Rubba Dub Dub: Does the Shampoo Matter in Your Tub?

Let’s talk tubs. 🛁  🧼

You’ve got your furry guy in the bath, you're elbow-deep in bubbles, and you're feeling like a good pet parent for keeping them clean. But what if I told you that some of those sweet-smelling suds might be doing more harm than good? 😲

We recently had a customer bring in their bottle of pet shampoo and while it looked harmless at first glance, the ingredient panel told a different story.

Here’s what was inside:

🚗 C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate – Sounds fancy, right? This is basically a degreasing agent also used in car wash soap and industrial cleaners. It strips oils aggressively, the exact opposite of what our pets’ sensitive skin needs.

🧴 Phenoxyethanol – A synthetic preservative that’s tolerated in small doses but can irritate skin and even impact the nervous system if overused (it’s also in some hand sanitizers, which says a lot).

🧬 Fragrance (Parfum) – This one's sneaky. “Fragrance” can legally hide hundreds of undisclosed chemicals, some of which are linked to hormone disruption, allergies, and irritation. And in this case? The scent was “grape.”

We all know how dangerous synthetic scents can be for us, they're worse for the furry guys and we also know any "grape" scented item, is not scented with anything natural. Think of a grape scented marker, no grape has actually ever smelled like that...ever!

🧿 Artificial colorants like Blue 1 and Red 33 – Purely cosmetic. These are banned or restricted in kids' products in some countries due to potential links to allergic reactions and hyperactivity.

Bottom line?
These shampoos look cute, smell nice, and lather like a dream but they don’t belong anywhere near your pet’s skin.

This is why we carry the brand of shampoo that we do! kin+kind. And here’s why.

Instead of synthetic chemicals and hidden irritants, kin+kind uses:

🥥 Saponified Organic Oils – That’s just a fancy way of saying oils like olive and coconut have been naturally turned into gentle, effective soap. It’s the oldest, cleanest way to make shampoo, no harsh chemicals needed.

🍃 Aloe Vera – Soothes the skin, reduces inflammation, and supports healing (especially for itchy pups or those with allergies).

🌳 Charcoal & Soapbark Extract – Natural detoxifiers and foam boosters. Soapbark comes from a tree, not a lab.

🌱 Natural preservatives like Glyceryl Caprylate and Caprylhydroxamic Acid – These sound complex, but they’re plant-derived and used in clean skincare products for humans.

🌿 Nothing artificial. Nothing hidden. And nothing that makes me go, “Would I use this on Zaner?” — because if the answer is no, it doesn’t go on our shelves.

During our recent Tip the Dish interview with one of the leading grooming experts in the pet industry, I also learned about an old wives' tale that you may have heard about too! I was under the impression for the longest time that our dogs should only be bathed one to two times a year because the oils in their skin are different than ours. I often thought, "who ever came up with that rule, never had a Yorkie!" because Zaner has his regular spa day at the salon every six to eight weeks, but as a typical boy who gets into messes, I usually bathe him in between spa days as well. I was always concerned I was drying out his skin which is why I was so concerned about ensuring not only did I use a natural shampoo with him, but that we also carried one in store for you!

What I learned during our interview, is that the old wives' tale likely stems from the types of products we used to use with our furry guys during bath time. Grooming products from yesteryear, weren't as gentle as they are today and often contained harsh degreasers and soaps that would strip oils from our furry family's skin. As with all industries, as they evolve and we learn more, we're able to do better! There are a lot of natural grooming products on the market and those are the products we should be using with our furry family because, not all bubbles are equal! If you're in need of shampoo or you want to make sure you're using a quality natural product that isn't harmful for your furry guy, use this handy checklist to make sure you get a good product for bath time! 🛁

Here’s your cheat sheet for next time you peek at a shampoo label:

Clean should feel good and be good for our furry family, not just smell good.
And around here, clean means safe, simple, and skin-supportive.

If you're not sure whether the shampoo you're using is safe for your floof, bring it in. We’ll read the label with you, no judgment, just education.

To clean, happy pups,
Carly
Owner, House of Paws
& Full-Time Ingredient Label Decoder