The Best Way to Wash Skunk Smell Off a Dog (Really Works!)
When your dog gets sprayed by a skunk you want to wash away the skunk smell right away. This simple DIY recipe will remove every hint of skunk smell from your dog’s fur!
Recipe for Skunk Smell Remover
I have to give credit to my friend Chrissy for this recipe. She is the owner of several working dogs and also happens to run her own soap shop in a nearby town.
When my dog Sunny had her unfortunate skunk encounter, Chrissy was the first person I messaged. This recipe may as well be called “Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover!” because it works so well. And thankfully it doesn’t call for a tomato juice bath!
Here’s what you need:
- One Quart Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)
- 1/4 Cup Baking Soda
- 2 Teaspoons Dawn Dish Soap (Yes, Dawn is preferred)
Recommended Supplies
- Spray Bottle, Sponge, or Rag
- Disposable Gloves or Rubber Gloves
- Shower or Garden Hose
Making the Solution
In a large mixing bowl, add the baking soda and the dawn dish soap. Whisk together thoroughly.
Next, squirt in the bottle of hydrogen peroxide while you whisk. It should be the 3% solution that is readily available for about a buck at Wal-Mart or your local pharmacy.
Once the mixture is all combined, you can decide how you want to apply it to your dog. I personally added the mixture to a spray bottle to make applying it easier. A word of caution here, you should use it immediately after adding to a spray bottle and dump it out right after or pressure can build up in the bottle.
You can also use a sponge or rag that you will soak in the solution and then squeeze it out on your dog. Whatever you have on hand works the best, because you want to wash your dog as soon as possible after they have been around the skunk’s spray.
Applying the Homemade Solution
It’s very important that you do not wash your dog with water or get them wet! Oil and water don’t mix, so by getting your dog wet, you will inadvertently make the skunk oil cling to your dog’s coat and make the smell that much harder to wash off.
Take your dog outside or get them in a washing tub of some kind. Remove their collar, assuming it has been sprayed as well. You can soak their collar in the skunk wash solution while you wash your dog.
Put on rubber or disposable gloves to apply the solution. Next, using either the spray bottle, sponge, or washcloth, begin to work the solution into your dog’s dry coat. I used a spray bottle and sprayed my dog thoroughly, all the while using my other hand to work the solution into her coat.
As you go, you can do smell checks to see if any area of their coat needs to be revisited. Apply more as necessary.
Please be cautious around your dog’s eyes, nose, and mouth. Do not get the solution in their eyes. It won’t blind them or anything, but it will cause stinging and burning and red eyes in general. If you do get any in their eyes, do your best to rinse them with cool water.
Rinse and Optional Shampoo
After you have worked in the solution and sniffed around their fur and made sure it is clear of any skunk spray smell, it is time to rinse. Use room temperature or cool water and thoroughly rinse away the solution from your pet’s fur. You can also let this solution sit for 5-15 minutes on your dog’s coat, but not longer as it can cause irritation of your dog’s skin.
At this point if you have any leftover solution it should be dumped out. Do not store it in a closed container as again, it can build up pressure and cause an explosion.
After that rinse it is up to you if you want to use your regular dog shampoo. I found my dog’s coat smelled clean and soapy already, so I just left her to air dry.
Keys to Successfully Removing Skunk Smell & Safety Tips
This is seriously the best solution you can use, especially because it hardly costs anything and you probably have most if not all of the ingredients at home! To make sure it works great the first time, be sure you follow these important tips.
- Wash Your Dog ASAP – Immediately is best, or at least the same day.
- Do NOT Rinse or Wash Before Applying the Solution
- Wear Gloves to Keep Your Hands Safe
- Be Sure to Dump the Solution After Use
Over-the-Counter Products to Remove Skunk Smell
I’ll be honest with you, this was our first skunk spray encounter so I haven’t purchased any of these myself. This hydrogen peroxide/baking soda/Dawn combination worked so well and cost probably $2 altogether, so I would recommend you just keep those ingredients on hand if skunk spray is a risk you encounter often. And honestly, all three of those ingredients work wonders for removing stains from laundry and have other uses around the house as well.
Below are Amazon affiliate links, which means I make a commission if you click and purchase. Always shop local when you can.
But if you really want an over the counter option, this skunk shampoo and this skunk odor eliminator from Amazon have very promising reviews, but they will set you back $15+ and take at least a day or two to arrive.
When Your Dog Gets Sprayed By a Skunk
Skunks are in general very docile creatures that mostly want to mind their own business. They come out around dusk and often are busy at night, heading back into wherever they have made their den by dawn. While they do have teeth, their primary defense mechanism is their stinky spray.
If their spray lands right in your pet’s eyes, it can cause temporary blindness so be aware of that. You might also see coughing, sneezing, or gagging, as the skunk spray can irritate mucous membranes. If their eyes seem irritated, washing with cool water can help with this. Do not put this skunk spray solution shared above in your pet’s eyes.
If your dog seems to have trouble with vision for more than a few hours after being sprayed, in rare cases they may need veterinary attention.
Additionally, skunks can be carriers of the rabies virus. If your dog appears to have any physical injuries from their stinky encounter and is not current on their rabies vaccine, please be sure to talk with your veterinarian
