Pet Grooming and Care Made Easy with Items Around the Home

I don't know about the area you live in, but it costs close to $30 for the most basic trip to the pet groomer in my town. And I don't even have a dog with long fur or any special needs. For more deluxe treatments, the prices quickly go up.

Even if you do the grooming yourself, you can spend a lot at the pet stores for special dog soaps and shampoos and toothpastes and brushes and what not. There are all sorts of toys, care items, and luxuries for pampered pets, and the pet stores want you to buy them--for a small fortune.

But what if you want your dog to be clean and look good, and you don't have a lot of extra money to spend? You might be surprised at how many simple household items can be helpful in pet grooming and care. Here's a look at some specifics:

Baby Powder

Baby powder is one of those cool (and expensive) things that has a ton of uses around the house, and you can even dry-shampoo your pet with it. Vigorously rub a couple handfuls of baby powder into your pet's fur and let it set for a couple minutes. Then brush it out, and your dog will look and smell good.

Baking Soda

Here's another powder with a lot of uses. If your dog has been rolling in something he shouldn't and you can't get the odor out, you can use baking soda to freshen him up. As with the baby powder, just rub a few handfuls in his coat, and then give the fur a thorough brushing. It should remove the smell and also leave the dog's coat shiny and clean.

Baking soda can also be used to clean your pet's ears. If your pet is scratching the area a lot, it could indicate an irritation or ear mites. To ease the itch, or wipe out mites, douse a cotton ball with a solution of 1 teaspoon baking powder in 1 cup of warm water, and then gently wash the inside of the ears (okay for cats and dogs).

Dryer Sheets

If your dog comes in wet from an outing in the rain, try wiping him down with a used dryer softener sheet to get rid of that wet dog smell and leave him smelling as fresh as a newly washed batch of laundry.

Peanut Butter