Hello AKC! Just now, “Pepe Le Pew” met my Chow Chow. Must I say more? He needs a bath, but he still smells bad. What actually works to get the skunk scent out of his coat? I’ve heard of several different cures, such taking a bath in tomato juice. Ohio is odious.
Message to Odiferous We all have our favorite “skunking stories” as dog owners. Mine is the day my grandmother paid her first visit to my new house and my dog gave her a face skunking. In order to bathe my dog later, after my meal, I moved her down the basement. Big error! Grandma arrived, and my house no longer had that “lemonly-fresh scent.” What took its place could only be described as strong enough to make an elderly Swiss woman’s nose wrinkle.
first guideline. If possible, avoid bringing the dog into the home. Skunk oil will continue to be present in the air you breathe as long as it is still on the dog’s coat. The key to fresh air is to find a suitable solution to remove the oil as quickly as feasible.
I’ve tried a number of cures over the years, including pouring my dog’s head with the popular Bloody Mary mix (hold the celery). While these natural solutions are excellent at covering up the stench, they do not get rid of it.
I don’t recall how or when I discovered the following solution, but the first time I applied it, it worked like a charm. The ingredients are as follows:
- Baking soda, 1/4 cup
- Ivory Snow or another mild dishwashing detergent, 1-2 tablespoons
- 3% hydrogen peroxide solution in 1 quart
- Combine in a bucket, then use right away.
- Well-integrate the foaming ingredient into the coat.
- Keep running for five minutes.
- Use warm water to rinse.
- Afterward, use dog shampoo if preferred.
As the oil hasn’t yet penetrated into the hair, the quicker you can get the dog in the tub, the better the results will be.
This is a strong formula, so use extra care near the dog’s eyes. Never use hydrogen peroxide solutions that are higher than 3% since they could burn. Use it right away after mixing it up fresh. This concoction will explode if you store it in a closed container. Be careful with those black dogs because the hydrogen peroxide could bleach their coat (imagine bleached blond). Bleaching is less likely to occur the shorter the solution is left on. However, you ultimately have to decide between a wrinkled nose and a bleached attractiveness.
What eliminates the skunk odor?
Chemically eliminating the skunk stench, chemist Paul Krebaum devised a solution that converts the pungent thiols into odorless acids. 1 quart of fresh, 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and 1-2 teaspoons of liquid dish soap are the ingredients.
How can you quickly get rid of the skunk smell?
Depending on its potency, skunk stench can linger for days or even weeks. Here are some pointers for getting rid of skunk odor inside.
- In order to oxidize the odor and reduce its persistence, open every window in your home and let in as much sunlight as you can. Run the fan on your central air conditioning or heating system as well to move the air around.
- White vinegar should be boiled for an hour on the stove while being replaced as it evaporates. Although the house will initially smell like vinegar, the skunk odor should go. Keep an eye on your stove at all times.
- For a couple of days, leave bowls of vinegar in each room. Make sure curious kids and furry friends cannot access them. Pouring the vinegar into inexpensive plastic containers with lids that have holes can also be done. The smell will be absorbed and neutralized by the vinegar.
- Put any contaminated bedding, clothes, or other washable materials in a washer that is on the hottest setting. Along with your regular detergent, add 1/2 cup baking soda to the load. Repeat the wash cycle after laundering. In order to avoid having the fragrance of your laundry infused into your clothing, always air dry your wash, preferably outside.
- Choose a thorough steam cleaning for soft surfaces like couches, carpets, mattresses, curtains, and other items that can’t be washed.
- A 1:9 solution of bleach and water will neutralize the odor on hard surfaces. To make sure the bleach doesn’t damage or discolor the surface, try a tiny area first.
When you’re through, make sure to replace the HVAC system’s air filters, or the odors can persist.
How long does it take a dog to get rid of the skunk smell?
Take a deep breath (away from your stinky dog, of course) and prepare to address the situation when a skunk sprays your dog. Skunk stench can linger for up to three weeks if unchecked, so you should take these actions right once to make both you and your pet more comfortable.
- Don’t immediately give your dog a wash. It will probably be in your natural instinct to clean your dog straight soon, but if you don’t have the necessary tools, bathing your dog right away will actually set the oils in a skunk’s spray into its coat, making removal more challenging.
- Maintain your dog outside. Try to keep your dog outside while you prepare for their bath, even if they may have been startled by their unpleasant encounter with a skunk. By doing this, the smell won’t penetrate your house and spread to other surfaces.
- Pick up a deskunking aid. Your greatest option for getting rid of that skunk smell is dog deskunking shampoo. Instead of just masking or covering up the scent of skunk oils, these treatments are precisely intended to dissolve them.
- If you don’t already have a deskunk shampoo, you can use a home solution until you have time to go get one. As a DIY alternative, try a solution of 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/3 cup of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap.
- Prepare your bathtime supplies. Get gloves for you, a washcloth, towels, a cup or soft hose nozzel, as well as your dog’s regular bathing equipment, in addition to your skunk shampoo.
- Find the area that was sprayed on your dog. Know where your dog was sprayed so you should start by treating that area. Usually, this will be around or in their backside or face.
- Carefully apply the product to your dog. Spray your dog’s coat in the sprayed area, being careful to avoid their eyes. If your dog was sprayed in the face, dab a cloth with the deskunking solution and rub it into their cheeks or muzzle instead of spraying their face directly. After thoroughly massaging the cream into your dog’s skin, give it five minutes to absorb. Since the oils in the spray will make it tough to remove from your skin, wear gloves to prevent getting the skunk smell on your hands.
- Massage, pause, and then rinse. The majority of shampoos advise allowing the deskunking shampoo rest for around five minutes, but make sure to check the type you bought. During this period, if your dog starts to get impatient, try to divert them by teaching them a few cues and tricks while giving them treats. After the specified time, thoroughly massage the shampoo into their coat to help get rid of all the oil, then rinse it off.
- Use common dog shampoo to give your dog a bath. You must still give your dog a “normal bath with your regular dog shampoo” after applying a deskunking product on him.
- Dry off your dog completely. After every bath, make sure your dog is totally dry. To keep any residual oils out of your house as they dry, try keeping your dog outside.
- Repeat as necessary. You might need to repeat the treatment if your pet still smells the next day. However, over-bathing your dog could cause discomfort, so make sure that other items in your home that your dog might have come into contact with and may be the source of the odor have been thoroughly cleansed (for example, pet bedding and upholstered items).
Does Dawn make dogs smell less like skunks?
One of every pet owner’s biggest nightmares is realizing that their dog has been skunked. Every pet owner should be aware of what to do if their pet becomes a bit too fascinated about the striped animal because the aroma of the striped animal can linger for weeks on the dog, inside the house, and even on humans.
Your initial reaction after seeing your dog be hit by a car could be to take them inside so they can get into the tub as quickly as possible. However, resist the desire because doing so would just make your dog and home smell bad.
Thiol, a molecule that can not dissolve in water, is the substance that produces the distinctive skunk spray. While it might be your first inclination to grab the hose after bringing your dog inside, resist the urge. Spraying your dog with water or another water-based item (such tomato juice) will only disseminate the skunk oil further into their fur rather than getting rid of the odor.
What should you do initially if you can’t bring your dog inside and you shouldn’t just turn on the hose? The solution is to “neutralize the scents in order to deactivate the skunk odour. While you make a straightforward combination consisting of: Have your dog wait outside.
- hydrogen peroxide in a quart
- Baking soda, 1/4 cup
- 12 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid (blue Dawn dish soap)
In order to get rid of any extra oil from the skunk spray, pat your dog’s coat dry with a paper towel. DO NOT massage your dog’s coat as doing so will just encourage the oil to absorb more deeply into their skin. Apply the mixture evenly to your dog’s coat after the solution has ceased bubbling and wait until the stench goes away. Then, thoroughly rinse your dog.
The next step is to simply bathe your dog. Even though the odor ought to be gone, there will still be an oily residue that can only be taken off with shampoo. At this time, wash your dog as usual, being particularly aware of any places that seem oily or slimy. If the situation is severe, it can take more than one washing to completely remove the residue from your dog.
There are numerous methods available online that claim to eliminate the skunk smell, but you should be aware that only hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are capable of doing so. The tomato juice is a typical home treatment. While some of the oils will be cut through by the juice’s acidity, the majority of the stench will still be present (and will also leave your light-colored dog looking pink). Others swear by vinegar since it covers up odors while doing little to eliminate them.
How can skunk smell be removed from a dog without using peroxide?
Your dog’s skunk odor can be eliminated with your favorite pantry item. Mix 2 parts water and 1 part apple cider vinegar in a simple manner. Rub the mixture into your dog’s fur after wetting its coat. Sit for five minutes, during which you may consider how much you adore skunks. Thoroughly rinse. Be careful to avoid the eyes, as you would with the previous skunk remedy.
How is a dog Deskunk?
Here’s one more recipe that has been handed down from one generation of dog lovers to the next if neither of the aforementioned recipes seems to work to remove the skunk smell. Combine 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, and 1 quart hydrogen peroxide. Similar to how you would use the vinegar solution, apply this mixture. Use less or more depending on the size of your dog; the amounts mentioned should yield enough deskunking solution for a medium-sized dog (30 to 50 pounds).
Avoiding it entirely is the greatest strategy for getting rid of skunk smell. Unbelievably, skunks detest pungent smells. By hanging a bar of potent disinfectant or room deodorizer in the area, you can prevent them from entering your woodshed or other outbuildings.
Adapted from 1,001 Old-Time Household Hints by the Yankee Magazine editors and published by Skyhorse Publishing.
Does Dawn dish soap eliminate the skunk odor?
We are pleased to provide a remedy for the skunk smell in addition to a tomato juice bath and the passage of time. The home treatment is simple to use and will eliminate the skunk smell with common household materials. While we cannot guarantee complete odor eradication, we have found this to be a successful solution. The solution has received excellent customer reviews.
The following items are used in the recipe:
- 3% hydrogen peroxide in a quart
- liquid soap, 1 teaspoon (we have found dawn dish soap to work the best)
The skunk spray’s oils are broken up by the soap, allowing the other chemicals to serve as neutralizers. To safeguard the pet’s eyes, follow standard bathing methods. Lather, wet the hair, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. After application, the pet should be washed with tap water to remove the solution. Avoid looking at or mouth.
Can tomato juice get rid of skunk odor?
Pets must either have the chemical components of the spray chemically changed or removed from their coats in order to get rid of the skunk smell. Skunk odor cannot be totally eliminated physically, not even after numerous baths; therefore, the chemicals must be changed chemically. There are several commercially available treatments to get rid of the smell, but if it’s too late and the pet stores have closed, you can use a homemade solution made of 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1 teaspoon liquid soap. The skunk spray’s oils are broken up by the soap, enabling the other chemicals to function. Water should be used to rinse off the solution. Use a sponge to apply the solution to the animal’s face, being careful not to get it in its eyes or mouth.
It is a common misconception that giving an animal a tomato juice bath would get rid of or mask the smell of skunks. Olfactory tiredness, a phenomena, is thought to be the reason tomato juice works. Any odor that is subjected to for a long time will make your nose less sensitive to it, and you won’t be able to smell it anymore. When this occurs in the instance of skunk spray, the tomato juice fragrance may immediately be noticed, and it looks that the skunk stench has vanished. While bathing an animal in tomato juice may remove some of the chemical components contributing to the stench, it has no effect on changing or neutralizing the odor’s chemistry.
