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DIY Pooper Scooper Made w/ Laundry Detergent Bottles

Illustration of a Yellow and Red laundry bottle

I know from a lifetime of experience how yucky the task of picking up dog poop can be. It doesn’t matter if it’s from your yard or while going on a walk, it’s just gross.

But we all must be responsible pet owners and do our ‘doodie’ and pick up those mushy messes. So why spend a lot of money on scoopers that don’t work or worse yet, break?

Speaking of picking up poop on walks, this gadget from Amazon #ad (almost always under $5) makes dealing with poop on walks SO MUCH easier.

Here’s the thing about dealing with dog poop... It’s gross, most of the pooper scoopers they sell in the store don’t always work all that well or break easily and they’re expensive! (I’ve bought and fixed several over the years so I’m with you!)

I’ve seen “deluxe” pooper scoopers go for $30 to $40. Sometimes more. And if you know me, you know I’m frugal to the bone. Besides that, I like things that actually WORK.

Case in point: I have a dear friend who is owned by a rather large Great Dane and she cannot find a commercial pooper scooper that works effectively for what her dog leaves behind. I feel for her and others who have to pick up those particular droppings.

None of the scoops she’s tried have worked, they bend and break after only a few uses.

So, with that in mind, I found a great solution to making a pooper scooper that WORKS for big dogs, small dogs, in the grass, and on rocks. And it’s EASY.

Instructions: DIY Pooper Scooper

Illustration of instruction to make homemade pooper scooper from a laundry bottle

Materials:

  • Two sturdy plastic laundry detergent bottles with lids.
  • Cutting blade: serrated knife, carpet blade, or heavy duty scissors – you’ll need something strong here.
  • Marking pen – a Sharpie works well.

Instructions: 

  1. Hold the bottle by the handle and draw lines as shown above in section 1.
  2. Cut the bottle along the lines marked, including the piece along the bottom of the bottle – you don’t want to miss this piece as it creates the “edge” you need.
  3. Trim the remaining edges and round off any sharp corners, I use sand paper for this if I can’t get it dull enough.
  4. Make sure the scooping edge is unbroken
  5. Make a second scoop – because having a backup is important.

Another reason I like Easy Homemade Pooper Scoopers over store-bought

Those store-bought scoops tend to break off at the handle… and always at the worst moment. That’s why I like this detergent bottle one SO much better.

The only problem I have with it, being an older gal with some health issues, is bending over to use it, but that’s a very slight issue considering that this one works so well. Compromise is something we all must get used to sometimes and in this case, it’s well worth it.

Once you’ve used your pooper scooper then it’s time to get rid of the poo responsibly. 🙂

The Best Way to Dispose of Dog Poop at Home

Chihuahua sitting in grass holding a doggie poop bag dispenser in its mouth

There are several ways to dispose of dog poop. Some of more environmentally friendly than the others.

I recommend staying away from the dog poop bags that are made of standard, non-biodegradable plastic. They just sit in landfills until they are torn up and can still leave plastic particulates in the environment that won’t break down for many years, even decades plus.

Using Water Soluble Dog Bags to Dispose of Dog Poop

Thankfully, there are now many vegetable based “plastics” on the market. Most of these types of bags biodegrade in just 90 days. So they don’t end up creating more plastic pollution.

I like this Doggy Do Good brand found on Amazon (paid link) a lot.

If you go this route, then you can just put the dog waste in your trash bin.

The composting option – how to fertilize with dog poop

Another way to deal with dog poop is composting. We use a bin made for disposing of the dog poop from our yard, it can be repurposed into fertilizer for the garden. We usually include any of our scraps from our cooking or yard work with it in the bin.

Many people don’t know that it works great for this purpose, usually for non-edible flower beds and plants/shrubs. So you won’t want to use it in your veggie or fruit garden.

There is a great post here by cityfarmer.org that explains how to use dog waste in a composter.

There are also commercial inground composter disposal units where you can use an enzyme to break down the fecal matter in a responsible manner. Just check your local regulations and Homeowners association (if you belong to one) about what they allow on your property. If you live out in the country this may not be a big issue and the composting option will probably be just fine.

Here is a couple we like: Doggy Dooley (paid link) and the Pet Waste Wizard BioBin Pet Waste Disposal Unit (paid link) Both are inground options. Here is a couple of above-ground composting options as well…one is portable which is fantastic if you like to take your pup camping with you!

This option is great as you can also add kitchen scraps, etc to it along with your dog poo: Garden Composter Bin (paid link), and here is the portable option we love Petfusion Portable Outdoor Pet Waste Disposal (paid link) (this one will require bags, we recommend the ones we mentioned earlier in our post.)

Believe it or not, there’s even a dog poop trash can dumpster for your car or truck…great for when you need to dispose of poo that you must take with you when you leave a state park after a hike: Kurgo Tailgate Dumpster (paid link) We will be getting one ourselves for sure!

Flushable dog poop bags. Can dog poop go in a septic tank?

White toilet against a white wall on wooden fllors

Unless your septic tank is specifically geared toward handling dog poop, you don’t want to flush it. It’s better to compost or use biodegradable bags and place them in your garbage or use the inground composter disposal option.

If you have a municipal water system, then flushing dog poop is safe. And there are bags specifically made for this purpose. They’re called “Flush Puppies” and you can find them on Amazon by clicking here. #ad

For more DIY Puppy Love, check out How to Build a Dog Feeding Station and Cheap and Chic Pet Bed! And if your dog eats poop, I have an article that explains this strange poop eating behavior.

I hope you found this article both helpful and fun. Happy scooping!

Please note: This post is not meant to prevent, treat or, cure any ailment or disease. We are not veterinarians and you use our advice at your own discretion. We always recommend that you consult your veterinarian whenever you have health-related conditions your furbaby is facing. With that in mind, as pet parents ourselves, we wish nothing but the best for your pet and their healthy and happy lives.

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