C.J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
Elevated DIY Dog Wash Station
My back just couldn’t do it anymore. Washing the dogs in a tub or shower just sat too low for me and my back simply just couldn’t do it again. So, I got really creative. I found some stainless dog washes online that were somewhat affordable, but because I knew I wanted to put my dog wash station in the former “relaxation station” space on the porch, I needed something that would last longer in the salty air of my home in Sanibel Island, Florida.
Read on to learn about our DIY Dog Wash (or kid wash or shell wash or cat wash!) Station.
Elevated Dog Wash
The porch space measured a bit over 40” inches in width, so I had to find a tub that was large enough for my two miniature American Eskimo dogs, Minnie Pearl and Johnny Cash, but also not too large. I scoured Amazon and found many plastic tubs that I really loved, but I settled on a large plastic tub that one would usually place in a laundry room.
We placed our pet wash on the porch
I ordered the Mustee 28CF Big Utilatub Combo on Amazon in February 2022 (which is when we completed this project, but I’m just now getting to writing it up). The utility tub is 24” inches by 40” inches. It came with the faucet, which has an extending head (and is plastic though it looks metal….a great option for outside use!) and the legs.
While the legs may rust over time due to the tub being outside, we can always order new ones. If you are in search of a similar tub, make sure you do all the measurements of the space you want to install it in before ordering it.
PLEASE NOTE: If you give pets or kids a bath in an elevated tub like this, you must be attendance the entire time they are in it. It sits up high and a child or dog could fall (or jump) out of the tub if you are not watching them.
Utility tubs work great as shell wash stations
Luckily, my husband had already done the figuring out of whether or not we could do the plumbing up to the area of the porch. He said we could, so I proceeded with my design. He knows how to do basic plumbing and was able to figure out the logistics and installed it himself. If you are not skilled in plumbing, I’d consult a plumber to make sure you can get plumbing for where you would like to put your sink or dog wash. My husband likes to learn from This Old House DIY videos like this one: How to Install a Utility Sink
Our large utility tub and our dogs
If you want a more temporary elevated dog wash station without installing plumbing, you can find them on Amazon. Just search “dog bathtub” and find one that works for you. I wanted a more permanent one since I also wanted to use the sink to wash out brushes, seashells and as a kid bathtub in the summer.
If you like this article, we know you’ll love this one: How To Make a 10 Minute DIY Towel Rack
Johnny Cash jumps into the sink on his own because he loves baths!
I have two small square bathmats from Target that I place on the bottom of the tub when I give my dogs a bath in the tub AND I used them when I had two small (under age 4) kiddos at my house visiting. They LOVED taking their bath outside! With the tub being elevated, it also helped the mom’s back….she loved it too!
I line the utility tub with bath mats for dog baths
Because it’s on the porch, the splashing of kids or dogs won’t hurt anything in the surroundings. If you are installing this in your home, I’d suggest placing some plexiglass on the wall behind it the way I did in my former home’s laundry room. You could also tile the area behind it.
The utility tub is elevated and is back friendly.
I love how the faucet telescopes out. This makes rinsing my dogs easy as well as rinsing the tub after their bath. I have also used this sink to water plants, so I think it would work well for an outdoor gardening space.
Before we had the pet wash station, we used a shower. Here’s Minnie Pearl on our YouTube channel “Carolyn Braden” being so good in the bath, which does take training!
Plastic telescoping sink faucet for our utility tub
I spray painted an accordion folding wood rack (one I already had) with white spray paint and hung it on the wall next to the sink. This was very helpful for having the towels ready after the dog’s and the kid’s bath.
Our Completed DIY Dog Wash Station
I placed a small folding wood table in the space next to the sink for extra storage. It was a plant stand, but it works great as a dog bath supply table.
Easy DIY Pet Shower
I found a small jute rug at Target and placed in in front of the sink for cushion (and for looks) and I made a WASH sign out of some scrap shiplap, driftwood from the beach, and some rope I already had on hand. I also want to make a seashell chime and paint the porch ceiling in haint blue (like we did on the front porch), but that will happen over time.
My DIY Driftwood Wash Sign
Overall, I’m very pleased with how our DIY dog wash station turned out. I wished I could have had room to place it in the house, but it actually works perfect on the porch. All the dog hair from my Eskies tends to drift after their baths and I like it drifting better on the porch than in my house.
It’s not as fancy as some of the incredible dog washes I’ve seen on Pinterest, but it works very well and wasn’t super expensive. Our tub was $238.56. With the little bit of plumbing supplies my husband needed (he used PEX pipes) we spent around $275.00 total.
Did you make a pet wash station in your house? If so, let us know in the comments below!
C.J. (Carolyn) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How to Be Yourself: Three Ways to Get Back to You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.