Simple Homemade Pet Shampoo Solid Bar Soap Recipe
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As a soap maker, of course my doggies are included and I make my own homemade dog shampoo. I use this soap on EVERYBODY. Dogs. Cats. Horse. Donkey. Goats. ERRRBODY. You can even use it on your own human skin! I crafted this original recipe to nourish my dog’s skin and give them nice soft and shiny coats. Most dog shampoos on the market have some icky ingredients that aren’t necessary, and when you know how to make cold process soap… what exactly is stopping you?!
This soap blends coconut oil, tallow or lard, olive oil, and castor oil for a cleansing soap for bath time that’s gently on sensitive skin and soothes skin irritations. The results afterward will have you amazed. Your dog’s coat has never been softer! I like to blend in a farm fresh egg, some colloidal oats for that itchy skin or extra dry skin soothing, and some citronella essential oil to ward off the free loader bugs. Use this dog soap recipe during bath time regularly and let the bar soap dry out between uses. A bar should last you upwards of a year depending on how many animals you’re washing. We also use this bar soap on our show goats to get them clean and shiny for show. They look downright gorgeous.
Essential Oils for Pets
I tend to lean on less is more with essential oils for pets. Please please do research on essential oils and make sure using them for your pets is within your realm of comfort. I do know that some essential oils, like tea tree oil, can cause issues and even pretty bad reactions in dogs and cats, so just be careful. Err on the side of less in more when you add it.
Equipment You Might Want:
- Lye safe container
- Soap making pitcher
- Immersion blender
- Spatula
- Soap Loaf Mold (2 lb)
- Scale
- InfraredThermometer
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces coconut oil
- 4 ounces beef tallow or lard
- 12 ounces olive oil
- 4 ounces castor oil
- 4 ounces goat milk
- 2 Tbs colloidal oats
- 1 egg
- 3.9 ounces distilled water
- 3.9 ounces lye (sodium hydroxide)
- 60 drops citronella essential oil
Step 1: Prep
Learn about lye safety and soapmaking safety and precautions. This recipe is written assuming the person using it knows how to make soap and knows about lye handling and safety. If you do not, please learn.
Start by weighing out the water into a lye safe bowl or container. Weigh out the lye and then add the lye to the water. Stir in a ventilated area until dissolved and leave to cool to less than 90F.
Measure out coconut oil and beef tallow into a heat proof container and heat using method of your choice (double boiler, pot, microwave) to melt oils.
Once oils are melted, add in olive oil and castor oil and stir. Set oils aside to cool to less than 90F as well.
You want the oils and the lye solution within 10 degrees F of each other.
Step 2: Make Soap Batter
Using your infrared thermometer, verify lye and oils are below 90F and within 10 degrees of one another.
To the oils, add in 4 ounces of goat milk, colloidal oats, and egg and mix well with immersion blender.
With the blender still in the oils, slowly pour the lye water solution down the blender and blend until you get a light trace.
Add in 60 drops of citronella essential oil and pulse with stick blender to blend.
Step 3: Pour Batter
Pour soap batter into loaf mold.
Tap loaf mold to release any air bubbles and spritz top with rubbing alcohol if desired.
Allow to cool for 24-48 hours before removing from the mold and cutting into bars.
Step 4: Curing
Cure cut soap bars in a cool dry place for about 4 weeks. The longer they sit, the better the bar of soap performs.
To use:
Wet your pets fur thoroughly. Using your hand or rubbing the bar directly onto their coat, get a good lather. Scrub well and rinse thoroughly.
I hope you enjoy this diy natural pet shampoo! It’s a great alternative to anything you can buy and a lot cheaper to make too :)
Equipment
- Lye safe container
- Soap making pitcher
- Soap Loaf Mold (2 lb)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces coconut oil
- 4 ounces beef tallow or lard
- 12 ounces olive oil
- 4 ounces castor oil
- 4 ounces goat milk
- 2 Tbs colloidal oats
- 1 egg
- 3.9 ounces distilled water
- 3.9 ounces lye sodium hydroxide
- 60 drops citronella essential oil
Instructions
- Learn about lye safety and soapmaking safety and precautions. This recipe is written assuming the person using it knows how to make soap and knows about lye handling and safety. If you do not, please do some research first.
- Start by weighing out the water into a lye safe bowl or container. Weigh out the lye and then add the lye to the water. Stir in a ventilated area until dissolved and leave to cool to less than 90F.
- Measure out coconut oil and beef tallow into a heat proof container and heat using method of your choice (double boiler, pot, microwave) to melt oils.
- Once oils are melted, add in olive oil and castor oil and stir. Set oils aside to cool to less than 90F as well.
- You want the oils and the lye solution within 10 degrees F of each other.
- Using your infrared thermometer, verify lye and oils are below 90F and within 10 degrees of one another.
- To the oils, add in 4 ounces of goat milk, colloidal oats, and egg and mix well with immersion blender.
- With the blender still in the oils, slowly pour the lye water solution down the blender and blend until you get a light trace.
- Add in 60 drops of citronella essential oil and pulse with stick blender to blend.
- Pour soap batter into loaf mold.
- Tap loaf mold to release any air bubbles and spritz top with rubbing alcohol if desired.
- Allow to cool for 24-48 hours before removing from the mold and cutting into bars.
- Cure cut soap bars in a cool dry place for about 4 weeks. The longer they sit, the better the bar of soap performs.
To Use:
- Wet your pets fur thoroughly. Using your hand or rubbing the bar directly onto their coat, get a good lather. Scrub well and rinse thoroughly.
