If you’re a dog owner with a yard, the chances of your dog getting curious about a skunk sometime in its lifetime is pretty high. Dogs are naturally curious, so if they see a skunk while out doing their business, they’re going to want to say hi, whether the skunk wants them to or not. Although dealing with a skunk’s strong odor can be nauseating, here are some tips to get your dog cleaned up and smelling as fresh as they can be in no time. 

If you notice your dog has been skunked, KEEP IT OUTSIDE. The smell is powerful and will linger on whatever it touches, so unless you want your living room to reek of skunk for the next couple of weeks, don’t let the dog inside! 

Tomato juice being the miracle de-skunker is the oldest story in the book, and although it works decently, you don’t want to break your bank buying 100 cans of it for your 120-pound dog. We recommend shampoo products such as Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover, as the chemicals in these solutions help get rid of the smell as much as it can be. 

If you don’t happen to have any of those products on hand and are in a bind – not to worry. A simple household solution for de-skunking is as follows:

  • 1 quart of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide
  • ¼ cup of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap

You’ll want to wear rubber gloves while applying the solution to the dog, as your hands will smell like skunk afterward. Make sure you don’t get the solution in their eyes, as it will burn and can be very dangerous. (A pet’s face is usually what smells the longest because you CAN’T put strong chemicals near their face, even if they were sprayed pretty badly there). 

Once the solution or shampoo has been rubbed into the pet, let it sit for a couple of before rinsing thoroughly. Next, wash your dog with whatever pet shampoo you have around; it does not have to be skunk shampoo, it’s just for a general wash. After this, they should be as de-skunked as possible and smelling (pretty) sweet. Keep in mind that the smell will sometimes linger for months, but will be faint and very bearable. 

Any dog or human clothes that smell of skunk can be washed with regular laundry detergent mixed with a half cup of baking soda to smell normal again,. 

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local pet store if you have questions on this or any pet related topic.