Pet Health: Make Natural Hair Rinses

Reader Contribution by Staff
1 / 2
2 / 2

Dawn is the owner of Seattle Hill Soap Company and formulates natural and safe soaps and skin care items that are enhanced by herbs, botanicals, or clays. You can find Seattle Hill Soap Company atwww.seattlehillsoaps.com.

In my last post I wrote about how to naturally bathe your pet. Now I would like to talk with you about natural pet skin and hair conditioning rinses that anyone can make quickly and easily at home. 

After thoroughly rinsing the shampoo from your pet you may want to use one of the following homemade herbal rinses. These should be made slightly ahead of time so they have time to cool.  If you have a larger than average pet, double or triple the recipe to suit your pet’s size. 

Rosemary Rinse

Rosemary tea is an excellent conditioner that promotes a shiny coat and helps repel fleas. This recipe is also suitable for cats.

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or one tablespoon fresh
• 2 cups water

1. Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and add rosemary. Let steep until cool; strain.

2. To use: Pour the rinse over your pet’s fur. Massage it in and let dry. Do not rinse.

Calendula Rinse

Calendula tea is an excellent conditioner for pets that suffer from itchy, inflamed skin. This recipe is also suitable for cats.

• 1 tablespoon dried calendula petals
• 2 cups water

1. Bring water to a boil, remove from heat then add calendula.  Let steep until cool. Strain.

2. To use: Pour the rinse over your pet’s fur. Massage it in and let dry. Do not rinse.

Detangling Rinse

This is for our longer haired friends that need a little detangling booster. Add it to your spray bottle and use it after the final rinse.

• 1 cup Rosemary or Calendula Rinse, or water
• 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
• 3 drops glycerin 

1. Add ingredients to a spray bottle and shake often. When your pet’s coat is sufficiently coated, discard the remaining mix. Do not save. 

One last note of caution: When using any of these rinses, do not save them and use them within a few hours of making. Because microbes love to grow in water and a preservative is not used in any of these recipes, storing for later use can be dangerous to you and your pet. These must be made fresh and used right away.

  • Published on May 14, 2010
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-800-456-6018
Free health and natural beauty tips from Mother Earth News!