Toweling off dirty paws is one of my least favorite things about having a dog.
Pinning a wriggling beast in place long enough to wipe down their paws—to remove the mud, snow, salt, sand, and any other detritus that gets caught between their toes before they jump on the furniture—can feel like torture, both for me and for my pup.
Cleaning a dog’s paws can be a year-round activity, and removing the dirt and grime is essential to your animal’s comfort and well-being—as well as to the cleanliness of your floors.
That’s why Wirecutter’s pets expert, Mel Plaut, and I were intrigued when something kept popping up on our social feeds: cylindrical plastic cleaners with little bristles that you stick your pup’s limbs into and use like tiny paw car washes. We wondered if this product would be more effective than the usual damp rag.
Would our muddy buddies end up with squeaky-clean toes that no longer smelled like Fritos? Or would these products be left in the dust? To find out, we tested two popular versions, the Paw Plunger and the MudBuster
Our conclusion: These inventive devices work just fine (and we prefer the MudBuster, due to its smaller size). However, we still recommend that you simply use a wet rag.
