At Home Dog Washing Station

Oh, how I love to drop off my dirty dogs at the groomer, and pick them up later all fluffy and fresh! Regular professional grooming is an expense that’s well worth it in my book. But with three dogs now, I’ve made some changes to keep our grooming expenses in check. I’ve doubled the time between grooming visits, and I’ve added an at home dog washing station in the garage.

dog washing at home

I first considered adding an at home dog washing station after bringing Lemon home from the beach. No one wants to bring a wet and sandy dog through the house to the tub inside. The weather was warm, so a quick bath under the hose outside did the trick. But leaning over to wash Lemon also did a number on my back. I wanted one of those elevated grooming tubs, so I could wash her while standing straight up.

There was already plumbing in the garage for a utility sink, so why not turn it into an at home dog washing station?! I started researching professional grooming tubs. As expected, they were pretty pricey. I hemmed and hawed on the purchase long enough to sell my home and move to a new one!

While I love the look of those luxury tiled dog washing stations, there wasn’t the space or the funds to add one at the new homestead. Once again, I began exploring options for adding an at home dog washing station in the garage. Frankly, the garage makes a lot of sense. Your dog is going to splash, and shake, and shed fur all over the place. And in the garage, I don’t have to care too much. When bath time’s over, I open the garage door, and use the leaf blower to tidy up. 😂

choosing a dog tub

If your budget allows, go for the professional stainless steel grooming tub with steps. And if you have large dogs, this might be your only option. But as my girls are 45-55 lbs., and I am able to lift them, I chose to save a few bucks by going with a large 24″ x 40′ Bigtub Utilatub by Mustee.

I added the Ashland Laundry Faucet with a threaded spout, and a Rinse Ace Sink Faucet Rinser. With the faucet’s threaded spout, the Rinse Ace attaches just like a hose would, though it does come with an adapter for other other faucets.

This might look like the perfect at home dog washing station, but let me tell you from experience, this tub is slick. Be sure to add some Secopad Anti Slip Shower Stickers to line the bottom of the tub. I also use a stainless steel basket filter trap in the drain to catch all the dog fur before it goes down the drain!

Complete the look of your dog washing station

I had this tub installed in the garage on the wall opposite the laundry room, allowing the plumber to tie into existing water and drain lines. This required elevating the tub about 6″. The extra height was easily achieved by adding 2×4 legs inside the existing metal legs, and painting them to match. (Thanks Molly at Wag-n-Splash for the tip!)

At Lowe’s Home Improvement, I purchased a fully assembled 36″ Shaker style cabinet, and two satin nickel knobs. It’s the perfect space for storing towels and other bath accessories. Also, I found some great backsplash tile on sale! Each 12″ x 12″ sheet was only $1.19!!

Accessories for your dog washing station

No at home dog washing station is complete without a safety loop to help your dog stay put while in the tub. I picked up an eye hook at Lowe’s, and added the Groomers Pro Jelly Pet Grooming Loop. And to protect myself from getting splashed, I chose the Ladybird Line Paw Print Waterproof Dog Bather’s Apron.

My favorite at home dog shampoo has been Cloudstar Buddy Wash Lavender & Mint Shampoo. It makes the girls feel silky soft, and has a fresh fragrance without being overwhelming. I use it with the Bodhi Dog Bath Brush! Its massaging bristles act as a deshedding tool to remove loose fur.

I honestly thought my at home dog washing station was complete. I joked that all I needed to be legit was a blow dryer. But once I saw how relatively affordable the SHELANDY 3.2HP Dog Grooming Blower with Heater was, I knew I had to have one!

The heater turns on/off separately from the blower, and it has an adjustable air speed, so you can work your dog up to it. Perhaps it’s from their visits to the groomer, but all of my girls already seem well adjusted to the blow dryer.

So fresh, so clean

This complete at home dog washing station is the most useful home improvement I’ve made in a long time! Whether I’ve brought the girls home from the beach, a muddy hike, or it’s just time to freshen up, this set up has form and function, and was priced right too!