How to Remove Skunk Odor from a Dog's Fur

Member

By Mia Carter
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating:

(12 Ratings)

Help a pet sprayed by a skunk! Learn how to remove skunk smell from a dog's coat!

Did your pet get sprayed by a skunk? Are you looking for a remedy to remove skunk odor? If so, you're not alone - cats, dogs and livestock are commonly in a frightened skunk's line of fire, leaving owners to wonder how to rid their pet of the pungent, offensive odor. Pets are among the most frequent victims of skunk spraying incidents and unfortunately, the groomer isn't open 24-hours a day to help de-skunk your stinky pet. And other skunk odor remedies like tomato juice can be somewhat effective, but only because the tomato odor masks the skunk odor – it doesn't eliminate the skunk smell. So the following recipe will help pet owners to remove the skunk smell from a pet's fur using items found around the house.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Hydrogen Peroxide
Baking Soda
Dish Soap
Vinegar
A mixing bowl
Sponge or spray bottle
Running water
Two towels
Pet shampoo and conditioner
Wound wash saline
Soothing eye drops

Step 1

Combine ingredients for the skunk odor removal solution. To make a solution that will remove skunk odor, begin by combining one quart of hydrogen peroxide, one-fourth of a cup of baking soda and two teaspoons of dish soap. Stir the ingredients together until the baking soda is dissolved.
Step 2

Apply the homemade skunk odor removal solution to the pet. Use a spray bottle or sponge to saturate the pet's fur and skin to neutralize and remove skunk odor. Be careful to avoid the eyes when applying this homemade de-skunking formula.
Step 3

Massage the skunk smell remover into the dog's skin. Once a generous amount of the skunk odor removal solution is applied to the pet's fur, massage the mixture into the skin and fur for a period of ten minutes.
Step 4

Wait 10 minutes and then rinse the dog, using fresh water to rinse the de-skunking solution from the fur and skin. Continue the rinsing process until the water runs clear.
Step 5

Repeat application of the skunk odor removal solution if necessary. If the skunk odor on your pet is still relatively strong, repeat steps one through four. If the skunky smell has largely dissipated, move on to the next step.
Step 6

Towel dry the dog's fur. Use a towel to dry the pet, leaving the fur damp.
Step 7

Neutralize the skunk odor on the dog's fur. The next step to neutralize skunk odor involves using a spray bottle or sponge to saturate the pet's fur with vinegar. Apply a generous amount of vinegar and again, massage the liquid into the pet's fur and skin.
Step 8

Wait for 20 minutes to allow the skunk smell to be neutralized. Allow the vinegar to sit on the fur and skin for the period of 20 minutes.
Step 9

Rinse the dog's fur again once 20 minutes has passed. Thoroughly rinse the fur and skin with fresh water.
Step 10

Bathe the dog with shampoo and conditioner for a fresh smell. The skunk odor should be largely eliminated from your pet's fur by this point, but a vague odor of vinegar may remain. To get your pet smelling fresh and clean, bathe the pet using a gentle pet shampoo and conditioner.

Comments

jpprice47 said

Flag This Comment

on 9/11/2009 Don't use tomato juice on your animal! It is an old wife's tale. Indiana University states, "This week's myth concerns something very important to us -- our sense of smell. You may have heard that tomato juice can neutralize the odor of a skunk. It sure seems to work. A bath of tomato juice makes your dog smell like tomato juice instead.

In reality, the skunk's smell is so overpowering that your nose simply gets tired from the stench. The smell receptors in your nose bind the skunk odor so tightly that eventually you stop smelling it so much. This is called "olfactory fatigue." At that point, the tomato juice you've just bathed your pet with is a new smell that your nose is not used to yet. After a while, though, the tomato juice smell will go away and that skunk odor will come back."

texasag said

on 5/26/2009 Good info - I'm going to try this on my dog tomorrow! :(

wytetyger059 said

on 9/1/2008 Great tips! To minimize discoloration to a light colored pet, try using white vinegar. Cider vinegar is best for dark colored pets, as it is for dark haired people.