How to Get Rid of Skunk Smell: People, Pets, Clothes, Home
To get rid of skunk smell, act fast and use chemistry, not cover-ups. For skin and fur, university and poison-control guidance points to one mix: 1 quart of fresh 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Use it right after mixing, leave it on for 5 minutes and rinse. For clothes, rooms and cars, you remove the oil, wash or wipe the surfaces, move air through the space and neutralize what is left. Here is how to do each, in order.
TL;DR
For people and pets: mix 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Apply right away, wait 5 minutes, rinse well, and keep it out of eyes and mouth.
Tomato juice does not neutralize anything. It only dulls your nose for a while.
For clothes, wash twice with heavy-duty detergent and hang them outdoors to dry. Skip the dryer until the smell is gone.
For rooms and cars, ventilate hard, clean the surfaces, change the HVAC filter, and use an odor eliminator that neutralizes odor rather than masking it.
Left alone, the smell can last two to four months, and humidity can bring it back.
Table of Contents
Why skunk smell is so hard to remove
Skunk spray is an oily mix of sulfur compounds called thiols. They cling to skin, fur, fabric and porous surfaces. According to a veterinary toxicology review, thiols are not water-soluble, even with soap. That is why a plain shower or a plain shampoo so often fails. A baking soda and peroxide mixture oxidizes the thiols into water-soluble sulfonates that rinse away.
There is a second problem. Skunk spray also contains thioacetates that stay dormant at first and can turn into smelly thiols when they meet water or humidity. That can happen days after the spraying. It explains why a dog that smelled fine yesterday stinks again after a damp walk or a bath.
The University of Arkansas Extension adds that the peroxide and baking soda combination forms an alkaline peroxide that chemically changes the musk into sulfonic acid, an odorless chemical. The same publication credits the remedy to chemist Paul Krebaum of Lisle, Illinois, who first reported it for use on pets.
First, deal with the spray itself
Before you worry about the smell, check for eye exposure. Skunk musk can cause severe burning, tears and temporary blindness lasting 10 to 15 minutes if it gets in the eyes. Rinse the eyes gently with room-temperature water. Poison Control says to rinse for 15 minutes and to keep the deodorizing mixture away from the eyes and mouth.
Then move the person or animal outside, or to a garage or mudroom. Do not carry the smell through the house. Every room you walk through becomes another cleanup job.
How to get skunk smell off your skin and hair
Poison Control and several extension services give the same recipe for people.
Put on rubber gloves and take off any jewelry.
Take off sprayed clothing outside if you can and bag it for the wash.
In a bowl or bucket, mix 1 quart of fresh 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap.
Apply it right away to the affected skin and hair, avoiding eyes and mouth.
Leave it for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.
Wash with your usual soap and shampoo.
Two cautions matter here. First, the mixture is unstable. UC IPM notes that once peroxide and baking soda are combined, the mixture generates oxygen and cannot be bottled or stored. Leftovers should be diluted several fold with water and poured down the drain. The Arkansas guidance goes further and warns it may explode in a closed container. Never put it in a sealed bottle.
Second, avoid heat. The same Arkansas publication advises against using a hair dryer, because heat can set the remaining skunk oil in hair, fur or skin.
If you want to lighten dark hair or sensitive skin is a worry, stop at the first rinse and wash with regular soap. For irritated skin that does not settle, ask a pharmacist or your doctor.
Does Dawn get rid of skunk smell?
Dish soap is a useful part of the recipe, because it cuts the oil that carries the thiols. On its own, though, it does not change the thiols chemically. Since thiols do not dissolve in water even with soap, soap alone usually leaves some smell behind. Any plain liquid dish detergent works in the recipe. Extension sources specify “liquid soap” or “mild liquid detergent” rather than one brand.
How to get skunk smell off a dog or cat
Cornell’s veterinary college describes the same method for dogs. The steps are as follows.
Wear gloves. If the dog was sprayed in the face, rinse the eyes with cool water first.
Mix the ingredients in a bowl and apply the mixture as soon as it starts to bubble.
Lather it through the sprayed area, keeping it away from the eyes.
Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly with warm water, and repeat if needed.
If you like, finish with regular pet shampoo, then discard any unused solution.
UC IPM adds that the mixtures can be used safely on pets and people, as long as you keep them out of the eyes and rinse the animal well afterward.
A few pet-specific points:
Do not use tomato juice. Veterinary guidance from VCA says it is unhelpful and only makes a huge mess. Arkansas Extension explains that tomato juice does nothing chemically; it only tricks the nose through olfactory fatigue.
Do not wet the dog down first with a regular shampoo. VCA notes that skunk spray tends to get worse when it gets wet, and that a commercial shampoo made to remove skunk odor is another option.
Do not use products meant for buildings on animals. UC IPM says the neutralizer neutroleum-alpha is useful on furniture or in buildings but should not be used on pets or people. Call your veterinarian for current advice on washing animals.
Use the 3% strength only. Stronger peroxide is not better for pets. Pet-insurance guidance on the same recipe specifies no stronger than 3%.
Signs your pet needs a vet
The ASPCA lists drooling, vomiting, red or swollen eyes, rolling, face rubbing, sneezing and temporary blindness as common signs after spray exposure, usually seen immediately or within a couple of hours. Lethargy, weakness, a change in urine color and pale or brown gums can take hours or days to appear. Those last signs mean a vet visit.
Cornell notes that spray in a dog’s eyes can cause swelling, redness, corneal damage and temporary blindness. In rare cases of heavy exposure, severe anemia can develop a few hours to 24 hours later, so watch your dog closely for 1 to 3 days.
How to get skunk smell out of clothes and fabric
The goal is to break down the oil and then wash it out. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension’s guide to removing skunk odor recommends the following.
Wash a second time, using laundry detergent, to remove residual odor.
Hang laundry outdoors to dry, and do not use a clothes dryer until you are sure the smell is gone.
Test any cleanser on an inconspicuous spot first.
Arkansas Extension suggests soaking clothing in a weak bleach solution (10 percent bleach, 90 percent water), ammonia or vinegar, then washing in a strong soap, heavy-duty laundry detergent or borax. It warns that chlorine bleach mixed with other liquids can release toxic fumes. So never combine bleach with ammonia, vinegar or a peroxide mix. Keep each product in its own step and rinse between them. Poison Control’s guidance for objects is 1 cup of bleach in a gallon of water, with heavy-duty laundry detergent or borax for clothes. Bleach will damage colors and many fabrics, so use it only on items that can take it.
For shoes and anything that cannot be washed or dry-cleaned, Nebraska advises hanging them outdoors so fresh air carries away the volatile thiols. The odor will fade over time, as long as the item is not exposed to musk again.
For heavy loads of work clothes, gym gear or towels, a strong detergent matters. Our industrial laundry detergent is a plant-powered formula built for commercial laundry loads.
How to get skunk smell out of a house
If the spray happened near or inside your home, treat it in this order. It follows the five tactics in the Nebraska guide: remove the source, ventilate, wash or deodorize the source, mask what is left in the air, and launder fabrics.
Find and remove the source. That means the sprayed item, the pet, or the contaminated rug or mat.
Ventilate. Open windows and run fans. If the odor is inside or under a crawlspace, Arkansas advises airing the area thoroughly with fans.
Change the furnace and air conditioner filter. Odors can get trapped in the filter and recirculate. Healthline also recommends changing heater and AC filters once the smell is gone, so you don’t reintroduce it.
Wipe hard surfaces. Healthline suggests a 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water solution (patch test first), or a 10 to 90 mix of white vinegar and water, for floors and furniture.
Launder soft goods. Curtains, throw blankets and pet bedding go through the wash twice.
If the smell gets stronger over several weeks instead of fading, Nebraska says skunks may be living, or may have died, on the property. In that case the source is still there, and cleaning will not solve it. Call a licensed wildlife control operator.
Why air fresheners fall short
Air fresheners are on the list of tactics for masking leftover odor in the air, but masking is all they do. Consumer Reports tested a popular spray and found that any effect was temporary. Most blindfolded panelists still identified odors characteristic of fish or cat litter after spraying. The National Advertising Division of BBB National Programs later recommended that a major air-freshener maker discontinue certain odor-elimination claims, finding the sensory evidence insufficient to support claims of eliminating malodor at a molecular level. Mental Floss explains that the cyclodextrins in these sprays trap odor molecules, so the molecule does not disappear, it is contained.
So for lingering skunk smell in the air, treat the sources and use a product designed to neutralize odor instead of covering it. We wrote about this difference in odor elimination versus air fresheners.
How to get skunk smell out of a car, garage or gear
Cars, garages, RVs, boats and gym bags hold smell in fabric, carpet and trapped air. The approach is the same as for a house.
Remove floor mats, pet blankets and anything washable, and launder them twice.
Open every door and run the vehicle’s fan on fresh air, not recirculation.
Wipe hard surfaces with a diluted vinegar solution, or follow the cleanser’s directions, testing on a hidden spot first. Cars have dyed upholstery and plastics that bleach can ruin.
Replace the cabin air filter if the smell is in the vents.
Park outside in fresh air and low humidity for a few days.
For items you can’t wash, such as hiking boots or a gym bag, hang them outdoors. Our OdorCare odor eliminators are designed to neutralize odors at the molecular level rather than masking them, which suits upholstery, carpets, garages and gear after the source has been cleaned.
How long does skunk smell last?
If nothing is done, Arkansas Extension says skunk odor can last two to four months. With proper treatment, most of it goes in the first wash or two. Nebraska notes that odor typically declines in intensity over several weeks, and that periods of high humidity can make it reappear or seem stronger even when no new spray has occurred. That matches the thioacetate explanation above.
Plan on a repeat treatment if the smell returns after rain or a bath. Your dog is not being re-sprayed; the dormant compounds are waking up.
Is breathing skunk spray harmful?
For most people it is unpleasant, not dangerous. Poison Control says skunk spray can cause short-term stinging, burning, redness and tearing, especially if it hits the eyes. Breathing it in can irritate the lungs, and the odor has the potential to worsen asthma symptoms, though this is quite rare.
See a doctor for severe or persistent irritation: eye pain, discomfort or redness that continues after rinsing, or a cough that will not stop. If you have asthma, keep your rescue inhaler close while you clean and ventilate well. Wear gloves when handling the cleaning mixture, and never mix it in a closed room with bleach.
Where our perspective comes from
At GreenStory, we think about odor the way a chemist does: you either remove the source and neutralize the molecules, or you cover them and wait for them to come back. Skunk is the hardest test, because the compounds are sulfur-based, oily and persistent. That is why we build our products around green chemistry and work with scientists and engineers. Our OdorCare line is designed to neutralize odors at the molecular level rather than mask them, using plant-powered, biodegradable, low-VOC formulas. The people who call us have usually been through the fragrance spray stage already. They have a garage, a truck, a kennel or a gym bag that still smells, and they want it gone, not perfumed. Our approach is simple: clean the source first, ventilate, then use an odor eliminator on the surfaces and fabrics that hold the smell. Meghan
Get odor control that neutralizes instead of masking
Once the skin, fur and clothes are dealt with, the smell often lingers in carpets, upholstery, garages and gear. That is where OdorCare odor eliminators come in. They are designed to neutralize odors at a molecular level, in a plant-powered, biodegradable, low-VOC formula that is made for people, pets and the planet.
For facilities, kennels, farms and fleets, browse the full range of GreenStory cleaning and odor-control products. Distributors and retailers can also ask us about private-label lines.
FAQ
How long will it take for the skunk smell to go away?
Untreated, skunk odor can last two to four months, according to Arkansas Extension. Treated promptly, it usually fades over several weeks, and a second wash often finishes the job. Humid weather can make it seem to return.
Is breathing skunk harmful to humans?
Usually it is irritating rather than harmful. It can sting the eyes and irritate the lungs, and in rare cases it may worsen asthma. See a doctor if eye pain, redness or coughing persists.
Will Dawn get rid of skunk smell?
Dish soap helps cut the oil, but alone it does not chemically break down the thiols. Use it as the soap in the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda recipe, and rinse well.
Does Febreze neutralize skunk smell?
Air fresheners mostly mask or contain odors. Consumer Reports found the effect of a popular spray was temporary, and a BBB National Programs panel questioned molecular-level elimination claims. Clean the source and use a true odor neutralizer.
Can I store the leftover peroxide and baking soda mix?
No. It is unstable and gives off oxygen, so it can burst a closed container. Use it right after mixing, then dilute any leftover with plenty of water and pour it down the drain.
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