Self-Help
Skunks
How to remove skunk smell
You or your dog or even a part of your house has been sprayed by a skunk, and now you want to get rid of the smell. These tactics WILL NOT work very well: bathing in tomato juice, spray with lemon juice or orange citrus, or masking agents like perfume or Fabreze.
How do you eliminate the odor once you have been sprayed by a skunk? Well first of all, you or your dog should have known the warning signs ahead of time. A skunk will give many clear signals before it sprays. If threatened, it will stamp its front feet, arch its back, and shuffle away. If you don't leave right away, it will turn its posterior toward you, raise the tail, and release the smelly musk, a sulfur-alcohol compound, from special glands near the anus. This spray not only stinks, but burns and can cause temporary blindness if it is sprayed directly into the eyes. Since you didn't take heed and got sprayed, here is how to get rid of the smell:
The secret recipe that WORKS
Mix the following:
- 1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide
- 1/4 cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
- 1 teaspoon liquid soap or dish detergent
- Mix these together and bathe ("shampoo" in or rub down) the spray victim thoroughly.
- Be sure to use this mixture immediately after it is created, as it is unstable.
- Rinse with tap water afterward, and repeat if necessary.
- For spray in the eyes, flush with water as soon as possible.
If you can't go to all of the trouble of buying hydrogen peroxide at your local drug store, then a 2% vinegar solution will help a bit. But please, don't bother with the old tomato juice tactic unless you want to smell like skunk + tomato.
Skunk trapped
Any trapped animal MUST be released where it was trapped. To release a skunk, approach the trap with the tarp held up in front of them to protect from spray. Usually the skunk will stamp and warn the approaching tarp until it is set right down onto the trap. The smell will be bad, but the tarp will be the recipient of it. Give the animal some time to settle down, approximately 5 to 10 minutes and then move the trap. It is best to release right at the site where caught. Make sure all areas needing reinforcement are securely closed. The animal will move on under its own power. If areas are not secure, the animal will simply move back in. If they move the animal, someone else will move in.
Skunk out during the day
Skunks are often out during the day; they may have been awakened from their sleep by a predator, disturbance or hunger. In less people populated areas, skunks are out hunting frequently during the day. As with most wildlife, they pose NO danger to humans. They are more afraid of you than you are of them.
Click on Skunks to see more information about this animal.