Cool Barn Hacks From the Dollar Store

Barn Hacks From the Dollar Store – Cleaning Supplies

There is NO END to the dust and dirt at gets smeared around everything (and everybody) at the barn. Skip the tack shop and grab your cleaning supplies at the dollar store.

Spray bottles

Here are a few things that spray bottles are great for:

• Diluting things – fly spray or shampoo
• Stall cleaner with lemon and vinegar
• Fill with vinegar for barn cat or dog smells in tack rooms
• Having a spare bottle for any liquid, such as detangler or sheen spray, in case the original bottle breaks.

Read how to make your own cleaners here.

Toilet brushes

• I’m a big fan of creating room between me and anything questionable that needs cleaning. Use a long-handled toilet brush. Fair warning, the cheap toilet brushes may not be substantial enough for tough jobs like water troughs, but you can also find heavy-duty brushes.

Microfiber cloths and gloves

• These microfiber car cleaning gloves will remove the last bit of dust from your horse, your tack, the top of your tack trunk, and more. If your horse is extra staticky due to dry weather, you can spritz your cloth with a grooming spray or water to reduce the static in the air.

• They are also nice because you can dust off your car’s interior. And then toss it in the washing machine. You can also try these cloths for bathing.

• Microfiber cloths, such as the car cleaning mitt, are great for a variety of tasks, simply due to their different shapes. Some of these fabrics don’t get really wet, so they are nice for wiping noses, ears, and other sensitive parts of your horse.

Sponges

• Double-sided scrubby sponges. Suitable for water buckets, feeders, bits, hooves, and super dirty tack. For hard plastic tubs, such as the muck tub-style bin, I only use the soft side. The stiffer side of the sponges can scuff up the tubs and is better suited for rubber buckets and feeders.

Dish gloves

• These dish gloves. They are sticky on one side, making them ideal for scrubbing buckets and feeders, especially in winter. The non-sticky gardening gloves would be great for preventing blisters and adding a bit of warmth when you are in a stall cleaning marathon. Whenever you have a rubbery type of material, your hands will stay warmer. For wintertime scrubbing, see if your dollar store has plain ol’ rubber kitchen gloves.

Not practical for riding, just as riding gloves are not practical for scrubbing buckets.

Dollar Store Finds for the Barn

Flowers and other decor 

• Fake flowers! Great for jumps, dressage letterboxes, tack room prettiness, covering up the real plants that are no longer surviving. If decorating the barn for holidays is also your jam, dollar stores often have seasonal merchandise. It’s a great alternative to using live plants, which can often be toxic to horses and pets.

Socks

• Socks. I was surprised at the variety of socks – great to cut the toes away for your horse’s lower legs, and also suitable for a spare set when the wash rack attacks and you are squishy with every step.

• I’ve gotten into the habit of leaving my barn shoes at the barn, so that my car can stay a bit cleaner. If I know I’ll be sweating, clipping, or bathing, I bring fresh socks for the ride home. This feels nice, and it keeps my “good” shoes clean on the inside.

Black socks are great for wearing with open-toed sandals. Super stylish.

Storage options 

• Find stackable storage containers. These two are no bigger than a microwave, but could easily store tack cleaning stuff or washcloths. Larger bins could store polos, boots, and bell boots. These also make a good tub to clean your grooming tools.

• Look for shower hooks to hang equipment or tools.

These could also store candy. Lots and lots of candy.

First aid supplies

• Diapers and baby wipes. A staple to have, diapers are great for wounds and also packing hooves. Baby wipes are handy for a variety of purposes. I use them mostly to wipe my own hands and face before I leave the barn. Most horses are fine with them for cleaning noses and ears, and even a bit of stain removal. If you have a super dirty horse, you can even use baby wipes plus a bit of no-rinse shampoo to make your own super-duty horse grooming wipes.

• Aloe vera gel is excellent for human and equine sunburns, as well as scrapes, cuts, and abrasions. Aloe vera gel can also serve as a moisturizer for your hands after bucket scrubbing and other barn chores.

• Consider adding bandage scissors to your first aid kit.

• Epsom salts make for an easy hoof soak or a hot bath for you if you hit the dirt.

• Disposable gloves for emergencies and also extreme messes.

• Cotton balls for applying ointments and medications.

Feed room barn hacks from the dollar store

• Stock up on treats for your horse, such as peppermints.

• Human treats are affordable, there, too.

• Look for inexpensive dinnerware for mixing feeds and medications.

• You can find great dog and cat bowls for the barn critters.

• Tumblers and measuring cups make fantastic feed scoops.

Saddle soap

• You can find pure glycerin soap at dollar stores, which is find for cleaning tack. You can also add milk to melted glycerin soap to create a DIY saddle cleaner with conditioning benefits.

Read this for the recipe to make your own conditioning soap.

Hit the school and craft supplies for miscellaneous items

• Sharpie markers, rubber bands, twine, and ribbon come in handy at the barn.

• Small rubber bands for your hair work well to secure mane braids. Ribbons and twine are good for marking blankets. Each horse could have their blanket tagged with a specific color ribbon. Sharpies are necessary for everything!

• Don’t forget about yarn if you braid your horse’s mane or tail.

What things would I not get from a discount dollar store for horses?

As a general rule, I wouldn’t get anything that I wouldn’t use on myself or a family member. Or, if I found something with sketchy packaging. And while you can find storage containers of all shapes, I would look for thicker, more durable totes at a home improvement center instead.

For more barn hacks, check out the 93 Best Barn Hacks here!