Grimeinator® Shampoo Tips:
To get the most effectiveness and efficiency out of a gallon of Grimeinator®, follow these Hygienic, product diluting and bathing guidelines.
The Hygienic guidelines are designed to help groomers, animal care professionals and animal owners maintain proper hygiene when mixing and using natural/organic shampoo and conditioners. With an eye towards good health and well-being, we all want to use natural products whenever possible on ourselves, our family and the pets in our family. It is important, however, to keep in mind that when using natural products, the synthetic preservatives are not added and therefore it is important to keep hygiene at the top of the list when diluting, handling and storing natural and organic products.
Hygienic Guidelines:
- Before diluting shampoo/conditioner concentrate, all containers and caps must be cleaned with very hot water or a sterilizing solution (alcohol, etc).
- Any unused, diluted shampoo material should be discarded 24-32 hours after mixing.
- Use caution when opening the shampoo/conditioner concentrate bottle and during the diluting/mixing process to keep dirty water from hands or animals from coming into contact with the bottle opening or concentrated shampoo.
- Squeeze bottles should be used with caution as they can inadvertently suck up dirty water and soap from the animal and contaminate the bottle and lid. Lids on squeeze bottles are hard to clean and can hold bacteria, virus, mold and fungus and transfer it to animals during bathing. If squeeze bottles are used, be sure to clean and sterilize the lids thoroughly.
Contamination of natural products can cause pets to have a physiological reaction to the shampoo mix if it is contaminated with bacteria, mold, fungus or virus from improper hygiene and/or product handling. Groomer’s Edge® shampoos and conditioning products are organic and natural with very little preservative and after the product is opened, if it is contaminated with dirty water or suds from a dog/animal, (by bathers opening the bottle with soapy hands, or dogs shaking and the water spray getting into the bottle, etc) bacteria, mold and other agents can begin to grow inside the container in a period of time.
Also, when the concentrated product is diluted as recommended, the preservative in the diluted mixture is reduced further. This diluted mixture should be used within a reasonable amount of time; we suggest within 48 hours of initial dilution. However, many bathers mix large amounts of diluted shampoo and keep it for days or longer in warm, humid rooms which can allow bacteria, mold and other contaminants to grow in the dilutant bottle. Some bathers also reuse bottles or mix shampoo and water in a container that has not been properly cleaned after its last use. Without proper cleaning and sterilization, bacteria and other contaminants can grow in the bottle and then are inadvertently poured on and rubbed into the skin of the animal being bathed.
Unfortunately, there are not hygiene related regulations and requirements for animal groomers in most counties, cities, states, or countries. Some groomers are simply unaware how products can become contaminated in their shops. Improper hygiene can lead to an infection on an animal which is bathed with a shampoo or conditioning solution that has been contaminated with bacteria, virus, mold or fungus. This type of infection sometimes expresses itself as bumps or pustules, most often along the back of the animal. While these infections are not generally serious, they may require a visit to the veterinarian for antibiotics and/or steroids.
So to insure Healthy Grooming always remember to:
1. Wash and Dry hands before opening and closing concentrate containers.
2. Sterilize squeeze tops if squeeze bottles are used as secondary containers.
3. Clean all secondary containers with very hot water or sterilize before re-using.
4. Discard all unused diluted shampoo/conditioner within 48 hours.
5. Use care not to get dirty water into the secondary container when bathing.
6. Once a week clean the tub, fixtures and spray nozzles with hot water.
7. Do not leave lids open on concentrated shampoo/conditioner when not in use.
Product Diluting and Bathing Guidelines
1. Grimeinator should always be used diluted. Using it undiluted wastes shampoo and labor. Dilution ratios may vary from as little as 6-to-one up to
32-to-one depending on your water quality (hard or soft) and the dog being bathed. The diluted product allows for easier and more effective distribution over the entire body and prevents pockets of concentrated product which requires extra time and water to rinse out. Obviously, heavy coated, very oily or dirty dogs may require higher concentrations than cleaner, short-haired animals.
2. The most effective use of diluted Grimeinator® is to put enough on a wet dog to create a full rich lather but not more than is necessary to create such lather. Generally, Grimeinator® will clean the great majority of dogs with one washing, with only the dirtiest animals requiring a second application.
Grimeinator® should rinse out easily. If excessive time is necessary to rinse the dog, probably too much shampoo was used.