In my 18 years of wildlife experience there has not been a single year I have been trapping wildlife that I have not had myself or my truck blasted by skunk spray. In those 18 years I have tried ALL of the home remedies and “hacks” to remove the smell and have settled on only one that is effective on pets and people.

If a person or a pet gets sprayed by a skunk, the first thing you want to do is try not to let the person or pet anywhere near anything it can transfer the smell to like towels, furniture, car seats, or other people. 

The next step is to remove any clothing, shoes, collars, or anything else the person or pet is wearing. For the time being you should put those items in a black plastic bag and leave outside and AWAY from the house/car. 

Once the pet or human has been disrobed, the next step is to bath them in water that is as cold as comfortably possible. Skunk spray is an oil based bodily fluid and using hot or even warm water can easily spread it to other areas. The ONLY cleaner to use is a recipe that is easy to make if you have these items in your kitchen or medicine cabinet:

• 1 Quart Bottle of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

• ¼ cup Baking Soda

• 2 Teaspoons Dish Soap (Dawn works BEST)

Using that mixture you can wash the person or pet and it should remove about 95% of the smell. With the remaining mixture left after cleaning, use it in your washing machine to clean clothing and apparel items. This part is important, DO NOT PUT ANY OF THOSE ITEMS IN YOUR DRYER. Only dry outside in the sunlight and wind. 

In my experience this mixture takes away about 95% of the smell. The remaining oils left behind that are soaked into the skin, hair, fur or fabric will dissipate over time, but any heat or humidity will just bring those oils back to the surface. That's coming from the guy that got sprayed in the face last year and smelled “skunk” every time he took a shower for about two weeks after getting sprayed.

Of course ALL of this can be avoided by ensuring skunks are not making themselves comfortable on your property due to prime habitats or food sources. You can always have us come out and perform a whole property inspection to ensure wildlife such as skunks, raccoons, mice, rats, and snakes are not becoming a nuisance.

Till Next Time…