Dry Dog Shampoo - Only 3 ingredients and keeps your dog smelling wonderful between baths!
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Boy, do I enjoy having a furry friend around the house again. She's still very much a puppy, so she certainly keeps us on our toes. Now that it's Spring and she's able to explore what's been hiding under all that snow, her nose has been into everything. She often comes in from outside with a snout full of dirt and blades of grass peeking out of her mouth.
All of that fresh outside air can sometimes bring the "doggy" smell out in your pooch. You know. . . the kind that comes out in full force when a dog is dripping wet. Even when they've just been bathed and they're drying, you can smell that "doggy" smell.
Well, I know it sounds crazy, but I like to have a nice smelling dog. I can't stand it when I pet a dog and I'm left with dog smell on my hands. Belle is only the second dog we've owned, but I can tell you that neither of our dogs have ever left a scent on a human hand that has pet them.
How is that possible? Well, I keep Belle clean. Does that mean she gets baths every night? Of course not, but I brush her regularly and I have a little secret concoction that I use on her fur in between baths. . .dry shampoo. . .for dogs. AND, I make it myself.
It's so simple!
Ingredients
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup corn starch
- 10 drops essential oil or skin-safe fragrance oil (made for beauty products)
A little something about the oil for anyone who may be concerned. Remember that your dog is NOT ingesting the oil nor are you rubbing the oil onto or into their skin. The oil is there just for fragrance and there isn't enough of a concentration to do any damage to your fur baby. I've heard of some folks using peppermint and lavender essential oils to help repel fleas so if you want to give one of those fragrances a go, it could serve another purpose in addition to just adding a great scent to the shampoo.
I used a combination of vanilla and coconut cream fragrance oils for the shampoo that I made. I thought it would be a perfect combo for the summer! The oils I bought are specifically formulated to be suitable for skin & hair care formulations. Make sure that whatever oil you're using is skin-safe. I've also heard of people using just vanilla extract from their baking pantry. Remember, the amount of oil you're using is quite insignificant. I used five drops of each kind of oil in my shampoo. You can adjust this to be more or less according to your taste.
I enlisted my hubby to help me out with showing how this whole process works. He always rolls his eyes at me when I go to him holding my camera and ask for a favor. 😉
So, you can apply the powder a few different ways. You can use an empty and clean baby powder container, or make your own "shaker" out of any "lidded" container you like. You'll just have to poke some holes in the top. I, however, didn't mess around. I used a measuring cup and a small strainer to sprinkle the shampoo onto Belle. Correction. . .my husband did.
Shake the shampoo over your dog, starting at the bottom and staying away from the head.
Then, wait about 5 minutes or so and just start brushing your dog's fur to spread the powder around. I use my hands and the brush to get a little around her ears, etc. I bet you're wondering why I'm doing this right in our living room. Well, because my wonderful shampoo is serving two purposes! Believe it or not you can also use this to freshen up your carpet. Just vacuum it up! If your house has wood and/or tile floors, I would suggest doing this outside. It would be much more messy. But with carpet, it's easy peasy and the wonderful scent sticks around the house. I love that!
There you have it. Nice smelling dog = one happy mama. Believe me, I think our family members and friends appreciate it, too! Belle gets A LOT of love from everyone. I've had many people comment on how my dogs always smell like vanilla. It makes me giggle inside. I hope you try this recipe to keep your furry family member smelling wonderful, too. On those hot, humid days this summer, you're going to thank me!
donna
Tried this today on my cocker spaniel "Lady Bug" Thank you so much for this recipe. I used lavender oil in my mix. House smells great and my girl smells even better!!! I will be telling every doggie mommy about this.
Sara
Wonderful. Thank you for leaving a comment, Donna!
Anne
Thank you for this great tip. We got a new puppy and we were told that we were bathing him too frequently. I bought lemongrass oil plus your recipe and what a difference. He smell so good. I might try that vanilla extract one day.
Araceli
Can this be used on puppies?
Sara
I started using this on Belle when she was under a year and she did fine with it. As anything, you may want to experiment with a little first and see how your pup does.
Stacy
Tea tree oil might be a good oil to try all so. My mother-in-law says it helps keeps fleas off your dog.
Tonya
Can't wait to try it, I definitely don't like a smelly dog, and perfect for my carpets too!! Thanks so much for the tip. Tonya
Jeannie george
Great ideas, you have the most beautiful dog, so sweet she just lays there while you are working on her
Sara
Thank you, Jeannie. And believe me, she doesn't always sit this still! 😉
Debby
My black lab has very dry skin - would this mixture dry him even more?
Sara
Some of the oils on a dog's skin can contribute to the "doggy smell." The cornstarch and baking soda help with the smell as well as the excess oil. If your lab has very dry skin I would check with your vet before trying this recipe.
Carinna
Oh and I forgot! To all those with dark coat pups: do not worry! When you brush them, the whiteness goes away. You just have to keep brushing.
Carinna
I used this on my mostly black German Shepherd and it worked amazingly! She likes to play in the water and her coats don't fully dry so sometimes she smells like dirty socks. But I do have some questions: where should this be stored (like in a cupboard or fridge) and how long do you recommend keeping the mixture before making a new one?
Sara
I store mine in an air-tight container and I've kept it for up to two months before I ran out and needed to make more.
Dorothy Scherr
What if your dog comes home smelly, dirty and WET? Our dog jumps in the lake at the dog park.
Sara
Well, you definitely need to wait until your dog is dry to use this shampoo recipe. If your dog comes home wet, you could always just bathe him outside allowing him back in the house.
Teresa Humphreys
Where did u get the coconut creme oil?
Sara
Hi Teresa, I do have a link in the post for the coconut cream oil. Check under the third image in the post. I got that oil through Amazon.com. Good luck!
Kara
Can this be used on cats?
Sara
Kara, I'm not sure. I've never owned a cat and I don't have much experience with them. This may be a good question for your vet. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
Suzanne
If you add Rose Geranium Essential Oil it will repel ticks.
Sara
Great suggestion, Suzanne!