Dog Travel Crates That Wash Clean and Store Flat
EliteField’s 3 Door Folding Soft Crate leads for apartments, since its entire cover unzips for a machine cycle. Diggs Revol collapses upright like a stroller and its base tray lifts out to rinse. Amazon Basics Folding Soft Dog Crate handles occasional trips without eating trunk space.
EliteField’s 3 Door Folding Soft Crate fits most apartment dogs. Its 600 denier cover unzips off the steel frame and goes into a washing machine, which clears hair and odor in one step. Fabric loses to a committed chewer, so scratchers belong in the steel framed Diggs Revol.
Apartment living changes what matters in a travel crate. Storage depth, stair weight and how quickly hair strips out beat raw strength. We compared listed dimensions, folded profiles, cover materials and published care instructions. Owner reports on zipper failure, odor retention and how each one rides in a car filled in the rest.
The shortlist, ranked
EliteField 3 Door Folding Soft Dog Crate
Three zippered doors let you push the crate against a wall and still load from the front, side or top. A 600 denier cover detaches from the steel tube frame, so hair and odor leave in the wash instead of settling into a corner. Folded, it becomes a slim panel that slides under a bed.
Pros
- Entire cover comes off for machine washing
- Flattens for under bed or closet storage
- Three doors suit tight room layouts
Cons
- Mesh gives way to a determined chewer
- Zippers need clips to stop nosing
Diggs Revol Collapsible Dog Crate
Revol folds like a stroller rather than breaking into panels, which helps in narrow entryways and quick hotel checkouts. Its base tray lifts out for a rinse in a tub. Steel and reinforced plastic shrug off pawing that would open mesh, and a puppy divider sizes the space down while a dog grows.
Pros
- Collapses in one motion without tools
- Tray slides out for a full rinse
- Holds shape against leaning and scratching
Cons
- Heavier than fabric crates on stairs
- Largest size still falls short of giant breeds
Noz2Noz Sof-Krate N2 Indoor and Outdoor Pet Home
Welded steel tubing keeps the walls from bowing when a dog leans, which few soft crates manage. Outer fabric wipes down with a damp cloth, while the interior pad launders separately. Setup is one motion, because the frame opens and folds as a single unit.
Pros
- Rigid frame resists leaning and sagging
- Interior pad washes on its own
- Opens and folds in seconds
Cons
- Shell is wipe clean only, not machine washable
- No top door for lifting a dog in
Amazon Basics Folding Soft Dog Crate
Mesh on three sides keeps air moving in a warm car, and the fleece bed lifts out for washing. Folding needs no tools, and the flat pack leaves luggage room in a trunk. Construction reads as weekend travel rather than daily crating.
Pros
- Light enough to carry upstairs one handed
- Mesh panels keep airflow high in a car
- Folds tool free for trunk storage
Cons
- Thin mesh tears under steady clawing
- Outer shell takes spot cleaning only
MidWest Homes for Pets Canine Camper Tent Crate
Water resistant polyester plus included ground stakes suit a campsite or a shaded park. Floor pad and cover both come off for cleaning after a muddy weekend. Indoors it still folds flat, though tent styling reads less like furniture than the Revol.
Pros
- Shell sheds dew and light rain
- Stakes anchor it on grass
- Pad and cover both wash
Cons
- Tent look suits outdoors more than a living room
- Roll up doors need tying back each time
Petnation Port-A-Crate E2
Nylon over spring steel keeps carry weight low, which matters on a fourth floor walk up. One pull flattens it to roughly two to three inches for storage behind a door. Its washable fabric floor copes with accidents better than a bare mesh base.
Pros
- Among the lightest crates to carry
- Opens and folds in a single motion
- Fabric floor wipes and washes
Cons
- Frame flexes under a strong puller
- One door limits where it can sit
Petmate Sky Kennel
Molded plastic is the one shell you can hose down and dry in the sun, which is why airlines and boarding kennels still use it. Ventilation slots run along all four sides, and steel wing nut hardware meets common cargo requirements. Nothing folds, so apartment storage means a closet shelf or a balcony.
Pros
- Rinses out completely after an accident
- Ventilation on all four sides
- Wing nut hardware meets common airline rules
Cons
- Rigid shell claims floor space permanently
- Awkward to carry through halls and elevators
How to pick the right one
What makes a crate apartment friendly Folded depth matters more than overall length when storage is one closet. A crate that flattens to three inches lives behind a door, while molded plastic owns a corner for good. Stairs and shared elevators put carry weight second on the list. Noise counts too, since fabric over steel tube rattles far less on hardwood than a wire crate does.
Which parts are actually washable Listings use washable loosely, so read the care section before buying. EliteField pulls its whole cover off for a gentle cycle, the most thorough option in this group. Noz2Noz and MidWest launder the interior pad while the shell gets a damp cloth. Hard plastic takes soap and water directly. Against odor rather than dirt, an enzymatic cleaner does more than detergent.
How to size a crate and use a divider Measure your dog standing, nose to tail base, then add about four inches. Sitting height matters just as much, and ducking means the crate is too short. Puppies outgrow a size faster than most budgets like, so a divider panel such as the one in the Revol avoids buying twice. Check folded dimensions against your storage spot, because a 42 inch crate still folds into a 42 inch panel.
Crates for cars, hotels and flights Top doors make loading easy once a crate is strapped into a back seat. Hotel stays reward anything that opens and closes in seconds, which favors the Revol and the Port-A-Crate. Cargo flights are a separate category needing rigid walls and bolted hardware, so only the Sky Kennel qualifies. Confirm your airline’s current crate rules before booking, since ventilation and size requirements differ by carrier.
How they compare
| # | Model | Sizes | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EliteField 3 Door Folding Soft Dog Crate | 24 to 48 inch lengths | Best overall | 9.4 | Check price |
| 2 | Diggs Revol Collapsible Dog Crate | Steel with reinforced plastic | Best premium | 9.2 | Check price |
| 3 | Noz2Noz Sof-Krate N2 Indoor and Outdoor Pet Home | Welded steel tube | Best structured soft crate | 9.0 | Check price |
| 4 | Amazon Basics Folding Soft Dog Crate | 21 to 42 inch lengths | Best budget | 8.8 | Check price |
| 5 | MidWest Homes for Pets Canine Camper Tent Crate | Water resistant polyester | Best for camping and road trips | 8.6 | Check price |
| 6 | Petnation Port-A-Crate E2 | Spring steel with nylon shell | Best lightweight pick | 8.4 | Check price |
| 7 | Petmate Sky Kennel | Molded plastic, two piece | Best for flying | 8.0 | Check price |
Good to know
Which dog travel crates are machine washable?
Soft crates with a fully removable cover are the washable ones. EliteField’s 3 Door Folding Soft Crate detaches its cover from the frame for a gentle cycle. Most rivals launder only the interior pad, and hard kennels get cleaned by hand.
What size travel crate does my dog need?
Measure nose to tail base and add roughly four inches, then measure sitting height and add a few inches of headroom. Your dog should stand, turn and lie flat inside. Going bigger than that weakens the den effect and wastes apartment floor space.
Are soft dog crates safe for car travel?
For containment and comfort on a drive, yes, but none of them are crash rated. Strap the crate down with a seat belt or cargo anchors so it cannot slide. Dogs that chew or shove at fabric should ride in a rigid crate.
Can you use a soft sided crate every day in an apartment?
Calm adult dogs that already crate train well do fine with daily use. Puppies and scratchers wear out mesh and zippers quickly. A steel framed crate such as the Diggs Revol lasts longer as a permanent fixture.
How do you get dog smell out of a travel crate?
Wash any removable pad first, then treat the shell with an enzymatic pet cleaner rather than plain detergent. Enzymes break down the compounds behind lingering odor. Dry everything in open air before folding, since trapped damp is what turns musty.
Is a folding crate or a hard kennel better for flying?
Airlines carrying dogs in cargo require rigid walls, bolted hardware and ventilation on multiple sides, so a folding soft crate gets refused at check in. Read your carrier’s published requirements, because breed, size and seasonal embargo rules vary.
How small do dog travel crates fold down?
Fabric models like the Petnation Port-A-Crate flatten to about two to three inches deep while keeping their original length and height. Diggs Revol collapses in height instead and stands upright in a closet. Hard kennels do not fold at all.
How do you stop a dog escaping a soft crate?
Clip the zipper pulls together with carabiners so they cannot be nosed apart, and face the door away from the room exit. Repeat escape artists need a steel framed crate. Fabric will not win that argument for long.
EliteField vs Diggs Revol: which suits a small apartment?
Pick EliteField when the crate goes up for trips and storage depth rules the decision. Choose Revol when it stays assembled all week and has to survive leaning, pawing and quick tray rinses. Weight is the tradeoff, since Revol is the harder one to carry downstairs.
Our take
For a shedding dog in a small unit, the EliteField 3 Door Folding Soft Crate is the practical answer, because stripping the cover off sends the problem straight to the washing machine. Choose the Diggs Revol instead when the crate stays up every day and a dog leans or paws at it. Anyone with a cargo flight booked needs the Petmate Sky Kennel for the trip, then a folding crate waiting at home.
Olivia Hartley
Olivia spent several years working at an animal shelter and a pet-supply retailer before joining the editorial team. She researches pet gear with an emphasis on safety, comfort and the fine print that owners often miss.
