How to Remove Skunk Odor From a Car
If you've hit a skunk on the road, or a skunk passing by your yard simply chose to spray your car, the odor can be overwhelming. Unlike some odors, which can usually be eliminated after a couple of spritzes with deodorizer, skunk spray lingers long and seems to permeate everything. Fortunately, although it is a difficult smell to remove, it is not impossible. A good thorough cleaning and the right kinds of deodorizers can help eliminate skunk odors from your car.
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Things You'll Need
- Car shampoo
- Garden hose
- Tire cleaner
- Cleaner safe for dashboards
- Sponges
- Nature's Miracle Skunk Odor Remover, Skunk Off, or similar product
- Air deodorizer
- Activated charcoal
Instructions
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Wash the outside of the car with a garden hose and a sponge soaked with car shampoo. Unless a skunk crawled inside your car and sprayed inside only, chances are he sprayed the outside. Clean the tires with tire cleaner.
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2
Open all the car doors to get as much fresh air in as possible. This alone will help disperse some of the odor. Take out all mats and other removable items. You can wash these separately after larger interior surfaces have been cleaned.
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Clean the dashboard with dashboard cleaner or soap and water. Wipe it down well with a sponge. Carefully wipe down the steering wheel as well. Even if the skunk was nowhere near this area of the car, skunk odor tends to permeate everything.
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4
Apply skunk odor remover to all car upholstery (you may want to test it on the door-side of the seat ot first to make sure it doesn't discolor the fabric). These are sprayed on or sponged on, depending on the brand. Most skunk odor products are applied full-strength, and not diluted with water.
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Spray or sponge on the skunk odor remover to the car's carpeting. Remember also to wipe down all consoles and arm rests. Allow the car to dry for an hour. Keep doors, or at least the windows, open to air it out.
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Spray an air deodorizer throughout the interior of the car. Before night, roll up the windows most of the way (to keep other animals out of the car) and place two bowls of activated charcoal in the car. Leave these in the car overnight.
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Tips & Warnings
Pet supply stores usually carry skunk odor remover. Some home improvement stores and hardware stores do as well. Activated charcoal is different from the charcoal you use on the barbecue grill. You can sometimes find activated charcoal at feed and seed stores. Larger retailers and home improvement stores may also carry this product. If you ran over the skunk, or it sprayed the underside of the car for some other reason, you may have a more difficult time getting rid of the smell--however, with time, the smell will dissipate.
Avoid inhaling the deodorizers. Make sure you have plenty of airflow when cleaning inside the car.
