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Skunk smell. Clean up your dog after a skunk spray

If you pet has had a run in with a skunk then this recipe will help you remove the smell:

1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1 teaspoon liquid soap /Â dishwashing detergent

Mix all the above in a bucket or bowl. Thoroughly wet your pet with the solution. Knead it well into his coatÂ being careful to keep the formula out if the eyes, nose and mouth.

You can use a sponge to carefully wipe it onto his face. Once finished rinse the animal thoroughly with clean water.

Another tip to neutralize smells on your pet by washing them in tomato juice, this can be expensive for the large dog, but well worth the price compared to the smell!

Visitors comments

Works ok but Massengill works better Comments By: Brandy Newton on 2004-08-02

I tried the skunk formula you have used here and it was still quite overpowering. I called an uncle who works on a wild life preserve in michigan and he suggested massengill douche. Needless today It worked great you dont rinse it off, you just bathe the dog then pour it on the dog depending the size how much you need. Ihave a boxer I used 12 bottles, and you let it dry. Just watch the curious glances walking thru the store with a cart full of douche smelling like a skunk yourself!

peroxide + soda + dish soap Comments By: rls on 2004-08-19

tried it; some effect, not dramatic. there must be something better

Works pretty well Comments By: LePew on 2004-12-13

Both of our dogs got sprayed at 4:00AM this morning. We had just enough of peroxide and soda to use it on one of the dogs. The other dog got tomato juice. The dog that got the peroxide treatment definitely has less smell today. According to this site, nothing is going to get rid of the smell in one application. http://www.sciencenetlinks.org/sci_update.cfm?DocID=200

skunk formula Comments By: gwen on 2005-02-25

my 12 yr old Dobe got skunked at midnight - I ran to the store and got the ingredients and applied the mix....there was NO smell after using it. He was sprayed in the face, but I was able to wipe the mixture on the smelly areas. Just be careful around the eyes

What about dog hair? Comments By: anon on 2005-03-19

I know that hydrogen peroxide bleaches human hair, but what about dog hair?
TipKing says: I strongly advise you not to use this tip on a dog.

Skunk formula...works ok, but douche is better!! Comments By: Maggie on 2005-05-26

My dog was skunked at 11pm last night and I could not remember the formula...so hopped on the handy internet and used this formula. It worked ok, but smell was still pretty strong. Went to work the next day and everyone said to douche her...sounds silly, but it worked the best!!

Massingil vinegar douche and a tad of dawn dish soap and leave it one them for about a half hour and then rinse off. She smells like vinegar, but sure beats the skunk smell. Try this one!

Works ok Comments By: Lynn on 2005-08-02

My "Black" Lab got skunked last night. I tried this mixture and the smell was gone almost instantly! however, this morning, there is a slight smell left on him, other than that it works ok,I think I will try the massingil method to finish it off. oh yeah... and he now has Brown highlights....something to think about if you have a dark colored pet and you are going to put peroxide on it.

Lemon juice works well too Comments By: Anon on 2006-07-19

Sprayed in the face, my shepard mix ran through the house before we could grab him. Straight lemon juice works very well too, but you REALLY need to be careful around the eyes. Rinse well after.

SKUNKED Comments By: mike villarreal on 2006-08-28

Last night my 8 yr old goldie got sprayed by a family of 5 skunks 1 mom 4 babby's it was just at dusk and I saw it happen the formula woked great

Yes it works great Comments By: Kari on 2007-02-06

My German Shorthair Pointer was sprayed at close range by a skunk when we were at the park. I had to drive him home that way and he also stunk up my car. When I got home, I realized the only detergent I had was Dawn Oxy and I was worried that the Oxy and Peroxide might interact and cause him harm...so I opted for Johnson's Baby Shampoo substitued for the detergent. It worked almost immediately although I had to do his face a few times. I used a bucket and a soaking wet washcloth on his body and then a damp one on his face. CAREFUL TO AVOID THE EYE AREA, I IMAGINE THIS WOULD BURN. He was so grateful to get it off of him. When my husband came home he didn't believe he was sprayed by a skunk...until he smelled my car.

My dog is brown and white and there was no noticeable bleaching.

I had a dog get sprayed a few years ago before I knew this trick and used tomato juice. What a disaster and it didn't help.

A GOD SEND Comments By: Dan on 2007-03-05

My two year old Rotti got sprayed in the face today. I was so bad I called the ER.
They recommened this treatment with some saline solution for his eyes.
Dramaticly reduced the odor so I could transport him to the vet and the groomers
Thanks for being there!

Boxer skunk-sprayed Comments By: Amy on 2007-09-23

My boxer was sprayed about 2 hours ago and I instantly went for the tomato juice and peroxide. I soaked him in that for 5 min and rinsed. Then ran to the store for more peroxide. When I got home he smelled alot better but still not good. So I just did the peroxide, soda and lemon dishwashing liquid. He's outside drying out. Definately smells better. We'll see when he dries! Thanks for the tips.

Worked like a charm for me Comments By: B on 2008-09-15

Dog got it right in face and on chest and over his right side. Don't use this mix on the face, it can hurt their eyes. It worked so well, I couldn't smell the skunk smell at all as soon as I rinsed it off. The face...I used Massengills.

Jake always finds trouble... Comments By: Angie on 2009-05-15

Jake got it just after dark and it ws cold outside. Poor guy had to sleep in the outdoor kennel for 2 nites before we had the time to tend to him. I tried the tomato juice and that is a joke. Stunk up my bathroom - just disgusting. Grabbed the peroxide,baking soda and dawn...10 times better.

Not Again Comments By: keith lebel on 2009-11-02

this is the second time my dog gets sprayed in two weeks. the fist time i tried tomato juice $ 30.00 of it lol. and now i heard about this trick online and WOW what a difference the only thing i did this time i didn't know if they meant dishwasher detergent on dish soap. at fist i used dawn into the mix and after washing 3 times the smell was still horrible so the next time i tried the dishwasher stuff and thought i could add a little more i put about 1/4 cup into the mix and what do you know Cascade worked like a charm too bad the rest of my house still smells though lol ...

thank a million guy's

your friend from Canada

3 dogs and now all three skunked for the third time Comments By: Backyard Skunk Xing on 2010-03-13

This formula works great if you get it immediately after it happens.

Two Beagles and a dachshund, the beagles corner it and the dachshund keeps going in for more.

Now, how do you get the smell out of the house?

the stuff that works Comments By: jackie kennedy on 2010-07-04

i used the recipe put and really didnt work so we had some viniger and after putting the soap the baking soda and the poroxide on him i put some vinager on him that seemed to work on my 4 year old border collie. :)

Dog Got Sprayed Comments By: Lisa on 2010-08-18

My dog got sprayed this morning around 4:30am, of course nothing was open at that time and I had nothing in the house....NOTHING! The dog stayed in the garage until 7:30am when the local grocery store opened....Did the first wash with the peroxide, baking soda and dawn dishsoap....Smells much better but I can still smell it...Went back up...Bought vinegar, and douches and more peroxide....Needless to say by the time I bought everything....freshner, long rubber gloves this dang skunk has costed me $40 and I had to double and triple my purchases because my dog is a great dane and a large one at that....I am going to do the 2nd dose here in a few...wish me luck

Douche Your Dog Comments By: Lea Cook on 2010-09-09

I HAVE previously lived in Maine for many years and became educated by 'The Mainers' as to what they use regularly for skunk sprays.
As my friend said.. USE Massingil Douch (the powder that you add to water not the ready made disposible bottles) Make a stong solution using the entire bottle of powder to a few gallons of water. Apply to large dog, let soak for about 1/2 hr. Keep spongeing onto animal and avoid getting into eyes and ears. Then you rinse and Vola all traces of odor is gone! This solution can also be used for odor in spot of attack. "As he said.. and this is crude! "If it helps women smell fresher it works on anything! A yeah"
Using tomato juice/paste or juice doesn't work at all and stains white animals! This solution you gave does not work well and takes several applications. Try the Massingil!

get the skunk smell out of your house too! Comments By: Sue on 2010-11-02

We had the pleasure (not) this weekend of our coonhound getting sprayed by the skunk. We did the peroxide and worked ok but the great trick the lady at the drug store also taught us that worked amazingly was to put fresh coffee grounds on tin foil and leave it out for over 6 hours. It absorbed the smell in the great. That was the best tip of the day!!!