Dog Travel Crates You Can Actually Put in the Wash
EliteField’s 3-Door Folding Soft Crate wins for road trips, because the cover unzips off the frame and goes in a washing machine. Diggs Revol holds dogs that chew or push through mesh. Petmate Sky Kennel stays the pick for checked air travel.
EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Dog Crate fits owners travelling with a dog that sheds, drools or gets carsick. Its outer cover unzips completely for a machine wash, and the steel frame folds flat into a boot. Determined chewers will get through the mesh, which is the clear limit.
Listings use one word for three cleaning methods: full cover removal, pad removal only, or hose-out plastic. We compared cover construction, frame material, folded dimensions and airline rules across current listings. Owner reports on zip failure, odour retention and mesh damage guided the order.
Before you buy
What makes a travel crate genuinely washable Read the cleaning line closely, because three different claims share one word. A cover that unzips off the frame, like the EliteField, goes straight into a machine. Pad-only removal, as on the Amazon Basics crate, leaves the walls to scrub by hand. Hard shells such as the Sky Kennel get hosed instead. Drying time matters as much as washing: water resistant weaves hold moisture and sour fast in a warm car.
Soft crate or hard crate for travel Fabric crates fold flat, weigh little and clean easily, which suits calm dogs on car journeys. Rigid shells and metal frames contain dogs that chew, dig or panic, and only rigid shells satisfy airline cargo rules. Judge by your dog’s crate history rather than by the trip. Dogs that have never damaged a soft crate at home rarely start on the road. A known escape artist needs the Diggs Revol or a Sky Kennel from the outset.
Flying with a dog: what the crate must have Checked pet travel usually calls for a rigid plastic or wood shell, metal hardware instead of plastic clips, ventilation on multiple sides and a leak-proof floor. Live animal labels and feeding instructions have to be attached. Petmate ships the Sky Kennel with those accessories included. Cabin travel is a separate problem, since under-seat carriers face height limits rather than construction rules. Measure your airline’s stated dimensions before buying anything.
Camping, hotels and overnight stays Off-tarmac trips add damp ground to the cleaning problem. Waterproof floors, as on the MidWest Canine Camper, stop moisture wicking into bedding overnight. Water resistant outer fabric such as the Noz2Noz weave wipes clean between stops. Hotel rooms reward a quiet zip and generous mesh for airflow. Pack a second washable pad so one dries while the other is in use, which saves a laundromat detour mid-trip.
Our top picks
EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Dog Crate
Three zip doors let you park the crate against a car seat and still load the dog. Cover and fleece bed both unzip from the steel frame and go through a wash cycle. Folded, it drops to a few inches deep and carries on a shoulder strap.
Pros
- Cover and bed both wash in a machine
- Folds flat for car storage in seconds
- Three doors suit awkward vehicle layouts
Cons
- Mesh gives way to a determined chewer
- Not accepted for checked airline travel
Diggs Revol Collapsible Dog Crate
Aluminium tube and reinforced steel mesh replace the fabric panels escape artists push through. Collapsing takes one hand, and built-in wheels mean rolling it rather than carrying it. Cleaning is wipe-down plus a slide-out tray, since nothing here is machine washable.
Pros
- Contains dogs that break out of soft crates
- Tray slides out for rinsing in a sink
- Collapses one handed without tools
Cons
- Heaviest crate in this comparison
- No machine washable soft components
Petmate Sky Kennel
Moulded plastic shell, metal door and four-way ventilation meet the construction rules airlines apply to checked pets. Live animal stickers, an ID label and clip-on bowls arrive in the box. Hosing the shell out is quick, but nothing collapses, so storage between trips eats real space.
Pros
- Built to airline cargo construction rules
- Shell rinses out completely after accidents
- Six sizes cover terriers to large breeds
Cons
- Rigid shell will not fold for storage
- Bare plastic floor needs a separate washable pad
Noz2Noz Sof-Krate N2 Indoor Outdoor Pet Home
Heavier water resistant weave sheds campsite dirt and damp grass instead of soaking it up. Its steel frame snaps open without threading poles through sleeves. Washing means unzipping the cover, and that tighter weave takes noticeably longer to dry.
Pros
- Water resistant shell shrugs off wet ground
- Frame assembles without loose poles
- Mesh panels keep airflow strong
Cons
- Thicker fabric dries slowly after washing
- Only two access doors
MidWest Homes for Pets Canine Camper Sportable Tent Crate
Pitched like a small tent over a steel frame, it includes a waterproof base panel that blocks ground damp. Mesh windows on three sides help a dog settle at a busy campsite. Fabric panels detach for washing, and everything packs into the supplied bag.
Pros
- Waterproof floor suits grass and gravel
- Mesh on three sides keeps air moving
- Packs down small for a car boot
Cons
- Light frame shifts on windy days
- Zips wear out before the fabric does
Amazon Basics Folding Soft Dog Crate
Mesh and polyester over a steel tube frame, sold in sizes from small terriers up to retrievers. Top and front doors cover most car setups. Only the pad lifts out for washing, so a heavy mess means scrubbing the shell in place.
Pros
- Lowest outlay for a fold-flat crate here
- Pad lifts out for machine washing
- Size range runs small to large breeds
Cons
- Outer shell is spot clean only
- Thin mesh tears under repeated scratching
Lesure Collapsible Dog Crate
Four doors, one of them a top hatch, let you lower a small dog in rather than tipping the crate. Oxford panels detach for washing and a plastic-backed mat under the bed catches spills. Bigger sizes exist, yet the frame really suits dogs under about thirty pounds.
Pros
- Four doors ease loading in tight cars
- Cover and spill mat both wash
- Folds without stripping out the bedding
Cons
- Frame flexes under bigger dogs
- Top hatch zip needs two hands
Side by side
| # | Model | Frame | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Dog Crate | Steel tube | Best overall | 9.4 | Check price |
| 2 | Diggs Revol Collapsible Dog Crate | Aluminium with steel mesh | Best for secure car travel | 9.2 | Check price |
| 3 | Petmate Sky Kennel | Moulded plastic, metal door | Best for air travel | 9.0 | Check price |
| 4 | Noz2Noz Sof-Krate N2 Indoor Outdoor Pet Home | Steel, snap-together | Best for outdoor trips | 8.8 | Check price |
| 5 | MidWest Homes for Pets Canine Camper Sportable Tent Crate | Steel with tent-style fabric | Best for camping | 8.5 | Check price |
| 6 | Amazon Basics Folding Soft Dog Crate | Steel tube | Best budget | 8.3 | Check price |
| 7 | Lesure Collapsible Dog Crate | Steel with PVC coating | Best for small dogs | 8.0 | Check price |
Questions worth asking
What is the best washable dog crate for travel?
EliteField’s 3-Door Folding Soft Crate leads, because the whole outer cover unzips off the steel frame for a machine wash. Its fleece bed washes the same way.
Can you put a dog crate cover in the washing machine?
Only when the listing states the cover is removable and machine washable. Spot clean shells, such as the Amazon Basics cover, lose shape or delaminate in a drum.
Which dog crates are approved for airline travel?
Rigid shells with metal doors and ventilation on several sides, like the Petmate Sky Kennel, meet the construction rules airlines usually apply to checked pets. Soft fabric crates are refused in cargo.
Are soft crates safe for car travel?
For calm, crate-trained dogs on ordinary journeys, yes. Fabric offers no crash protection though, so owners wanting structure in a vehicle pick the aluminium framed Diggs Revol.
How do I stop a travel crate smelling?
Wash cover and pad after any accident, then dry both fully before folding. Storing a damp crate in a hot car is what creates the smell. Hard shells like the Sky Kennel rinse and dry fastest.
What size travel crate does my dog need?
Measure your dog standing, nose to tail base and floor to top of head. Add a few inches to each figure. Your dog should stand, turn and lie flat without touching the walls.
Is a collapsible crate strong enough for a large dog?
Light frames flex under big dogs, which is why the Lesure model suits small breeds. Dogs that lean or push are better served by the Diggs Revol or a hard Sky Kennel.
Do travel crates work as a permanent crate at home?
Soft crates can, provided the dog does not chew. Fold-flat hinges wear under nightly use, so owners crating every evening usually keep a wire crate at home and reserve the travel crate for trips.
EliteField vs Diggs Revol: which should I buy?
Choose EliteField for washability and a boot-friendly fold. Pick the Diggs Revol if your dog pushes at mesh or you want a rigid barrier in the back of a car, and accept wipe-clean panels instead.
Our take
Most owners should buy the EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Crate, since it folds into a boot and the entire cover survives a wash cycle after a muddy weekend. Dogs that chew mesh or lean on fabric walls belong in the Diggs Revol instead. Flying changes the answer completely: book the Petmate Sky Kennel, because soft crates are turned away at cargo check-in.
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.
