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Skunks and their smell. How to deal with skunk smell

No matter where you live or what type of home you live in, skunks are best known for getting into the garbage as the spring season arrives. During the summer and into the fall months, skunks continue to make their presence known, tearing up your garbage and leaving behind their smell. 

If you have had a run, in with a skunk you know how much it smells and how bad it can really be. If you are one of the lucky ones, the skunk smell was left outdoors, where the air will carry the smell away from you and your home. Those of us who are not so lucky have had skunks under the porch, under the trailer, under the car or truck and even in the garage where the smells of the skunk are terribly strong and it never seems to really leave. 

Here are a few tips to keep skunks out of your garbage:
When you are taking the trash out in the garbage cans, be sure to leave the lids on tightly. The tight lids on the garbage help keep smells locked in the can so they won’t attract skunks. If you have holes or cracks in your garbage can, you might want to consider getting new cans so that skunks can crawl in and root through your garbage. When you have cracks and holes in your garbage, you are also attracting skunks with the smell of your garbage. 

If at all possible, putting your garbage cans up on some type of table or even making yourself some type of shelf that is just about a foot tall off the ground is going to prevent skunks from getting to the garbage. Garbage cans are known to get knocked over, blow over and when it rains, sometimes your garbage cans will be all over the yard. This is a real attraction for skunks. Be sure to set your garbage cans upright on a flat surface and in a manner that they won’t blow over in a wind storm. 

Skunks are a problem for your pets, your home, and everywhere that they go. If you have been having a real problem with skunks, you can set live traps for skunks and have them removed from your neighborhood. Sometimes holes in your foundation, cracks that are openings to the garage or other structures make a welcoming home for skunks. If you find that skunks have been invading your home or garage, be sure to board up all the areas of your foundation in the house or the garage. 

Another thing that is going to attract skunks is your garden, both vegetable and the flower gardens. The soil is moist, soft and loose. Skunks love to dig in the dirt sniffing for worms and grubs to eat. Keeping marigolds located around the outer edges of your gardens, skunks will not be as tempted to come into your gardens!

What about the smells?
Skunks smell and there is no doubt about it. Here are a few tips I have located that are great in getting rid of or at very least minimizing the smells from skunks!

If a skunk sprays your car, the odor can be terrible. Leaving the windows open, the trunk open and the hood open for as long as possible will help. Vacuuming the car and running the car through the car wash for a good under carriage cleaning will be needed. Using baking soda sprinkled in the carpet overnight and then sweeping it out will take out some smells. 

The hotter the car, the more the car is going to smell – like when it is sitting out in the sun. Try parking in the shade for a few days while you work on getting the smells out. Wash your floor mats, windows and use peroxide to clean the portions of the car that will not be tainted by the color. Continue washing the car undercarriage and tires until the smell lessens and goes away. 

A secret in getting rid of skunk odors is this: use a quart of hydrogen peroxide, a half cup of baking soda and a tablespoon of liquid soap (clear works best). Mixing, you can wash clothes, your car, your sidewalk, or the porch – anything that will not be tainted by the coloring of the peroxide. *Be sure to test for color fastness before using this mixture on anything that you do not want to change colors! The mixture works wonders on getting the smells of skunks out so you can breathe easier.