How to Make Dog Shampoo & Conditioner

Human shampoo has a lower pH and is too acidic for your pooch.
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Making your own dog shampoo and conditioner is easy and inexpensive. Homemade shampoo is free of additives and pH safe for your pooch. Making either one takes only a few minutes. You can adjust the strength and even add essential oils to make your pooch smell extra-special.

Dog Shampoo

Choose Dawn, Ivory, Dove or Palmolive dish soap. If you choose Ivory, add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar the 1 cup of dish soap. Ivory has a pH of 9.5. Any dish detergent above 9 needs white vinegar to bring down the pH to 6.8.

Place a funnel into the opening of a milk jug. This will make it easier to add the ingredients. Pour the glycerin, dish detergent, apple cider vinegar and water into the funnel. Place the milk cover on the milk jug and shake the solution.

Pour the mixed solution into a quart plastic container. Place the cover on the container and label the outside so it won't be mistaken for any other solution. Store it out of reach of children.

Shake the solution before using it on your pooch. Make sure you wet down your pup with warm water. Add the shampoo by running a line of shampoo down the middle of his back from the top of his head to his tail. Lather up and rinse well.

Dog Conditioner

Place 2 cups of water in a 4-quart saucepan. Heat the water to boiling, then remove it from the heat.

Add 1 tsp. of rosemary. Let the rosemary steep until the water is cool.

Place the strainer over a 4-cup measuring bowl, and set the measuring bowl and strainer in the kitchen sink. Pour the steeped liquid into the strainer. It will seep into the 4-cup measuring bowl.

Pour the steeped liquid into a quart spray bottle. Screw the cover on the bottle.

Shampoo your pooch and rinse well. Spray the conditioner onto your dog and massage it into his fur. Use enough to coat his fur. Let the conditioner dry on his fur. Do not rinse.

Tips

  • Glycerin is available in the first-aid section of your grocery store. It is also available at craft stores.

    Add a few drops of lavender oil to the shampoo for added fragrance.

Warnings

  • Discard any leftover dog conditioner. There are no preservatives, so microbes will grow in the water.

Warnings

  • Discard any leftover dog conditioner. There are no preservatives, so microbes will grow in the water.

Tips

  • Glycerin is available in the first-aid section of your grocery store. It is also available at craft stores.

  • Add a few drops of lavender oil to the shampoo for added fragrance.

Items You Will Need

  • 1/2 cup glycerin
  • 1 cup of liquid dish soap (Dawn, Ivory, Dove or Palmolive)
  • 1 cup of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup of distilled water
  • Funnel
  • Milk jug
  • Plastic quart container
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 4 quart saucepan
  • 2 cups water
  • Strainer
  • 4 cup measuring bowl
  • 1 quart plastic spray bottle