Before you buy: Washable pee pads for dogs suit households that can keep clean pads available between washes. Start with enough pads for one in use and one being washed.
Measure the space and check the backing, wash instructions and drying method. Reusable pads can reduce disposable purchases, but savings depend on laundry costs and pad lifespan.
The disposable pad is in shreds again. The kitchen trash smells by Tuesday. You’re carrying another bulky bag of pads to the car and wondering if this is just life now.
You’re not doing anything wrong. After all, thin pads shred, and the bags add up for everyone.
A washable pee pad is a layered fabric mat with a waterproof backing. So washable potty pads go in the washer instead of the trash. They need prompt care, though. When urine sits on a pad, it breaks down into ammonia, and that smell can be hard to remove. Wash late, and then the pad itself starts to smell.
We don’t sell pee pads. Amazon links are affiliate links. However, we do sell a printable puppy kit and an odor eliminator, linked below.
✓ Built on guidance from Reader’s Digest and Mic tests, a behavior consultant, a Chewy vet, PetMD and Consumer Reports.
Are washable pee pads for dogs worth it?
For many homes, yes. For example, certified animal behavior consultant Amy Shojai calls them an economical way to manage the mess. Disposables often leak, she adds, and dogs may also turn thin ones into chew toys.
Chewy veterinarian Dr. Hannah Hart points out that dogs must be trained to use washable pads, so they take some work. Young puppies may also come to prefer soft cloth over grass outside. So don’t start pads too young. Our potty training with puppy pads guide covers that part step by step.
Washable pee pads for dogs or disposables: which fits your week?
| What matters | Washable | Disposable |
|---|---|---|
| Cost over time | Costs more up front. Each reuse pays some back, as Mic’s math shows. | Cheaper to start. You buy again as each pad fills. |
| Laundry time | A wash a day if she uses it daily (PUPIBOO). Line drying took about five hours (Mic). | None. Roll it up and toss it. |
| Smell | Urine left sitting turns to ammonia, so wash promptly (PUPIBOO). | Carbon pads hid odors well in Good Housekeeping’s tests. |
| Chewing | Less tempting than thin pads, but still fabric (Shojai). | Thin ones become chew toys. Van Cleave’s dog shredded his for fun. |
| Travel | Folds up, then comes home to be washed (Shojai’s travel pick). | Pack enough for the trip and toss each one. |
| Eco | Van Cleave found it more environmentally friendly. Washing still uses water and power. | Used once, then it adds to landfills (Shojai). |
Washable trades trash runs for laundry time, about one load a day while she uses the pad daily.
Which washable pee pads for dogs have a real test behind them?
Only one pad here was put through published hands-on tests. The other three, however, are expert picks from Reader’s Digest, checked against their Amazon listings.
PUPIBOO Washable Pee Pad: the tested pick
Reader’s Digest’s Van Van Cleave tested PUPIBOO pads with her French bulldog, Choux, for two full weeks. They never slipped and never leaked. When Choux refuses to go out in the rain, the pad is his backup.
Mic’s Jenny White also water-tested the 36 x 36 inch size, the one linked here. The listing describes a waterproof TPU coating and a non-slip backing.
Good for: a pad that looks like a small rug in a living space.
Watch out for: Van Cleave found odor control wasn’t complete up close. Also, some reviewers she read had trouble seeing poop on the pad.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
SincoPet Reusable Pee Pad: the expert’s best overall
Shojai named it the best washable dog pee pad overall. The listing describes four layers, with a waterproof PUL layer and an anti-slip silica gel bottom. In her review, its middle layer holds 20 to 30 times its weight. The listing also now bundles grooming gloves with the pads.
Good for: a dog bed, a car seat or a senior dog’s crate.
Watch out for: Shojai’s cons, however, list slow drying and possible shrinking after the first wash. She also calls it water resistant, not waterproof.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
Peepeego Non-Slip Dog Pad: the extra-large pick for pens
Shojai’s best extra-large pad. The listing gives 72 x 72 inches, a rubber backing and room for 8 cups of liquid.
Good for: lining a whole exercise pen or whelping box.
Watch out for: Shojai lists reviewer complaints of leaks, a urine smell that can survive washing, and slow drying.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
Paw Legend Washable Pads: the travel pick
Shojai’s best travel pad. The 30 x 32 inch pads also fold up easily. They come in pairs, so you can rotate them in the wash.
Good for: car seats, hotel rooms and a pad from home at a rest stop.
Watch out for: some owners say it slips on hard floors. Also, it may take two washes to clear a smell.
Check today’s price on Amazon →
Would you rather toss than wash? Our disposable puppy pad picks guide covers disposables instead.
Washable pee pads for dogs side by side
| Pad | Best for | Price tier | Size linked | What backs the pick | Care notes | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUPIBOO | A living room spot | Mid-range | 36 x 36 in, pack of 2 | Reader’s Digest and Mic hands-on tests | Air dry, or tumble low. No softener or bleach. | Smell up close, poop hard to spot |
| SincoPet | Beds, car seats, senior crates | Premium | 36 x 41 in, pack of 2 | Expert roundup, best overall | No bleach or water softener, per Shojai | Slow to dry, may shrink |
| Peepeego | A whole pen or whelping box | Budget | 72 x 72 in | Expert roundup, best extra-large | Warm wash, tumble low or hang dry | Reported leaks, smell, slow drying |
| Paw Legend | Travel | Budget | 30 x 32 in, pack of 2 | Expert roundup, best travel | Warm regular cycle, tumble low or line dry. Softeners may cut absorbency. | Can slip on hard floors |
How much can a washable pad hold?
Mic’s White poured water on one pad in rounds until it ran off the edges. Even then, the floor under the center stayed dry.
Ounces of liquid: a day of dog urine vs one tested pad
Sources: PetMD for daily urine. Mic’s water test for the pad. Water, not urine, and one pad size.
One tested pad took in more water than a 45-pound dog makes in a day, by PetMD’s figures. In a rental, that waterproof layer also keeps puddles off a floor that isn’t yours.
A story from Michael Northcutt, our founder: Four hours into a six-hour drive, my friend pulled into a rest stop. His young dog refused to pee. So he walked her around the grass strip for fifteen minutes. She sniffed everything and did nothing.
His old dog would pee anywhere. This one only knew her backyard. Later, a quieter exit behind a gas station got the same result.
Then he remembered something I’d told him, and that he’d laughed at. Bring a piece of home. So at the next stop, he laid her rainy-day washable pad on the grass by a quiet picnic area. Then he walked her to it on leash. She sniffed it twice. And then, finally, she went.
Now a card lives in his glove box. “Stops every two hours. Quiet grass. Pad from home. Leash on, always.” When we took our own puppy on her first long drive, I copied it word for word.
Also, a pad you wash and reuse can ride along on every trip. So if long drives are in her future, count that on the washable side.
Do reusable puppy pads really save money?
They can. Mic’s White worked out that a two-pack pays for itself after roughly 15 uses each. She compared it with similar-size disposables.
Prices change, so work out your own break-even in a minute:
- Price one washable pad. Divide the pack price by the number of pads in it.
- Price one disposable. Then divide your usual bag’s price by its pad count.
- Divide the first by the second. That’s how many uses before the washable pad has paid for itself.
For example, Van Cleave washed hers every two days. Still, that laundry uses water, detergent and power, which shrinks the savings.
Wash life comes from the makers. Peepeego claims 300 uses. PUPIBOO’s listing, meanwhile, claims absorption holds after 500 washes. Nobody we read tested either number.
How many washable pee pads for dogs do you need?
Plan on two washable puppy pads per potty spot at the least. Line drying took White about five hours, so one pad stays down while the other washes and dries. Once that’s set up, the potty spot is never bare on laundry day.
Also, add a third if you line dry overnight or wash every other day. Similarly, two potty spots need twice as many. That’s our rule of thumb, worked from the makers’ care notes and the testers’ routines.
Not sure how often she’ll use the pad? Our free Potty Break Timer takes her age and her last trip. It shows when she needs to go next, with a countdown.
How do you wash pee pads without ruining them or your washer?
Care mistakes cut a pad’s absorbency, and a waterproof load can also unbalance some washers.
- Check your washer manual first. That’s because washer makers split on waterproof items, as the table below shows.
- Treat poop stains before the wash. In fact, a reviewer Van Cleave quoted found they need an enzymatic stain remover first.
- Wash two pads together. Van Cleave did it to save water. Also, in 2013, Kenmore said to load waterproof items evenly.
- Use warm water on a regular cycle, as Paw Legend and Peepeego direct.
- Skip fabric softener and bleach. PUPIBOO warns both can damage absorbency, and Paw Legend flags softeners too.
- Air dry, or tumble on low heat. PUPIBOO prefers air drying. Paw Legend and Peepeego also list tumble dry low or hang dry. In any case, no maker we read lists a higher dryer setting.
| Washer maker | What it said |
|---|---|
| Whirlpool and Maytag | HE top-loaders can wash them. Pick the lowest spin setting. |
| Samsung | Its sticker said don’t wash or spin them. If you do, pick low spin or no spin. |
| LG and Kenmore Elite | Don’t wash or spin waterproof or water-resistant items |
| Frigidaire | Relatively safe in its HE top-loaders. Follow the textile guidelines. |
The worry is an unbalanced load that shakes hard and can cause damage. For instance, Consumer Reports pointed to a 2012 LG and Kenmore Elite top-loader recall. That followed at least 343 reports of excessive vibration. Samsung’s Hong Kong help page, written for its models there, warns against washing, spinning or drying waterproof mats. These maker statements are years old, so follow your washer and dryer manuals over any pad’s tag.
Why do washable pee pads for dogs still smell after washing?
Start with how long it sat. In fact, Shojai found the odor grows the longer urine sits.
- Wash sooner. Once a week is her minimum, but more often is better.
- Break down the smell. PUPIBOO also suggests an enzyme spray for odors that set in.
- Sniff it close, dry. Van Cleave smelled urine only up close, and a wash cleared it.
Still smell it when you walk in? Check the floor around the pad. A miss beside the pad needs an enzyme cleaner for dog urine, not another wash.
What if she chews the washable pad?
In Shojai’s view, thick layers make washable pads less tempting than thin disposables. They are still fabric.
“washable pee pads may also be attractive as a toy for some dogs”
Dr. Hannah Hart, veterinarian at Chewy, via Reader’s Digest
For a chewer, Dr. Hart suggests a sturdier pad. Also, pick up the pad the moment she starts tugging at it. If she keeps shredding pads, then talk to your vet or a trainer.
Will she mistake your rugs for the pad?
Dr. Hart and PUPIBOO disagree. For example, Dr. Hart warns thin rugs may be easily confused with a washable pad. Pulling them up may help at first. However, PUPIBOO counters that dogs learn the difference with training. Meanwhile, Van Cleave chose a plain beige pad for exactly this worry. Starting out, Dr. Hart’s advice is the safer bet.
Tip: Roll up the bath mat and the hallway runner for the first few weeks. Then put them back once she heads to the pad on her own.
Do washable pee pads for dogs work in crates and pens?
Dr. Hart calls washable pads great crate liners, since they’re reusable and more durable than disposables. However, a puppy in potty training is different. Our puppy pads guide keeps pads out of her crate. She can chew it, and it also teaches her that peeing where she sleeps is fine.
Instead, a pen is the better home for a pad. For a whole exercise pen, a 72 x 72 inch pad like the Peepeego covers the floor. PUPIBOO’s listing also suggests laying several 36 x 36 pads side by side. Our crate training a puppy guide covers the crate itself.
Can you use washable pee pads for dogs on trips?
Yes. Dr. Hart suggests one for car trips when the next rest stop is far away. Michael’s friend kept his in a zip bag in the door pocket.
Still, the longer goal is going outside. Our how to potty train a puppy guide covers that move.
Tip: Pack two pads for a long drive. One goes down at stops, while the other stays dry for the hotel.
When should you call the vet?
Health problems can keep a dog of any age from reaching the potty spot, Shojai cautions. If she pees more than usual for more than a day or two, PetMD’s Dr. Katie Grzyb advises a vet visit. Also, go right away if it comes with vomiting, blood in the urine, straining or lethargy.
Washable pee pad FAQ
Do washable pee pads work for poop?
They catch it, but poop is where critics aimed. Pick it up right away, before she steps in it. Then treat the stain before the wash, as in step 2 above.
Are washable pee pads good for senior dogs?
They can be. Shojai names leaky senior dogs, and Dr. Hart says incontinent seniors may benefit. Shojai also mentions dogs confined while they heal from surgery.
Can you use vinegar on washable pee pads?
PUPIBOO suggests adding vinegar to the rinse cycle for stubborn odors. Shojai also lists white vinegar. Check your own pad’s care tag first.
How we chose: In October 2026 we read Reader’s Digest’s PUPIBOO test and Mic’s water test. We read Amy Shojai’s roundup with Dr. Hannah Hart, and each pick’s Amazon listing. We also read PetMD, Consumer Reports, Samsung and PUPIBOO’s care page, plus Good Housekeeping on disposables. Page one of Google shaped the sections. We did not hands-on test these pads. Nobody at LoveMyPuppy is a veterinarian. Price tiers compare these four Amazon listings with each other, as read on Oct 18, 2026, and they change. We may earn a commission if you buy through our Amazon links. It doesn’t change our picks.
Sources
- Reader’s Digest: 6 Best Washable Dog Pee Pads, by Amy Shojai, CABC, with Dr. Hannah Hart, DVM, plus its PUPIBOO review by Van Van Cleave
- Mic: Washable pee pads? I tried them, by Jenny White
- Consumer Reports: Can You Wash Waterproof Items in an HE Top-Loader?, by Kimberly Janeway (2013)
- PetMD: Why Is My Dog Peeing So Much?, by Katie Grzyb, DVM
- PUPIBOO: Frequently Asked Questions (care and washing)