How to Make Perfume for Animals

Animal-oriented scents and perfumes are one of the top-selling animal care products available to consumers. A large number of grooming shops and pet care companies make perfumes for your pets, but they are not the only option for pet scents. You can make a wide range of pet perfumes at home with a few simple, easy-to-find ingredients.

Things You'll Need

• Spray bottle
• Small funnel
• Mineral oil
• Essential oils
• Dried herbs or flowers
• Stove burner or warming plate
• Old pan or bowl

Instructions

1. Measure out your mineral oil. You will need approximately 1 ounce of mineral oil for every three or four drops of essential oils that you plan to use.

2. Choose your essential oils carefully. Many oils, such as lavender, have a calming effect and can help reduce stress on your pet. Other oils have no true beneficial qualities and just offer a nice fragrance, so you can choose oils based on your personal preference.

3. Add your mineral oil to the old pan and place it over your stove burner or heating plate. You want to use an old pan that you do not plan on using again for any sort of cooking, as the oils can permanently stain or mark your pan.

4. Place three or four drops of your essential oil or a handful of your dried ingredients into your mineral oil and stir them to combine. Avoid placing too much scent or dried ingredients in your base oil; the scent can become overpowering the longer it sits.

5. Warm the oils on a low heat setting for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool thoroughly in the pan. This will combine the oils well and blend them completely.

6. Strain off any solids from your oil, using a small mesh strainer, and discard the used solids. Make sure that you get all of the solid pieces out of your oil to avoid clogging your sprayer.

7. Pour your newly created perfume into a small sprayer once it is completely cool. You will want to store it in a cool, dry place to avoid any spoiling of your oils and to prolong its shelf life.

8. Spray your scent sparingly over your pet’s coat, using caution to avoid using too much. Be sure to avoid the eyes and ears to avoid any possible irritation and to prevent frightening your pet.

9. Apply the perfume on your pet once or twice a week to keep it smelling nice and to keep the coat in top condition. Mineral oil will help keep the coat soft and well conditioned, and your newly created perfume will keep your pet smelling its best.

Tips & Warnings

• Use only fresh ingredients that will not cause harm to your pet. Certain oils, such as those containing phenols, can be very harmful to your pets if ingested or inhaled.

• Do not apply any product to your pet that you are unsure of. Always check with Poison Control or your veterinarian before using anything new on your pets.