How to Get Rid of Skunk Stench

The skunk is an animal that protects itself with a very strong spray which emanates from glands found on its rear end. We have all smelled the skunk smell on the highway or when walking your pet. Because the chemical it releases is so strong, the smell lasts for hours or even days. A direct spray from a skunk can cause the sufferer to be become dizzy or even nauseous. In this article we will discuss how to get rid of that skunk smell once it has gotten on you.

On the Person

The old wives tale of using tomato juice to get rid of skunk smell is wrong. Tomato juice is not proven to get rid of a skunk’s smell and will have no other effects other than maybe making you never want to drink it again. The official recommendation on how to get rid of the skunk odor is to create a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide in water. Sprinkle in some baking soda and a little detergent soap. Then apply this emulsion to the are affected. Scrub, rinse and repeat. Rinse off in the shower when you are done.

In the Home

If the stench of skunk odor has filled up your home, you will want to open all the windows. This is only is if the smell has somehow contaminated the inside of your home. If the smell is coming from outside you will want to keep them closed. You will want to boil some vinegar on the stove. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the stove and let it rest. The vinegar vapors help to absorb the skunk smell. After treatment can include odor neutralizers like Fabreze.

Clothing

You can wash the affected clothing in your washing machine using detergent. If this does not get rid of the smell you can try soaking them in the 3% peroxide solution mentioned above. If that doesnt work you can try soaking in a mixture of water and vinegar.

We hope this article has helped you in your pursuit of getting rid of skunk odor on your person or in your home.