or to test its lifting strength.
Inspect again before use
After drying, look at the closures, seams and strap arrangement. Cleaning does not repair damaged fasteners or restore damaged flotation material. Replace damaged equipment according to its instructions.
For the next steps, read how to fit a dog life jacket and planning life-jacket use, or browse Pawlivy dog life jackets.
