How to Make Homemade Dog Shampoo

Are you looking for an inexpensive, natural alternative to the mass produced, chemical laden pet products that fill store shelves? If so, an easy place to start is by making your own homemade dog shampoo. Homemade dog shampoo not only contains all natural ingredients and none of the nasty chemicals that fill up store bought products, but it is cheaper to make and incredibly simple to produce. If you are an enterprising person, you may even be able to make a few dollars by putting it in nicer bottles and selling it to other pet owners in your neighborhood.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Take a bowl and add one full cup of an all natural liquid dish soap. This will form the base your homemade dog shampoo, and help loosen dirt and other particulate matter from the animal's fur. You want one that is advertised as being very gentle, in addition to being all natural. Seventh Generation is a favorite among dog owners, but Ecover, Dove, Ivory, or Dial would also work well. A dog's skin is just as sensitive as a human's, and you want to avoid anything that could irritate it.

2. Add one full cup of water and mix well. This will thin out the homemade dog shampoo so its effects will not be as harsh on the skin. Do not stir too vigorously, otherwise you will beat the mixture into a lather, which will make it much more difficult to work with and mix thoroughly. Feel free to add more water if you need to dilute the chemicals further for particularly sensitive skin.

3. Add one full cup of apple cider vinegar and mix. This acts like a deodorant in your homemade dog shampoo. It works to give your pet's coat a lustrous shine, and will also work to keep fleas away. It also ensures that there is no soap residue left in the fur once you rinse everything away. The best part about the vinegar is that it helps prevent the wet dog smell that most people find so terrible.

4. Add 1/3 cup of glycerin and mix well. Many soaps use glycerin as their base, including most handmade varieties. Its primary use in your homemade dog shampoo is to coat the fur and help it retain moisture. It also keeps the product rich and luxurious. You want to pamper your pet, don't you?

5. Pour the completed homemade dog shampoo into an empty bottle and store for later use. Just give it a good shake before each use to mix the glycerin back into the finished product.

Tips & Warnings

• When bathing your pet, take special care to not get the soap into his or her eyes and ears. Even a gentle soap could potentially cause discomfort.

• This soap will build up quite a bit of lather. Start with less than you think you will need and add more as necessary.