dog SPA

Pine oil soap (tallsåpa) for dog SPA.

This quick tip is actually from my second cousin (tremänning) Anna. I went to the beautiful store Kulturarvet to order paint for our kitchen that is in dire need of a makeover. While chatting away about different paints, colors, techniques, and brushes we also got around to talking about cleaning and soaps.

The paint I have used on the wooden walls in my she shed (studio, office, guest house, haven, happy place) is linseed oil paint (linoljefärg) and I am going to use it in the kitchen as well.

I have until now also used linseed oil soap (linoljesåpa) when cleaning the house. Apparently this is a big no no, since linseed oil soap will dissolve paint made of linseed oil.

Pretty logical come to think about it. So, instead of the traditional linseed oil soap I’ve used so far she recommended I use pine oil soap (talloljesåpa).

And here is where the quick tip of the day comes in. She recommended I use the soap to clean Peanuts paws. Her colleague uses the soap to wash her dogs and horses due to its antiseptic and antibacterial characteristics. Naturally I had to google this.

Pine oil in itself is like I said antiseptic and antibacterial and it has qualities that can help troubled skin with eczema, psoriasis, acne, irritated and itchy skin. I have psoriasis, and it has started to flare up again, so I will not only try the soap on Peanut’s paws, I will also try it on my own hands.

This also made up my mind on which soap to try to create in my first attempt on cold process soap making. I will use pine, rosemary and tea tree oils to maximize all skin caring characteristics, together with some citrus for added fresh scent.

Anyhow, so how did the paw cleaning go? Excellent.

Since I absolutely adore my own spa rituals on Thursdays I figured Peanut is totally worth the same luxury.

I love incense, and lit candles, and beautiful sounds, and little beautiful things to look at. We thought for a while that spring was coming but it’s cold outside again so I wanted the experience to be as nice as possible for baby PP.

(Peanut Parabellum is her full name, para bellum is latin for prepare for war and the meaning of it is: to secure peace is to prepare for war. One of my life’s anthems is Don’t Tread on Me, from Metallica’s Black Album so I thought it absolutely epic in these times to name my baby PP. It’s sometimes pronounced PeePee, and sometimes Pippi. 😉

Anyway! Back to the topic again.

I put on a Japanese SPA playlist, lit some candles and incense, made an infusion of some pretty flowers for her bath (marigold, linden, elderflower, chamomile, dried orange, juniper, and lavender). I had the fire burning all day so the temperature in the house was warm and pleasant. I had prepared little ointments for her nose, paws, ears and udders, and took out the clippers. I wanted to give her the full treatment, including a nice massage.

I usually treat myself with some nice tea, wine, or sparkly water, and some berries, fruit or pieces of dark chocolate, and nuts. Peanut, of course, got some extra nice treats as well.