Get Rid Of Skunk Smell

If you're reading this your canine buddy has probably had a close encounter with a ticked off skunk and you are wondering how you will ever get rid of that skunk smell on your dog.

Or maybe you remembered what your Grandma told you about using tomato juice as a quick fix for skunk smell and so you poured a quart of Campbell's over Fido only to discover that you now have a pink dog that smells like a skunk.

How bad is that?

Are you ready for the sure fire skunk smell removal formula?

Here you go. Hopefully you have these ingredients on hand but if you don't, don't worry as I'll give you a back up plan later in the article.

In a large open container mix the following:

 

• One quart 3% hydrogen peroxide.
• One quarter cup of baking soda.
• One teaspoon of dish washing detergent.  ( Dawn if you have it. That's what they use to de-gunk water fowl when they get caught in an oil spill)
• One clothespin for your nose (optional)

Pour a little on Fido and work up a lather. Keep pouring and working until he is entirely covered. Make sure you keep the lather from getting in or near his eyes. Let him sit for about five minutes then thoroughly rinse and repeat if necessary.

 

Voila, skunk smell gone!

And guess what.  This stuff works on other things than just your dog.  If you happened to be with the pooch when the encounter took place and got some spray on your clothes, try washing them with this solution.  You might want to test for color fastness first but this is usually a good way to get rid of skunk smell in clothes.

When you're done with the mixture throw it away. Do not seal it up in a container as it is likely to explode. That's right, I said explode. That's why you use an open container and I'm guessing that's why nobody has tried to sell this commercially as it would be a tough sell if the bottles kept blowing up.

OK so what if you are missing one or more of the required agreements. What do you do then to get the skunk smell out of your dog? 

Toothpaste. Yep toothpaste and I hope you have a small breed dog or you're going to need more than one tube. Rub the toothpaste in and work it into the hair over all the affected areas. Do not rinse, let it dry. Eventually it will turn brittle and fall off. I'm not sure what's in the toothpaste but it absorbs the skunk smell and leaves your dog smelling minty clean.

What if the skunk hit the house?

Now that Fido is taken care of you want to get rid of the skunk smell that might be lingering outside.  Chances are the skunk was in a bush near the house when he discharged his spray.  Now the side of the house has skunk smell.

The best way to clean this is with a 10% solution of bleach and water.  Don't use this on anything that can react badly with bleach like patio furniture cushions.  If you have articles that bleach shouldn't be used on, try the doggie bath formula instead.

If by some chance the skunk smell is inside your house (or car) then you need a specific product like Skunk Off (convenient link to product shown below) or whip out some Fabreeze and spray like mad. 

So now you know the two best ways to get the skunk smell out of your dog. What are you waiting for? Get out that mixing bowl.