Skunks’ spray is helpful to them to ward off predators, but the odor left behind is pretty bad. The smell can last for up to three weeks, and the longer it sits, the harder it is to remove. Acting quickly with the following tips will ensure your success in eliminating skunk odor, whether it’s on your clothes, on a pet, or in your house.
How To Get Rid of Skunk Smell on a Pet
One of the most common reasons someone might be dealing with skunk smell is an encounter between the family pet and a startled skunk. If your pet has just gotten sprayed, make sure its eyes aren’t affected. If it seems uncomfortable and its eyes look irritated, we recommend taking them to the vet.
Make sure the pet touches as few indoor surfaces as possible. Then, follow these steps to remove the skunk smell from your dog or cat:
- Mix 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1–2 teaspoons dishwashing soap. If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, any pharmacy and most grocery stores carry it.
- Wearing rubber gloves and keeping the solution away from your pet’s eyes, wash their entire body.
- Rinse your furry friend thoroughly to remove the solution.
- Follow up with a skunk-odor-eliminating shampoo, if you have one on hand.
Keep in mind that you can’t store this solution in a closed container. It will build pressure and eventually explode. It’s best to dilute it with water and pour it down the drain when finished. Also, don’t leave the hydrogen peroxide on your pet for more than five minutes, as it can lighten its fur color.
If your pet is particularly difficult to wrangle in the bathtub, keeping its collar around its neck might be necessary. Otherwise, take the collar off the pet, remove the tags, and throw it in the wash right away. Simply replacing the collar is also an option.
If your pet is prone to run-ins with skunks, consider designing a dog washing station for your home.
For particularly stubborn odors that penetrate beyond the fur, veterinarians recommend using natural insecticidal soaps as a follow-up treatment. These biological pesticides, made from essential oils like mint or clove (always diluted), can help neutralize lingering skunk compounds without harming your pet’s skin.
How To Get Skunk Smell Out of the House
Skunk odor can linger for days or weeks, depending on its intensity. Here are some tips for in-house skunk smell removal.
- Open all of your windows and let as much sunlight in as possible to oxidize the odor and shorten its lifespan. Also, run the fan in your central heating or AC system to circulate the air.
- Place bowls of vinegar in each room for two or three days. Make sure they’re out of reach for inquisitive children and furry friends. You can also pour the vinegar into inexpensive plastic containers and punch holes in the lids. The vinegar will absorb and neutralize the odor.
- Place any affected clothing, bedding, and other launderable fabrics in a washer set to the hottest setting. Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the load, along with your regular detergent. Then, launder and repeat the wash cycle once more. Be sure to air dry your laundry, outside if possible, instead of putting it in the dryer—the dryer’s intense heat could bake the smell into your clothing.
- For couches, carpets, mattresses, curtains, and other non-launderable soft surfaces, opt for a thorough steam cleaning.
- For hard surfaces, a 1:9 mixture of bleach and water will remove the smell. Just be sure to test in a small area to ensure the bleach doesn’t discolor or damage the surface.
When you’re done, be sure to change the air filters in your HVAC system or the odors might hang around.
Pro Tip: For stubborn household odors, green-cleaning expert Leslie Reichert recommends boiling 2 cups of water with 2 or 3 tablespoons of baking soda and tossing in a lemon peel. The steam helps neutralize lingering smells throughout the house.
How To Get Rid of Skunk Smell in the Yard
For particularly stubborn skunk odors on wood surfaces, consider using a TSP and bleach mixture. This Old House experts recommend mixing about a cup of household bleach with a cup of liquid TSP (trisodium phosphate) in a gallon of water. The bleach kills organic odors while the TSP breaks down residue that may be holding the smell.
Skunk spray can travel up to 10 feet and potentially settle into the porous surfaces of wooden decks and play sets or natural stone walkways. But there are ways to deodorize these outdoor structures:
- Mix 1 cup of bleach with 1 gallon of water. Be sure to test in a small area when working with bleach.
- Working in small areas, use a sponge, cloth, or mop to wash the surface with the solution.
- Rinse each section with fresh water immediately after scrubbing, making sure not to let the solution sit for more than five minutes, as bleach can discolor the surface.
Do not use this solution in a pressure washer. The overspray can bleach plants or other unintended items.
Launder any affected outdoor fabrics in a washer set to the hottest setting with 1/2 cup of baking soda and laundry detergent. If items are too large, use a top steam cleaner to neutralize the odor.
Pro Tip: Before using bleach on outdoor surfaces, always test in a small area first. As Mark McCullough, This Old House plumbing and heating expert, advises: “We’re always going to want to do a test area. That way we can make sure the cleaner doesn’t discolor the bluestone, ruining the entire patio.”
Our Conclusion
Skunk smell is notoriously difficult to deal with. However, there are a number of everyday household items that can help you beat the stink. These tips will help get rid of the skunk smell—but remember to work quickly so the odor has less time to settle in.
