Something smells….. skunky.
Uh-oh!
So your dog just got skunked. Bad news. Now what?
There are over the counter skunk odor removal products. You can start there if you have some already on hand. You may not want to make the trip to the store right now. What are your other options?
Related: How to get rid of skunk smell
Step One: Keep your dog outside
If you’ve already let your dog into the house, then sorry. Sometimes your dog comes inside the house before you realize what has happened.
We’ve heard the horror stories about how a dog will run inside that then immediately start rolling on the carpet or couch to get that smell off. You do not want that happening!
If you do notice that your dog has red, irritated or swelling eyes, immediately flush them with cool water.
You may want to get a towel over him to help try to keep the odor off of you and help sooth him.
Related: Protect your yard from skunks
For professional skunk removal in Chicagoland, please call (847) 464-1861
Step Two: Homemade skunk odor removal solution
A popular home remedy people have heard of is tomato juice. It’s not actually the most effective method, though. It will help cover up the smell in the short term but tomato juice will not actually remove it.
Here is a better skunk odor removal solution, and you may already have all these ingredients in your home.
Skunk rinse recipe:
- 1 quart of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide (available at any pharmacy)
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1-2 teaspoons of liquid dishwashing soap
For a larger dog, you may need to double or triple this recipe.
Mix your ingredients together. DO NOT make this mix ahead of time because this solution can become unstable over time when stored.
Use a wash basin or tub if possible. If you have dishwashing gloves or some type of work gloves you don’t mind sacrificing to the cause, we recommend using them to protect yourself from the skunk smell.
Get your dog into the wash tub and rub the mixture through their fur, and over their entire body, but be sure to avoid the eyes. Rub and lather the mixture well into your pet’s coat and skin. Rub the solution around for about five minutes or until the skunk smell starts to dissipate.
Be careful about leaving it on too long because peroxide could bleach their fur. Rinse thoroughly.
You may need to repeat the lather and rinse process up to three times for it to be most effective, but it’s a very good method for removing the skunk smell from your dog.
Step Three: Rinse solution and then shampoo
After you have thoroughly washed your dog with the homemade skunk rinse, wash all the solution off of them. Then get the shampoo that you would normally use to wash your dog and give him a good shampoo followed by another water rinse.
Give your dog a good towel dry and he should be better now.
No matter what you do, it will be a challenge to completely remove the odor from your dog. It’s common for dogs to get sprayed right in their face and this can be a very challenging area to wash fully and completely because it’s sensitive and your do will probably fight it.
We hope this helps!
Cleaning a skunky dog is not fun, for either of you. It has to be done, though.
Be careful about letting your dog into the yard at dawn and dusk when skunks are most active. Don’t leave out any food or trash which could attract them.
For professional skunk removal, contact us online or call (847) 464-1861
Photo credits: Skunk image | Dog in washtub