I usually post all kinds of quick and easy dinner ideas, breakfast recipes like baked oatmeal, delicious desserts, and even some kitchen tips, but I will warn you that this post has nothing to do with food! It has to do with how to get rid of skunk smell.
Yes, you read that right, this post is about how I got rid of skunk smell in my house and on my dog.
Most days I love life in the country. One day last week though I was longing for the city. Today I am posting about something most of you will never need, in fact you probably really don’t want this information.
But I want to remember this information, so what better way to remember where the information is then to put it on my blog. And even if you do not need this information I am sure you will get a good laugh out of my story.
We woke up one night last week to our dog barking, more like yelping, quite loudly and wildly. A few minutes later we smelled a skunk. Well, that explained what he was mad at. But we went back to sleep forgetting about it.
Fast forward a few hours. I was awake, but still laying in bed and smelling the skunk smell wondering why, when my daughter came running in to the room yelling, ” Mom, Roy (our German Shepherd) has a skunk in his mouth and daddy is chasing him around the yard trying to get it away.”
I jumped out of bed to see if my husband needed help, really hoping that he didn’t! Well, he did get the skunk away from the dog, but what a mess. It turns out that Roy killed the skunk, but not before all three dogs had been sprayed. And from the smell of the inside of our house I assume a lot of other things outside got sprayed as well.
The entire house smelled horrible. And to make matters worse not only had our dog killed the skunk, all the dogs decided to play with the skunk, so skunk hair was all over the yard.
If you have never had this happen at your house, which I am assuming you have not, it is not pleasant. Not only did the inside of our house smell and the dogs smell, so did the dog house, the front porch, and the door mat on the front porch. All we could smell was skunk.
At this point I was wondering what in the world I was going to do. I knew I had to take care of the dog smell, but I was also wondering how I to get the smell out of my house.
I searched the internet and found a few things for both problems, but then I remembered a friend telling me about a solution you could make to use on animals that had been sprayed. I found the information and decided to give it a try. This is the information she gave me.
Mix together:
1 quart hydrogen peroxide
1/4 c baking soda
1 tsp liquid laundry soap or dish washing detergent
The first two ingredients from an alkaline peroxide that chemically changes the skunk essence into an odorless chemical. The soap breaks down the oily skunk essence an makes it more susceptible to the other chemicals.Chemicals in this formula are harmless and can be used on people, clothing and pets. Use immediately after mixing; do not store (it will expand and can burst a closed container.)
I made some of this up and put it in a spray bottle. I was careful as it was bubbly and I did not want it to explode. I sprayed the dogs down, hosed them off, and sprayed them down again. This worked really well. I could not believe how well.
We have had dogs sprayed in the past and used tomato juice and also tried something called skunk off. I think this was easier than those things and worked as well if not better.
It was not a fun job, the dogs were not at all pleased about being cleaned. It was also time consuming, but worth it. They smelled much better.
We moved the dog house away from the house and the smell got better. We also threw out the door mat. I decided it was not worth trying to save.
But my house was still awful smelling. I called my mom to tell her/complain about my day. I knew she would sympathize/laugh at me since she has spent most of her life living in the country.
Well, she had a great tip that an older lady told her years ago. Vinegar, good old vinegar. It can fix almost anything can’t it.
She told me to place vinegar in small bowls around the house and it would absorb the smell. I was not sure this would work, but I was willing to try. And do you know what it worked.
Now I am assuming it absorbed the smell, but it could be that the vinegar smell over powered the skunk smell. Either way vinegar smells better then skunk.
By the next day when I tossed out the bowls of vinegar you could not smell either the skunk or the vinegar so I think this trick really worked.
Update 2018: This how to get rid of skunk smell post has become one of the most popular posts on my site. I am so glad that people have found it so helpful. There are a lot of helpful comments and stories that readers have shared on this post so please take time to read through them as well.
Skunk under house. Hired “trapper.” I didn’t know it was a skunk until after capture – you can imagine. Skunk let loose with everything during the process of being dispatched. The stench rose like an unseen horror throughout the house. I found your suggestion re: the vinegar. Wow! Worked! I have 31 bowls (cereal bowls, soup bowls, tupperware, etc). I’ve used 1.5 gallons of vinegar around the house. That and the febreeze spray and plug ins. Plus the 9 fans in windows and doors (faced to outside to draw out the bad air). I truly think the vinegar is the saving grace to all of these methods. Thank you for posting your story!
Hi I wanted ti thank you for this cause it is nice to have especially me for iam dealing with a little stunker and his smell in my house every nite .Im so tired if this smell .
I am so glad I came across this post! My dog chased a skunk this morning and luckily I don’t think she got a direct hit of spray, but between that and my hubby shooting it our house smells! We left only to discover that the smell is on a few of our things (backpacks,purse, wallet, my shirt even though I never messed with the dog or went outside during the ordeal). We did use baby powder on our dog since we did not have any tomato juice and that actually worked. I will have to try to vinegar once we get home- right now my husband has candles going until he leaves for work.
Thank you! for the pas for the past week. A professional finally came and got it out but not before it sprayed the window. The entire house smells and the basement is worse. but inside the hous I am going to try the bowls o I am going to try the bowls of vinegar. Thank you again for your post I’m hoping the vinegar works!
I hope this works as well for us as it did for you. Our dog got sprayed this morning and the whole entire house smells so bad it is making me nauseous.
Omg thank u so much for the info I’m gonna try this right now. Our dog got sprayed late last nite and we r all dying right now
Thank you for sharing this information! Our “small but mighty” dog had an encounter early this morning- thank goodness it is still warm enough to still open the windows and air out the house also.
Just had the same thing happen to me this am, only one dog skunked and me! Was leaving to go to work and did not think it had got on me, boy was I wrong! I work in a nursing home and the smells there are nothing compared to a skunk. All of my Co workers were making fun , so guess what I am dressing up for on Halloween for work. Lol
We woke up this morning to a strange smell in our bedroom. It wasn’t overpowering until we came downstairs. It was very heavy in the kitchen worse in the dining room, continuing to get worse as we moved to the front of the house. Never did I think of skunk. We worried that it might be something electrical. So, off to work I went and long story short I had gotten used to the smell but when I got to work comments kept being made by co workers. They came up with all sorts of things they thought it was. I was taken into the conference room and sent home to change my clothes. I tried to explain that if the smell was that bad on me there would be no way I would go home to find clothes that didn’t smell too! So off I go to get containers of vinegar to place around the house on this rainy day and hope for the best.
Thank you so much for your post.
PS fortunately the Dogs are fine. I may just run the peroxide/water/det solution over their fur too.
Dealing with the same thing. My dog got hold of a skunk last night at 2:30 in the morning! I knew about the peroxide mix and my dog smells ok now but my house is a different story. The problem I’m having is that before we could clean up the dog, he rolled on the beds and couches and now my house stinks something terrible. I’m going to have to give the vinegar a try. I certainly hope it works. I can’t afford to replace all my furniture.
Did the vinegar work to get rid of the skunk smell from your house? My dog Jasper got sprayed in the face by a skunk this morning for sticking his nose where it does not belong. He came in the hse. I did bathe him with dog shampoo and locked him in his cage in my living room until I get back home from work. OMG my house smells so bad and poor Jasper still stinks. I can’t deal with this smell!!! I’m going to try the vinegar. Did it work for you?
Thank you thank you thank you..I never thought of vinegar…i sure hope it works..it has been three days and I am about to go crazy with the smell…my two dogs were sprayed my the skunk…OMG…unbelievable…I have tried everything…i
I c’ant wait til tomorrow morning.. I put vinegar just a few minutes ago..and it already smells like vinegar…thank you again and again….have a great day…
OMG, what a Halloween we had. Same thing as all above. Our dog wears a elcetronic collar when we let him ou, however ad we opened the door to put on him as we usually do he spotted something. & bolted before we got his collar on. We were yelling for him, when he didn’t come my husband went to find him. He was over his normal electronic fence line & just standing perfectly still. Asy husband kept calling him it was as if he followed his voice. As soon as my
husband went out door he yelled skunk, I
immediately closed laundry room door where our back door is that he bolted from. When we got him
in he was foaming & drolling something awful &
rubbing his face on the rugs. When we finally ahold of him so I could see his face he was drolling &
foaming & had his eyes sealed so tight it looked like
he didn’t have eyes. We immediately got a towel
soaked in water and dripped it in his eyes and
I wiped gently. Finally he was able to partialy open
them and we put dry eyes drops in them and let it just run out. He got it in the face, head & neck. I
immediately bathed him & we put all rugs & our clothing all coats that were hanging in that room
outside. I didn’t think to look up online as about 25
years ago when a dog I had got skunked the only
options were tomato juice & something we
purchased from vet that didn’t even work as well as tomato juice. So I used his dog shampoo & tomato
juice trying to be careful around his eyes. Well it
helped some, but i having a very sensutive nose
could still smell it on his face. But figured thats the best i could do for him. We immedtately lit candles
washed rugs with vinegar as I knew it helps with
urine smells as my ex father in law was a carpet cleaner and laundry soap. Those came out ok.
However when we eoke today omg thets thst smell I’m house again. So I researched online & found your site. I have now placed vinegar in all rooms, even though its 45* I’ve opened up house ti sir out. And rewashed dog with your mixture. He aleady smells better, but I can still faintly smell it but again my nose is very sensative & I had to be very careful around his eyes & nose & mouth. Hiwever I’m already pressed with how he smells. My point is I am so glad I found your site, wished I’d of thought of looking up any changes in 25 years that night. But was to worried about dog and just taking quick action. Thanks again for your post. Hopefully now being the 3rd day this will be succefull as I’ve already smell improvements.
ok. However when we went to bed now its 5:30 am
we blew out candles. We awoke to the awful smell again. I researched on line fir any new ideas & came across this site. Short of it at this point, I rewashed dog with soltion, much, much bettet, I can still faintly smell it. Nut its much better. I put bowels of vinegar in every room washedy bedspread as he sleeps therewith us
I am going to try this today. I really hope it works. My house stinks!
I am trying the bowls of vingar. Do you have any thought on carpets my loving little guy came in and rubbed on the rug and I cant get to town to get any natures miracles skunk off any help would be very appreciated
Our dog had made it into one room & did the same rubbing his face on carpet. I took a bucket, put some vinegar in it and took a rag & damped rhe carpet slso stuck a briom into bucjet & famped caroet. I’m on day 5 now of doing this butI think its working. All I smell is vinegaer so I have my friend and daughter come over and try to smell the carpet they say you can hardly smell it anymore. Still working on my fogs face, I can stillfaintly smell it, so foing the peroxide mixture gently, we’re getting there. Good luck
Thank you for this – will be trying it NOW ! What a night. Grandkids are coming
for the weekend – house smells awful!
Hi! You are a God send. Our dog chased a skunk last night in our back yard when we let him out to pee and he got sprayed in the mouth. This is the second time this has happened to him. This second time we own the house we live in and the smell is everywhere! This time around when we let him in the house we gave him an old towel right away to rub his mouth and face on which we threw away. This got most of the smell and spray off his face. Then I bathed him with your solution and with the exception of his mouth which I cant directly get into he smells fine but the house still smells. We quarantined him to the kitchen with his tent/crate and a baby gate so he couldn’t rub himself on the furniture in the living room and stuff. I remember from reading your post that we did do the vinegar bowls the last time so I’m doing them now again. I’m actually boiling some vinegar on the stove as well and this seems to work a bit better. Waiting for my kids to get home from work so they can tell me if they smell the difference since my nose is already used to the smell. I think everything is fine now until I get a whiff of some. Ugh. Thanks again! God bless.
I am glad that it worked so well for you!
I did use the dog skunk remover but added water as I was told before i read your blog.. This happened at 1:45 in the winter morning..I am now going to put vinegar all around the house as you suggested because it smells like skunk. The dog ran into the house crying and rubbed all over the carpets and my bed and me. YUCK. Thank you for the info..
i live in the city and woke up this morning to my whole house smelling like skunk. My dog sleeps with me, but we have a doggie door. I’m wondering how the skunk smell is so bad in the house. Did the skunk actually come in through the doggie door? I can’t find any evidence that the dog has been inside the house but the smell is so strong, it’s given me a headache. I’ll try the vinegar.
Very grateful for the tips. Just bathed our dog in tomato juice b4 I read this, she smells much better. Just put the bowls of vinegar out. How do you get the smell out of your nose, it’s awful!
OH I KNOW THE SMELL IN MY NOSE I TERRIBLE!!!
Today is July the 4th 2017 my dog at 5:30 in the morning chase the skunk and I used all the solutions told on this website to use the Bulls of vinegar are in every room and the windows are all opened but the smell in my nose will not go away do you have any ideas to help me I am doing a ton of laundry right now. everyone in my house are all relaxed but me I know this is a busy time July 4th would you please reply when you have time have a blessed 4th of July thank you for your reply Linda from Michigan
I hope this will work for the skunk smell. How do you remove the smell from a sofa or things you can’t wash?
Thanks for the info. I have tried so many sprays -pinesol – bleach and candles. Not sure where skunk went ???
Thank you so much for posting this. My dog got sprayed by a skunk over the weekend. And the peroxide dish soap and baking soda cleaned him great! I now have bowls of vinegar around the house! I’m hoping it’s going to work! I’d rather smell vinegar all day over skunk lol! Again thank you so much for sharing this with us!
OMG…I’m not the only one who has killer dogs! my dogs killed a skunk then played tug of war . ran in house before we could stop em! stunk sooo bad! used your suggestion. and it worked! thank you! thank you soooo much!?
Can you use the mixture to shampoo carpets? It’s only in area he laid in
Thanks for this post its the first I have come across to get the smell out of the house. Unfortunaletly my dogs encountered a skunk this morning and I cant smell anything but skunk even after 2 baths each with the peroxide mixture. So off I go to set out lot of vinegar!!!! Thanks
We used to live in an area that frequently had a lot of skunks get into our back porch and spray all over and I have been sprayed. What neutralized the odor instantly on us and our dogs was plain ammonia placed in a small bowl then run your fingers through your hair and clothes But Do Not Get The Ammonia On Your Skin Or Hair. It only takes a few minutes then discard the ammonia in the bowl and let fresh air into the house and and the skunk and ammonia smell will be gone
Hi Lynn, Thank you for the laugh, however, I do know its not funny at all to wake up to a stench like SKUNK, YUK! The smell woke me this morning I have lit all candles sprayed Lysol, made coffee, trying to mask the odor, but nothing is working, so I decided to research online, I have now placed bowls of vinegar around my home, crossing my fingers and hoping it works!!!! So thank you for the tip!
smelling bad in London, Ky, Denise
Thank you very much
I’m So happy/amused to comes across your blog. I am litteraly in the same situation along with being 9 months pregnant. We live in the middle of nowhere in Texas Hill Country and both of my dogs and wolf where sprayed at night along with the entire exterior of our residence! I have already given them the same bath You had recommended. It seemed to help but not full proof. So I’m letting the groomer handel the rest. I’m off to deodorize the house and I’m keeping my fingers crossed, Wish me luck!
Thanks for all the tips,
Jessica
My husband is a dog groomer he swears by that mix but only use dawn dish soap otherwise it dosnt work as well. Vinegar is defiantly the way to go instead of the bowls or in addition to mop your floors with part vinegar part water mix. We put it into a spray bottle with some water and sprayed it all over our house for 3 days. Smell is totally gone. If your house smells really bad *********burn a pound of bacon in your oven works like a charm!!!!
Thanks so much for your skunk odor cure! Our Labrador got skunked back in the fall & we tried the tomato juice cure with limited success, then tried some commercially available odor remover. That still didn’t totally get rid of the smell. Then last week the stupid dog got it again! Looking on-line for some better cure I ran across your blog, and while skeptical, we tried your recipe. It worked! Completely & totally! In just one treatment! Thanks again, & he’s here ‘helping’ as I type this so he thanks you as well.
Hopefully this works. Apparently, a skunk got stuck in a crawlspace… or something… outside of our house. While it started out as just the strongest skunk smell I’ve witnessed (used to kill skunks trying to burrow under my parents porch so it’s not a new smell) after a few hours my wife woke me up because something was seriously wrong. It was so bad that our eyes were watering. It was definitely skunk… but definitely something else as well. We called the local dispatch to have the fire department to test to see if we had a gas leak.
Now, it being 4am, I felt pretty bad about waking these guys up and not having a gas leak. A local police officer also ended up investigating the smell. Everyone agreed, there was definitely skunk. But, there was definitely something else as well. Now, after about a week, the other mystery smell is long gone, but the entire house smells like skunk-spray-soup. Really hoping this works, we’ve tried everything else we can think of. Thank you for the tip, irregardless.
Oh my word….so glad I found this post….There’s a dead skunk in my backyard…the smell is horrendous. I live in town and have no dogs! Thank you a million times over! My husband mixed up the “magic potion”, poured it on the carcass til we can remove it. It immediately started to smell less “skunky.” I have vinegar in bowls out in my house also. Fingers crossed!!
Thank you so much for this! My roommates and I recently found out we had a couple of unwelcome roommates living under our house… I think they got in a fight or something because we were sprayed not once, but twice! It smelled so bad we were gagging and had to evacuate. We bought an Ozone air treatment machine, but that only helped make the smell bearable enough to scrub the floors with Pine Sol, light candles, and soak the furniture in febreeze, which really only masks the odor. I have bowls of vinegar in every room and am boiling a pot on the stove now! Fingers crossed!
My 15yr old son caught a cute small skunk. About the size of a 12week old kitten. He put it in his backpack and brought it home. Once in the house he dumped it into his ceder chest. Well needless to say an hour later when I arrived home my house was very stank awful. He took about 20mins to fess up that he had the little thing held captive. Upon that confession I demanded him take the whole ceder chest lid closed with small skunk out to the curb sit the chest on its side n open the lid. Well he did that little thing sprayed it got into the air that blew it into my house. It was all on our skin, my 4cats, my house, my car and all over our culd-a-sac. My 9yr old daughter was biten. She endured her first round of rabies shots. Got home late from the ER passed out and woke up to skunk smell yet again. My son somehow brought his backpack and jacket back in from the garbage. So now after leaving her DR appt I will be using this vinager in small bowls trick. And the mix in a spray bottle on my car and drive way.
I am so sorry. I can’t even imagine. I hope it helps with the smell for you. Be careful with the spray mix, it has peroxide in it, so I wouldn’t use it on fabric or cloth inside a car. I just wanted to add that so that you did not ruin anything in the process of getting rid of the smell.
HI Lynn – well sad to say – this isn’t my dog Ollies first Rodeo with being sprayed by a skunk…the first time I also looked online because he is blonde I knew the Tomato Juice remedy would stain him – so I am well aware of the peroxide, baking soda and I use Dawn Liquid soap – it does work well. WELL this last time he didn’t get sprayed – no oil base anywhere – but i think he got “misted” on just the tip of his nose and well we all know dogs noses stay wet – and I thought I read that you can whip the peroxide and baking soda around their nose and eyes (of course) so I cant’ get rid of the smell – and he keeps rubbing his nose (poor guy) everywhere ….Ughhhh…I will try the vinger to get it out of the house smelll – but do you have any suggestions for getting it out of his nose??LOL….ughhh and I live in the city – so this just isn’t a country issue anymore.. (sadly)…..My dad said he may need to rub his nose in dirt – but it’s muddy right now – not sure that would help? Any help would be greatly appreciated……thanks!!
Marlynn
Thanks for the info! Have never had to go through this before. I hope this helps because we had one dog to get sprayed and it is the nastiest smell I have ever encountered!
So glad my aunt shared this post with me!! This morningabout 4:30 I woke up to a weird smell. To me it almost smells like a gasous burning type smell but not something I had ever smelt before. Then I heard my dog barking so I ran out the front door to see what was oing on and she was barking at the steps and boy was the smell strong. YEp, you guessed it a skunk had crawled under our front steps. I went to work thinking oh he will just leave. Not thinking about my clothes smelling. halfway through my shift they sent me home cause I was stinking up the building. So embarrassing. I called my boyfriend who too left work early due to his “smell” so we figured we would see of this little guys was gone. When we got back home our house was horrible inside and out. OH the smell:( We are now 14 hours later windows open bleach and water solution sprayed outside the house your vinegar mixture inside and now the bowls of vinegar around the house. LEaving for the evening cause I cant have my kiddo sleeping in the smell. Hope tomorrow when we return all will smell good in our home again.
Hi. I will make a very long story very short. We became infected 7 months ago and it still stinks like skunk in the house. Our problem was that our cat got sprayed and spent 2 days spreading it throughout the house. My wife and I were both down with the flu and we couldn’t small a darn thing. Our daughter thought there was a gas leak and said she was staying at her friends house because she couldn’t stand the smell. I couldn’t smell anything. Then are noses cleared and boy did we ever have a problem.The smell gets absorbed into everything. We tried everything possible, including spraying vinegar high and low. The smell comes back after a few days. It was and is still as friggin nightmare. At this rate I expect it may take a few years to dissipate.
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for the info. I have never tried this before. Skunk smell is the most difficult to remove. I’ve always tried air fresheners, but the smell return not long after. I’ll try to get the ingredients you’ve mentioned. I already have the baking soda and soap. Though I still don’t know where to get the hydrogen peroxide. Anyway, just like to share an info for those looking for skunk removal. These are great guys! https://www.anytimewildlife.com/city/gainesville-fl-wildlife-removal/
Lynn, thank you for posting this useful trick to rid skunk smell. We just bought a new KIA Soul on Saturday with 8 miles on it. During my return to our house 20 minutes ago encountered a dead skunk in the middle of the road. We actually call our road “skunk alley” because of all of the skunks that seem to be entertained here. I didn’t have time nor space to avoid totally hitting the tail of the skunk; so imagine the worst! Yes, new car with “dead skunk” on the tires is not a lovely thing! So I have used our recipe: thank God I had the peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap. Keep praying the smell will leave! Should I tell my husband? 🙂 Thanks! Gwen
Thanks so much for this post. This is not just a country problem. We live right in the middle of San Francisco in a condo with our Irish Setter, Gracie. (Yes, she gets lots of off-leash running time in the dog park.) Last night she whined and whined to go into the back garden and my husband was tired and gave in and let her. She flew down the back steps, but instead of sniffing around, doing her business and running to the fence to bark at the neighbor’s dogs, she uncharacteristically flew right back up the stairs. As she flashed by, my husband said, “What’s that smell?” Sure enough, she was skunked. We will try the vinegar around the house.
My dog went off into the night growling, I thought she was after my neighbor who on his porch. I didn’t know he was out there trying to get rid of a skunk. I yelled after her and she came back, and without knowing anything I grabbed her. I yelled that I was sorry, but he informed me it was the skunk she went after. Then I smelled it, it sprayed her right in the mouth. I had never experienced this before. So I asked my dad, and he had no idea, so I looked up how to get rid of the smell, and saw this thank you. My dog and I smell better, which is more than I can say for the house. Of course my parents just leave me to do it all. I hope the vinegar bowls work, and that I won’t smell like skunk tomorrow because I have to go to school, I have testing. her collar smells worse than anything, so I guess I’ll have to buy a new one, but at least my dog’s not hurt. I think she just got sprayed and ran. It was dark so I don’t know. I hope the neighbor called someone, it probably smells really bad outside but my dog was sprayed in his yard. So his fence and our porch probably smell horrendous. Anyway thank you!
I want you to know you are not alone on this situation. Today is the 4th time my dogs have encountered a skunk. A skunk is a draw back to living in the suburbs. I am going to use the vinegar bowls when I get home. Vinegar is so much better to smell than that awful skunk!!!! Going to try again the peroxide solution again because the “Skunk Off” can not be used on the dogs face, and that is where the smell is strongest. A least I am not alone on these situations. Thank you again!!!!
I’ve had a couple of run ins with my dogs getting skunked. I found the hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, dawn online and used it. Hallelujah! Now I always use this to wash my dogs when they are skunked. The last time I had a new issue. I have a very sensitive nose. My husband asked if the dog smelled like skunk. He had just saw one in the backyard. So in response I bent down and took a big whiff of the dog, which turned out to be a big mistake. The skunk smell was now inside my nose. Then I could taste it in the back of my throat. To say the least I was very uncomfortable. First I tried drinking orange juice. No help. So I made a Jack and Coke and that helped with the taste, but I still had the intense burning smell in my nose. So I tried a saline nose rinse. No go. So I decided to look online. I found the saline rinse suggestion. Well I know that doesn’t work. Then I saw an interesting solution. It said to smell coffee beans or grounds. I tried it and it worked. I did have to go back a couple of times and sniff again. It was instant relief. Then I remembered that when you’re smelling multiple scents there is usually coffee beans to clear you smell before you move to the next scent. I wanted to make sure to share this. It was a life saver.
Thank you Michelle – it does get in your nose hairs…..off to sniff some coffee.
So thankful to have found this post. Our German Shepherd, who is an inside dog, killed her first skunk in the back yard last night. Ugh. My whole house stinks….and the dead skunk is still in the back yard. At least I can get the dog and house smelling better. Thanks so much!
Misery loves company and I have gotten a kick reading these comments…it all sounds familiar. Our two yorkies got sprayed five nights ago. We have tried just about everything here, but their heads still stink and the house does too, although much improved. We still have vinegar out and are still applying Natures Miracle to them every day. The only “miracle” seems to be how something can spread and stink this much.
We had a baby skunk fall into the basement window grate, I waited until the family of skunks has settled down (Monday July 6th 5:50 am) i eventually got the little guy out , but he was older then i thought and he had not a grown up smell but he let go in the window and it went into the house. That was a nice thank you for helping him. Now I have vinegar all over , ever read that bowling it makes it better.
Stage two deal with the family under the back yard shed. fun times
I can’t believe I let my guard down…..I know better than to let my dog out late at night without a leash…..it’s been three years since she last got sprayed…..I really am not happy about this – again……I hope this concoction works….paws crossed…..
OMG! Thanks SO much. I found the recipe for the dog wash several places, but the suggestion of the bowls of vinegar to absorb the smell from the air was a godsend. Worked like a charm.
Use vinegar on a rag and place on the dogs top head and leave to air dry for those areas that can’t use other solutions. This was recommended by a dog trainer after my dog was just skunked.
Placing boles of vinegar around the house and it’s helping withe the smell.
Thank you so much, a skunk was on our front porch last night and being a lovely evening we had our door open. When we went to see what was making noise we scared it, bingo…right in the door! Thank you for the cures.
Thanks for the tip lynn – our dog got sprayed last night – our neighbor helped me give him the mixture bath last night – it worked for the most part. The emergency vet told us we may need to do it a few days in a row to get the smell off of him completley. Going to try the vinegar as the house still has a strong odor – one website offered “open a window” as a trick – thanks captain obvious. Crossing my fingers the vinegar helps!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks for the tip. Our yard has been smelling skunk y for a few days. I tried vinegar in a lawn sprayer that goes on the end of a hose. Worked great, although I think I may give it another spray because after mowing there is a little smell.
That is a great idea. Thanks for sharing it!
I was shocked when my dog came in from doing his business last evening. He had a real bad musky smell on him. I let him back outside and went to look out in the back yard. Only to find a deceased baby skunk in the back of our back yard. Rack up another kill for my Dachshund. I will try this remedy , and hope the smell disappears.
Thank you !
My 12 year old hairless chinese crested had his first ever run-in with a skunk Wednesdsay night. Unfortunately, before we realized what happened, he came in the house and rubbed his face on the living room carpet and had jumped up on the sofa, chair and our bed. The house reeks. I sprayed the sofa, chair and bed (between changing sheets) with a biologic agent called Liquid Alive which seemed to eliminate any smell there. But, the smell has permeated the entire house. It has been way too hot and humid to open windows. I read all the posts about vinegar which I plan to try tonight. However, no one says whether it is white vinegar or cider vinegar. Which is it? I’m am desperate. Thank you.
Either one works. I usually use what I have.
I didn’t know what happened. I saw a skunk but my dog smelled like onions…not skunk. I read that apparently the initial smell isn’t the skunk smell I am familiar with. In the first moments it smells like onions and petroleum. I thought my dog just got in a tussle. I didn’t think she actually got sprayed. It took awhile for the smell to get that old skunk got hit by a car smell. Unfortunately I let her inside and now have bowls of vinegar out. I dabbed her face off. Now I have to wait for stores to open so that I can get fresh baking soda and peroxide.
To make matters worse, the small skunk went under my house. I didn’t even know there was enough room for that to happen!
Thanks for the help. Our three dogs got skunked. First we tried the old tomato juice tip, it helped but did not completely remove the odor. And the house? There are no words….I started searching the internet for help and came across your site. We tried your suggestions and they WORKED. The dogs smell better and so does the house! Thanks again 🙂
I am glad it helped!
THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I had a similar situation at 2am.. I have been awake since then. Thank goodness I only have 2 dogs, they did not kill the skunk but I am single so guess who was outside screaming dogs names in the middle of this night? You guessed it ME!
This is me tonight. . I really hate skunks.
That was me Sunday morning 2:30 a.m. …I think I woke up the neighbors between my screaming and dog barking!
We have dealt with skunks living here in the suburbs alot. They tore the woods down that surrounded. The neighborhood a few years ago and that’s when the skunk problem started. A couple years ago my rottweiler mix got sprayed. I took to the Internet and found the mixture recipe you gave amd it worked wonders. We had a skunk get under our house and spray last month. The whole place stunk. So again took to the Internet and found if you put some liquid fabric softener in a spray bottle and dilute it with water it gets rid of the smell and makes your house smell amazing.. tonight our rottweiler mix got sprayed again. The mix worked but I really need to give her another bath. I will try the vinegar Idea though thank you for that tip.
Thank you for the hint – I did the dog cleaning solution you said but the house is horrible. Vinegar – I should have know. I am allergic to many things (Fall and Spring are horrible) and the open windows are killing me. Thank you Thank you Thank you
Thank you so much for the hint. I am very allergic to many things (Fall an Spring are horrible). I already knew and used the dog cleaning solutions you mentioned but the house is still horrible. Thank you and I should know VINEGAR now I can close the windows and breath! Thank you Thank you Thank you
We just had almost the same thing happen. We have 3 dogs and YES a doggie door, needless to say I woke up at 3am to the most god awful smell. The carpet cleaners were so nice to come out that same morning but our house and clothes smell. I’m going to try the vinegar, thanks for the tip.
Thanks so much for the vinegar idea. Got the peroxide recipe from my vet, and it worked very well, but my poor dog was foaming at the mouth, and shaking his head all over when I brought him inside the house (lol). Now the house smells, so I’m going to try the vinegar mixture. BTW…..his metal dog license and AKC tags just smell terrible no matter what I do. I’ll give the vinegar mixture a try on those items as well. Off to purchase new dog collar! Thanks again.
Thank you so much for this post! Our dog got sprayed up close (right in the face!) late last night and bolted into our house before we realized. Someone told me to use the peroxide dish soap mix to wash the dog and it helped tremendously. However, our house smells terrible! I ran some essential oils in the diffuser but that didn’t help too much. I just sat through church feeling like people must be plugging their noses because I stink like skunk! I will try the vinegar in our house and probably give the carpet a shampoo too. Thanks for the tip!
This was so helpful! Thank you! Thank you! Same story as most others, got sprayed early a.m. and got in house before I realized she had been sprayed. I bathed her with peroxide mixture, but could still smell it so took he to vet to have them professionally de-skunk her. However, the house smelled horrible. I used both white and apple cider vinegar and placed all over house. It took a little over 24 hours, but the only thing i smell now is the vinegar. I am forever grateful that this worked so well and so quickly!!
I am so glad it worked for you!
my mini dachshund met a skunk tonight and was greeted with a spray of stink. I was so happy to see your blog s I just happened to have hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and Dawn. It worked like a charm. You are my hero!
Hi Lynn,
Loved the story funny now, but not at the time I’m sure!! I will pass it along– rest assured. Last night my Lab was yelping at the door and when I let him in he was frantic, rolled on all the rugs, ran up to the beds etc and rolled and rolled. I have the emergency recipe ready just in case! I had researched last time on the web. my recipe was 4 cups Hydrogen Peroxide, Gallon Cider vinegar, squirt of Dawn, and 1/2 cup baking soda!- very similar!! It was pouring so we took him to the barn and washed him– obviously no hosing off!! But the house still smells. Bless your Mom!!!! I will set out the vinegar shortly!!!
We and just heard many terrible happenings on the news– and looked at each other and said” we can do this i’t’s low on the problem scale compared to things we had just heard!”
We live on the coat of Maine– and along with the beauty– apparently comes Skunks!!!
Thanks Lynn.
Cheri
2:30 a m Thanksgiving morning, my 2 dogs got into it with a young skunk….Thank goodness for google and your recipe!
Thank you so much for your story and cure all for spray and oder!!!!
I hope your dogs were current on rabies vaccinations. Thanks for the tip about vinegar in bowls for house smell. Will give it a try.
My English Bulldog was sprayed by a skunk on January 16, 2016 around 6:00 a.m. First I gave her a bath in tomato juice, which did not help, at 7:00 I poured vanilla flavoring on her and left it for approximately 15 minutes then rinsed her, helped some but not a lot. At 7:45 I put “skunk off” on her that I had gotten from the vet, she still smelled. I gave her a bath in Dawn detergent, baking soda, and peroxide around 9:00 this seemed to help. I gave her a bath in this solution for the next 4 days and the smelled seemed to be completely gone! My house I have used vinegar to clean and I have bowls sitting in the basement and several in the rooms in the main living space but the smell is still in my house but the sad thing is yesterday my dog is smelling again & I have washed her in the solution twice & the smell is only worse…What can I do?
Try using vinegar and dish soap, it works fantastic! You may still smell residual if the dog gets really wet but this combo works great
In the future on your dog try using vinegar with liquid dish soap. Our dog got sprayed a week after my twins were born and I was so sensitive to the smell I thought he was going to have to live in the garage for a month. I called my sister, who is the cleaning queen, and she looked it up in one of her queen of clean books. It said to use Massingile (sp?) Douche! I figured the active ingredient needed was the vinegar and then they just used the scent to cover any lingering smell. Since I didn’t have that at home I made do with vinegar and soap and it works fantastic!! This won’t explode on you. I found your post because I need to get rid of skunk smell in a business, that happens s to be a bakery but thought I would pass along the dog tip. Thanks for the tip of leaving vinegar around
Thanks so much! Your advice is well needed! While my dog was not the culprit to encounter a skunk, my car was!!! You are very helpful.
I tried vinegar and 3 days later house stills smells like skunk. Mostly living room. I have cleaned everything. Just cannot get rid of smell.
Fighting fire with fire. Skunk found a way into my crawl space. How to get him out. Had warm air system with ducts under the house. I bought eight 1/2 gallons of lemon ammonia. Dumped one down each floor register. The skunk left. The smell left. Never to return. Beat the little bugger at his own game.
We’re pretty accustomed to this skunk ordeal, and was really glad to have found that peroxide, baking soda, formula years ago. Dog got skunked last night. Big dog, so one bath isn’t gonna cut it. House reeks bad though, so I’m trying the vinegar around the house. Hope that works.
My house was sprayed going on 4 months ago. it was a nightmare, we could not even breath, we never found the skunk, but saw it a couple of hours before the event. We had to move out of our home for over 8 weeks, remove insulation in ceiling, pull out high end shag carpeting (regretting putting in new carpet, it is ugly, cheaper, and has mild skunk odor anyway). I still have prickly feeling on tongue and mouth, we had so much work done to the home, it is a joke that we still have odor. We recently found there was more insulation between the upstairs and downstairs floors by placing an endoscope in the flooring that was wreaking odor. When we cut open the ceiling downstairs, sure enough the insulation was wreaking like crazy with skunk odor. We have pulled that out, but the odor seems relentless. Today, we found another very large area down stairs with insulation – I can’t bear to keep doing this. We had our home washed head to toe with baking soda/hydrogen peroxide/soap – also thermal heating, Two days ago a freaking skunk hit us again, and now tonight we are bunkered down, another skunk spraying. This house is cursed! I just want to move.
Can I use Apple cider vinegar?
Yes apple cider vinegar should work.
One quick comment … I read as much of these as I could but did not see one IMPORTANT part of the skunk oil on the dogs. Do not spray any water on your pet. Go straight to the “recipe”, put in on them (I use a sponge) rub their fur in the opposite direction so the you get all the way down to the skin. Water will put the “skunky” smell into the dog’s pores. I saturate, leave it on for about ten to fifteen minutes. They always seem to get it around their noses/faces because the nose is ALWAYS where it isn’t supposed to be. The sponge helps me get it around /all over the face & head w/o getting it in the eyes.
The vinegar is an excellent trick. It really helped for the house. ALL of my windows were open & my dog was sprayed on HER PORCH, lol. This was our THIRD episode in a twelve month period. haha. She & I both had PTSD from her first skunk attack. 😉
Thanks so much for these tips! We too live in the country and our first dog/skunk encounter was this morning. In my panic I could only think of bathing our pup with tomato juice. But will now try the soda/peroxide/soap mixture and bowls of vinegar. Appreciate that you shared this!!!
Amazing result. I put out only 2 bowls of vinegar overnight and the smell is gone. My mother used vinegar to clean everything and I use it in the washer a lot (when towels get sour, it takes away the smell), but this is a whole new vinegar use for me. THANKS!!
We live in the city and our dog has gotten skunked twice in the backyard. A vet gave us the solution and it worked but some smell lingered. Vinegar bowls helped as did washing everything, including mopping the floor. Now we check before letting him out at night
My fletcher fought a skunk earlier this evening. He proceeded to gallop into the house smelling of skunk spray. The odor consumed the entire household as we proceded to shove him into the shower. After making a concauction of one quart hydrogen paroxide, 1/3 cup of baking soda, and a teaspoon of dish detergent. (Dawn if you were curious) After dousing my fletcher, my brave and smelly Fletcher, he smelled a lot less of the horrid scent of skunk.
Thank you for your time.
Here is a great way to clear your house of skunk smell that my Grandmother taught me. Place an iron skilet on the stove and add a cup of corn meal in it. Turn the heat on low and leave it a few hours. You house will smell like baking corn bread and will neutralize the skunk smell. It really works, we have used it for years as our neighborhood is full of skunks.
…….A word of caution,,,,,make sure you use very low heat, for smoking cornmeal will really burn your eyes and nasal passages.
OMG!!!! WE HAD A SKUNK GET CAUGHT IN A RACCOON CAGE , HE SPRAYED EVERYTHING !!! WE STUNK!! NOW I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN THEY SAY “YOU STINK LIKE A SKUNK” !!!! I LOOKED ON LINE FOR A REMEDY TO CLEAN OUR CLOTHES< ALREADY TRIED VINEGAR IN THE WASH , DIDNT WORK, IM GOING TO TRY THE RECIPE NOW, WISH ME LOOK !! THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION!!
Skunk sprayed somewhere around my house and now (at 2:15) in the morning the smell is so bad in my house I can’t stand it. Looked on the Internet and saw your post. I am going to try it. Thanks for posting
While searching for ways to remove skunk smalls, I was intrigued by your listing . I am writing to acknowledge that your vinegar in a bowl to absorb the home smell worked extremely well! I placed several small dose of Benadryl around my home and in the morning the smell was nearly totally gone.
Thank you very much!
Darn that auto correct. I actually placed several small bowls of vinegar ( not doses of benadryl). 🙂
G. Collins
lol…I was wondering how Benadryl came into the equation
I am so glad it worked for you! It is amazing how well the vinegar worked. And I had to laugh at the Benadryl. I knew what you meant. Auto correct does the craziest things sometimes.
Last night at 4:00 AM my husband let our Lab Katie out. Last night at 4:15 my husband woke me up to come see if I thought the dog smelled like skunk. I didn’t have to go see…..I could smell it from the bedroom. So in the early AM hours we were bathing the dog in the peroxide mixture, which worked very well. But this morning the house still smelled. So after searching online for a solution, I found your site. I didn’t have too much vinegar at home, but I have placed what I do have in a couple bowls and will go get more later. I am hoping it helps, thanks for the tip. Also, loved reading everyone’s stories, as another reader said, misery loves company. 😊
The peroxide/baking soda/detergent mix works well on dogs, but must be kept out of their eyes.
The solution is a mild otc doche, it works! The sales person gave inquisitive looks as I had to buy
enough for my German shepherd!!
thanks lynn
three weeks ago i got sprayed while housesitting and last night i think a skunk came through pet door looking for cat food. dog barked, human jumped out of bed and only one room stinks real bad. i’ll try the vinegar and will wash any favrics that can be washed. i used the peroxide, baking soda and dish soap on myself and it worked
a fellow country dweller
Thanks,Lynne, going to mix this up and try it. Not a good start to our morning,our 18 month old Australian Cattle Dog had her first skunk experience. She made it into the house and on to my brand new quilt before I caught her. Ugghh.
This is the same formula our vet gave us, and yes…it works! We mixed it in a pitcher and scrubbed her well in the shower. Then we allowed it to “work” for 5 (lonnnng) minutes. A rinse, and another good wash/rinse, and she was almost as good as new. Except that she was hit in the face, and that breath was horrible. I felt sorry for how her food must have tasted. 😉
I am glad to know it works for you too. And the things our poor dogs have to go through!
Dog got sprayed about midnight. We didn’t have any peroxide in the house, so I mixed vinegar with baking soda and dish liquid. Boy does that combo foam (remember science project volcanos?). But it does seem to have worked. Now putting bowls of vinegar around house, hope that works
Thank you I am reading this as my German Shepherd just did the same thing!
Thank you so much! I walked in to our school today and boy did it smell! We called animal control and he was able to find a hole on the ground. We think the skunk has made a home under our school (we have had some major rain so I think it got flushed out from somewhere else). Well the school stinks so we will be placing bowls of vinegar all over. The smell is so bad that we will be staying outside in the play area the majority of the time until the skunk is either removed, reported dead or the smell is gone.
Hello, I was looking for ways to rid skunk smell from our house and dogs and found your site. I laughed a lot. I was in bed just about a half hour ago and the furnace came on. Skunk smell, I laughed to myself because I knew what was up. I told my husband that there’s a skunk under the house, and he immediately let the dogs out of the house. The smell came from our dogs that my husband just let back in right before the furnace kicked on. My dog that was sprayed went into the hall under the return air register and the smell went through the house. I poured apple cider vinegar in coffee mugs and placed through the house, and have the bedroom window open with a fan blowing out the stench where our dog laid near the return air register. I’ll wash the dogs down later, after I pick up more hydrogen peroxide from the dollar store. Bathing today in the cold will be a blast I’m sure. I’ll keep in touch and thank you for the advice.
I am so glad you decided to put this on here. Our dog decided to play with a skunk last night he never did kill it just wanted to play so of course the skunk gave him a spray more than once…now my house also smells although the dog does not come inside. So I am going to give this a try….thanks again!!
I had just started house/dog sitting when the dog had a run-in with a skunk late Saturday night. Thankfully, we got her into the garage before she rubbed on anything other than me and one area rug (which we took to the garage). We ran to Walmart to get the hydrogen peroxide, baking soda & soap. You should have heard the people talking about a weird smell….like burnt tires. I finally spoke up and said that it was me, that our dog got hit by a skunk and I was there trying to find the things to clean her up. Overall, the mixture worked pretty well, but I also got some skunk shampoo that smelled like citronella. I think both of those helped her smell better – I don’t notice hardly anything on her, except around her nose area.
HOWEVER, I am STILL struggling with the smell in the house . I opened the windows yesterday morning and kept them open until the South Texas heat/humidity got too unbearable. I’ve lit every candle in the house and have all the fans on. I put many bowls of vinegar around the house and even changed the air filters. I have noticed that the smell is a little less potent…but I notice it.
As I mentioned, I’m housesitting, so I’ve been bringing my clothes over in plastic garbage bags so that they stay protected from the skunk scent…problem is…I feel like I’M smelling like the skunk as I sit here at my desk spraying myself with Febreeze. Ugh! I read that the smell may be coming from my own nose…that the skunk smell may be stuck on my nose hairs – sooo, now I’m sniffing coffee, before it’s been brewed. Not sure if THAT’S helping, but at least I feel like I’m doing all I can to get rid of this smell (hopefully) before the family returns this weekend.
Tonight when I get back to the house, I’m going to try boiling the vinegar and also putting vinegar & water in a spray bottle and hit the surfaces (counter top & tile floors) to try an knock out the smell. I wonder if anyone knows…can the vinegar & water be sprayed on upholstered furniture? Crossing my fingers 🙂
Does it pull the bad smell off your clothes or do you need to wash all your blanket and clothes?
White vinegar or cidar vinegar or does it matter?
I have used both, but I usually use white vinegar if I have it.
Thanks for everything! Aussie Emma smelled like nasty strong onion and skunk last night around midnight. She was foaming and spitting and rubbing all over the deck. I was worried it was a copperhead so I let her in to check for a bite. Big mistake. Anyway I rubbed her head and face with dawn and put her in the cellar. This morning I sprayed her with hydrogen peroxide. Both helped a lot and I am boiling vinegar and rinsed the deck with vinegar dawn and hydrogen peroxide. Ive got workers here and a lot going on with kids but as soon as I get everything settled down I’m gonna give her a big bath…..in the mix…but honestly the straight dawn I rubbed on her helped.