How Should You Remove Skunk Smell From Your Dog, Car, or House?

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When any of your properties or pets get ‘skunked’, the offensive stink is usually very hard to remove. However, there are several remedies that help to solve this problem and ‘de-skunk’ such victims and properties.



One old-time remedy that is popularly used for dogs is tomato juice. Its effectiveness has however been questioned repeatedly and largely debunked. Tomato juice does not really get rid of skunk smell, it only masks it temporarily.

Commercial skunk odor solutions specifically formulated to get rid of skunk smell, are also available in stores. Sadly though, this solution is also fraught with many disappointments as most of them often prove to be ineffective.

A tested and trusted remedy in these times, is Hydrogen peroxide solution. It is a home remedy that is very easy to prepare. Mix one liter of hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 (60ml) baking soda, and 5ml of liquid laundry detergent or dish detergent. Do not store this mixture, use it as soon as possible after its preparation. Also, do not close the container after preparing the solution as the gas produced could build and destroy the container.

It works best for humans and pets, showing results within 3 hours of their being sprayed. What you need to do is to dip a clean washcloth in the mixture and use it to scrub the affected skin or fur surface. Take great care to avoid the solution from getting into your eyes, nose or mouth as this can lead to health issues.

For skunked cloths and other porous materials, the process is slightly different. Combine one part hydrogen peroxide with six parts warm water. After this, dunk the contaminated cloths in the hydrogen peroxide solution and soak it for one to two hours. Then remove the clothes from the solution and let them undergo normal washing in a washing machine. Alternatively, if you don't feel comfortable using hydrogen peroxide alone, you can then add 125ml of baking soda to it while the clothes subsequently undergo normal washing session.

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