I was driving down the road the other day and that “wonderful” aroma of skunk filled my nose. A 1/4 mile down the road, there it lay on the shoulder….. Obviously it was “fresh,” but it got me thinking about how the odor of skunk can linger for weeks!
And then I started thinking, god forbid, what if Heidi the Homestead Hound got nailed with the unpleasant odor?!?! While there are many products out there that help with the smell, the faint odor can linger on a dog’s fur and any article they rub on! But why does the smell hang around?!?! Because skunk spray has OIL in it and water, tomato juice, and other products don’t break down the OIL.
So how do you remove skunk odor?
Well after much research and talking with our vet, I have come up with a homemade remover that really works, because it address the oils that cause the smell to liner. This remover will lift the oils OUT of your dog’s fur and rid them of the smell permanently, or at least till the next time they have a close encounter with with south end of a north bound skunk!
Ingredients
1 quart of hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
3 tsp. Dawn dish detergent (other liquid dish soap will work, but Dawn really is amazing on oils!)
Once you mix up the solution, apply it to the entire dog (avoiding the eyes.) Work it deeply into the fur. You will want to leave it on for at least 5 minutes, but you should leave it on until the odor is gone. Rise your pet thoroughly with warm water and and sniff. Repeat the process if there is any odor left. Make sure you get in ALL the areas, puppy pits, under the tail…. any oils left will make the odor linger. In the case of skunk odor, you have to get ever inch of your dog….. every inch!
This solution will sting if it gets into your dogs eyes. So what do you do if your dog takes a direct hit to the face with skunk spray?!?! Simply use a toothbrush (which you will want to discard later for obvious reasons) soaked in the solution. Carefully use the toothbrush to clean the fur around the eyes.
When your done bathing your dog, pour any remaining solution down your drain with running water. This will help carry the oils out of your tub. No one want to take a bath in a stinky tub! Plus, you do not want to store this solution in a bottle, because pressure can build up and cause the container to explode! Always whip up a new batch when it is needed. And hopefully you will not need it too often!
Mindie,
This is a great help. I really needed it years ago when my shepherd (he has since passed) got skunked. Pinned.
Annamaria
Thanks for the pin. I hope you never need to use it!
Great advice! I don't know if we have skunks around here, but I'll definitely remember this post if we ever have an encounter of our own!
I hope you never need it! LOL
Thanks for the info. My friend had this happen a few months ago to her dog–I'll have to keep the "recipe" handy for her.
Please share with your friend. Dogs that get sprayed tend to be repeat "offenders" LOL
Thanks for sharing, there's nothing worse than skunk on a dog! Stopping by from the Inspire Me Monday hop, come say hi!
Hi!!! *wave*
You know i'm not sure if we have skunks in Australia! However, as usual you have provided us with a humorous yet helpful post. I look forward to your posts each week so thanks for linking up with us at #WednesdaysWisdom
Skunks are not native to Australia, lucky you. But then again, you guys have so many things that can get you, a skunk would seem minor LOL
my sister used a similar concoction on her dog. the dog was a Catahoula Leopard and had a strong prey drive and kept harassing skunks. my sister had to use this solution on the dog so many times one summer that it actually altered the color of the dog's fur for a while. lol. but being a Catahoula with a very mottled coat, it wasn't an unpleasant side effect, it whitened the white even more, lightened the gray to almost-white, turned the tan to blond and gave the black parts a coppery tone. good thing was that the dog didn't mind baths, it was inconvenient to have to wash her so often, but at least it wasn't a battle. 🙂
I could not imagine having to do it over and over LOL The smell makes me ill.
You're such a great dog owner! Our dogs regularly get sprayed by skunks. We usually just let them stay outside for a day or two (the skunks don't come around during snowy months, so we can do that). Your formula could possibly get them back into the house sooner–thanks for sharing!
I hope it helps them! Poor things LOL
We don't have a dog, but I have smelled a skunk roaming the homestead at night. I usually go out to make sure my chickens are all safe, so I might need this concoction for me! Thanks for sharing on the Homestead Blog Hop, I'll pin it!
LOL I hope you never need it!!! I have this weird habit of always inhaling as I walk outside…. its not a conscious thing, just years of being on guard I guess. It has saved me once or twice!
THANK YOU! PINNED. Hope you are enjoying your summer, Your friend, Linda
Your welcome 🙂 Hope your summer is going well too!
Great recipe! And with everyday ingredients. Thanks for sharing this helpful outdoor post on The Maple Hill Hop!
I hope no one ever needs it LOL But if they do….
The things we learn on the internet! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I'm sure it will come in handy for your readers.
Skunk spray is one of my worst fears LOL