Whether 
your toddler runs outside to pet the striped kitty or you’re stumbling through the woods and not paying attention to where you’re walking, there is a chance that you or your child will get sprayed by a skunk.
Of course, there are other problems that can develop when you’re sprayed by a skunk besides just an overwhelming stench, especially if you’re sprayed in the eyes or nose. If you are experiencing an extreme adverse reaction after being sprayed, or if your child is of course, call your doctor or head to the emergency room immediately.
If minor eye irritation occurs, just flush the eyes with lukewarm water for a couple minutes. This is proper protocol for both children and adults.
Preparation
Once you realize you’ve been sprayed by a skunk, try not to go in the house if you don’t need to. Of course you’ll probably have to go inside, unless you have an outdoor shower or garden hose you could use. When you go in, do not touch anything, and don’t let your sprayed clothing touch any other clothing or furnishings. If possible, wrap your feet/shoes with plastic grocery bags if they have been skunked to avoid tracking it through the house.
Okay, well you can touch the following things, since you’ll need them for your cleanup:
- Hydrogen peroxide (one quart bottle)
- Baking soda or vinegar
- Dish soap for hand washing
- Large bowl, like a mixing bowl
If you don’t have one of these supplies, please send someone else to get them. You don’t want the stinky oils spreading to the inside of your car.
Mix the Cleaning Solution
The cleaning solution is fairly simple to make. Just take the entire bottle of hydrogen peroxide and pour it in the bowl. Then add a fourth of a cup of baking soda (or vinegar) and about a teaspoon of the dish soap. Mix them together with your hands. (Does it really matter if they smell like peroxide at this point?)
Wash, wash, wash
Once you’ve mixed up the solution, hop in the shower, or put your child in the bath, and lather and scrub away. Concentrate on the area of the body where the spraying occurred, as this area will have the highest amount of oils present. The cleaning solution is safe on skin and hair, as long as you don’t leave it on for more than a couple minutes. Then you might turn out to no longer be a brunette, but a fresh-smelling platinum blonde. Make sure not to get this mixture in your eyes though, as it will likely sting very badly.
Rinse and repeat if needed
After you’ve scrubbed thoroughly, rinse off the solution with lukewarm water.
If this cleaning solution doesn’t get all of the smell out of your body and hair the first time, you can try repeating it, but you’ll have to start over and mix a new solution. The chemical reaction from the ingredients doesn’t last very long. Also, due to this reaction, don’t try to save any leftover solution in a container.
If this still doesn’t work, though it most likely will, you can try a premade commercial deskunking solution. You’re more likely to find one in the pet store than anywhere else. Just make sure to read the safety information on the container.
What About My Clothes?
Skunk odor tends to stick in fabrics very well, so you may think that all of the clothes you were wearing when you got sprayed is destined for the trash bin. In some situations, this is the case, but there are some things that you can try in order to salvage them.
You could try dropping your clothes off at the dry cleaner, though that will probably be the end of your prompt and speedy service.
Additional Tips
- If your house still smells like skunk after you are clean, put a rag in a bowl and sprinkle a few drops of vanilla extract on the rag. Set the bowl near the locaion of the odor and leave it for several hours. It’s a good idea to clean the area thorougly as well, as simply brushing up againt a surface can transfer the skunk oil.
- Skunks are rather docile, not to mention half blind, so they will only spray you if you scare or startle them. In other words, keep calm if you encounter a skunk. Most likely, he will soon go away on his own, which is the best way to avoid getting sprayed. Also, this is a good time to teach your children not to approach wild animals without your permission.
After using the hydrogen and soda mixture, I follow through with a mint mouthwash rinse.
As for the washing of clothes, don’t use anything hotter than warm. The skunk scent is oil-based and you will just send small amounts into the air. It will settle on everything in the room, making for the smell last longer in your home.
I go with the tomato juice. I have used it in the past on dogs and cats, also on myself and believe it or not – it DOES WORK!! Just make sure you keep plenty on hand, just in case. You wouldn’t want to go to the store right after getting sprayed.
My poor 9-yr-old grandson ran from my house across the street, charging up to his porch where a skunk was hanging out. He took the full spray. We are so grateful for this simple remedy. It worked great the first time!
Thank you. Thank you.
My dog got sprayed by a skunk tonight, and we figured that using tomato juice would take away the smell, but it didn’t. We even let it sit for like twenty minutes. So I don’t recommend using that. But the recipes on the site really helped… I just have one question: does anybody know how to clean skunk off of the carpet and off of the couches???
Just a suggestion, go to Costco to buy a bulk baking soda bag. Spread it all over the carpet in the morning and sweep it in a bit before work and let it sit all day long. When you get home, vacuum it up and be sure to clear the filter, as it will clog. You may have to do this for a week, but the smell should gradually subside. The bags of baking soda sell for about $6.69 each.
I never want to get sprayed by a skunk.
I was sprayed by a skunk twice in a matter of 3 days. Not the most happiest times of my life. I used the remedies and they were useful. But, of course, I can still smell lingering skunk spray oil on my body and hands and face. Fortunately, my clothes were saved. I will from now on avoid all contact with future skunks that I may see or come upon.
My dog and I both got sprayed by a skunk last winter. It was terrible and disorienting. The odd thing was that it didn’t smell like skunk to me; it smelled like a million rotting onions! I used the hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and Dawn detergent recipe…several times. Because we both ran in the house (I know…stupid!), our house reeked of it too. I happened to have a product called De-Molish. It was the greatest help ever, but cannot be used on people or pets, just surfaces. Ever since the skunking, my sense of smell is diminished. Has anyone else experienced this?
I too, when my dog got sprayed close up, noticed that I can not smell as well. I could not stay in my home for about a day because the smell caused me to gag, but did spend a good hour or so total around the settling spray. It has been about a month or so, and I swear that sometimes it seems that the skunk smell comes out of the glands or pores or something near my sinuses. About one week after the spray, my sinus well swelled and when I pushed on it, it seemed a chemical-tasting grossness, skunk oil?, was apparent near my back teeth on that side of my face. I’m so grossed out to think the oil could be lingering in my glands or something, but this is the only explanation that makes sense. Wonder if anyone else has had that happen…
Laura, From what I’ve heard, there are two main chemicals in skunk spray – there’s the extremely smelly one you’re probably familiar with, but another chemical that is designed to get into all your pores and be released very, very slowly. A month is probably the least amount of time it could be expected to linger…6 months is more likely.
Can skunk spray cause someone to pass out if it enters the bloodstream?
I stumbled upon a skunk and accidentally booted it. Once I realized, I jumped and ran. I missed a direct hit, but I still stunk and my eyes burned. The only thing at home I had was dish soap. Once I got to a tolerable cleanliness, then I used the baking soda, benzoyl peroxide solution. It worked I guess.
This really does work! It works great. Thanks for this!
I was skunked yesterday. I was walking my dog and got sprayed. Today, I feel like my head is going explode (massive headache) and I’m feeling hot. I keep smelling skunk on me and tasting skunk in my mouth. I’ve tried all the remedies…I’m miserable. I hope this doesn’t last for six months!
Same here. How long did it last? It’s been two days already for me.
Go to a hotel or a gym? Really? Thanks for contaminating hundreds of innocent people.
Last night I was at my son’s and a skunk sprayed directly into a duct and the spray got sucked into the dining room where we were sitting. It was probably the equivalent of being hit with a biological weapon. My son and I immediately started gagging as the odor hit our faces. He ran outside and vomited in the front yard, I ran for the bathroom. I vomited several times, as did he. I drank a lot of water hoping to flush some of the taste, but I continued to get increasingly nauseous. When I got home, my throat, eyes and skin continued to burn. I tried brushing my teeth, but that caused another bout of vomiting. I finally called my doctor who suggested drinking milk which calmed my stomach. I searched the internet and found the above recipe for cleaning my skin and it took the stench away. My clothes weren’t so lucky, but it did clean my favorite shoes. I did have to ditch my purse and most of the contents in it though. I’m still sick to my stomach today and have a headache and a sore throat, and I do smell the skunk smell occasionally. I actually feel traumatized.
Today I was walking to go help my mom with the groceries, and because our apartment complex is very open and it is near the hills, there A LOT of skunks, coyotes, and other animals. When I was walking to the car to get the groceries, the skunk ran past me while spraying. My mom and I didn’t realize that I had been sprayed until it started to smell really bad in the apartment. When I realize that I’ve been sprayed, I immediately went into the bathroom. Soap and water help mostly, but I put some baking soda on my legs and some mouthwash just in case. Thanks, this really helped to clean out the things that I touched. I’m only 11 by the way, so I haven’t been sprayed before. Thank you!!! :p 🙂 :3 <3 ????????????????????
I got skunk oil on my hands from my dog. I washed in Dawn, proceeded to eat my lunch, and now have a horrible taste in my mouth. Am I in danger?
Deanna,
If you have any symptoms besides just a bad taste then you should consult a doctor. Ingesting skunk oil can lead to vomiting. Inhaling the fumes, which may be present in your mouth, can cause inflammation of the throat or lungs and cause breathing to be difficult. It may help to rinse your mouth out. Other than that, stay alert and be watchful for any further symptoms.
Source: The Nest – Complications from a Dog Being Sprayed by a Skunk
How do I get the smell of skunk out of my nose?
Patti,
Here are two ideas:
1) Trim your nose hairs. If the skunk oil got into your nose, hopefully it didn’t make it past the nose hairs, which can easily be removed.
2) Use a neti pot. Just using saline may work, but you could also add some apple cider vinegar or some hydrogen peroxide if needed. Livestrong.com suggests a ratio of 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in one cup water. Earth Clinic recommends using a mixture of one part hydrogen peroxide in four parts water.
Source: Livestrong.com – How to Rinse Sinus Cavities with Apple Cider Vinegar and Water
Source: Earth Clinic – Hydrogen Peroxide for Sinus Infection
My dog got sprayed Saturday night outside and stunk my whole house up. Now it seems like the odor is in my pores and even still in my cloths. What the heck can I do?
Bradley,
If you have already tried cleaning with the solution in the article, you can try some of the ideas from the comments like mint mouthwash. Another idea is to try washing again, but do so in the shower and stand in warm water for a minute to open your pores first so the solution can get into your pores. You can also try exfoliatung really well with a loofa (the plant sponge used for baths, not the nylon net puff used for showering) or with a homemade exfoliating scrub like a mix of equal parts sugar and olive oil or coconut oil. Coconut oil in particular was helpful to someone on another site, read about that here, though they simply rubbed it onto their skin like a lotion. Olive oil might also work in the same way (oil dissolving/diluting the skunk oil).
For your clothes, try laying them flat and sprinkling a generous amount of baking soda over them. Let it sit for an hour or even overnight, then shake it off. You can repeat on the other side (flip the items) or turn them inside-out to do the inside as well. This method is used for oil spots on laundry and baking soda is a natural deodorizer as well. Rubbing some dish liquid or laundry detergent directly into the fabric before washing it might also help; just don’t use too much dish liquid or you will have suds coming out of your washer – mix the dish liquid with some water so you can have more, and rub the soapy water into the fabric (or just soak the clothes in the soapybwater for a few minutes before washing). Good luck!
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Remove Oil Stains from Clothes.
Is getting sprayed by a skunk a legitimate reason to call off from work? Will your boss actually subjugate you to the embarrassment and humiliation (not to mention a new nickname) that going to work may cause. I guess if u have a skunk for a boss, you’re in serious trouble. Seriously, all answers welcome! Is getting skunked grounds for a legitimate call off???
Alchemy,
That absolutely sounds reasonable. Firstly, getting skunked is basically a medical issue; the smell can cause serious (albeit usually temporary) physical reactions like headaches, nausea, burning eyes, etc. and therefore make it difficult to actually do your work. In addition, it would most likelybe a distraction in the work place as well. Your boss, even if they were a skunk themelves, would likely appreciate your bowing out for the day. As an alternative, offer to work from home if possible (if you have any kind of desk job, etc.) and it might even allow you to pitch the idea of working from home occassionally in the future when not skunked. Good luck!
My dog got sprayed and came in my house and so my house smells of skunk and also my car. Took her to vet because she got sprayed in eyes. But since it’s in my house and car, I have the smell on me even though I didn’t get sprayed. How do I get it off of me? It’s been several days and I have taken showers. The house is better, but still not great.
Hi Debbie,
Try the solution listed above: the mix of peroxide and baking soda. You can repeat that several times if needed. You can also try getting a commercial deskunking product if needed. For the car, try the vanilla trick mentioned in the Additional Tips section. Good luck!