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Coyotes, rattlesnakes, raccoons, porcupines, antelope with their babies, plenty of mice, and a couple of skunks.
We also have 3 very curious, very territorial dogs who are extremely interested in whomever and whatever may enter our place…
I don’t really even need to go on, do I?
My frugal nature, combined with the fact that I try to limit my shopping trips to no more than two per month, prompted me to search for a home remedy for treating “skunked” dogs…
And boy oh boy, did I hit the jackpot!
I’ve used commercial skunk shampoos in the past, but this simple recipe far surpasses them! And don’t even try to suggest the old “give them a tomato juice bath” wives tale… it doesn’t work.
It’s cheap, the products are most likely already in your cabinets, and it works wonderfully.
Homemade De-Skunker
You will need:
1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide (this is the kind you find in the first aid section of your average grocery store. It’s very cheap.)
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1-2 drops of liquid dish soap (optional)
Rubber Gloves (optional, but highly recommended…)
Bucket
Put on your gloves and gather everything you will need. Once you mix the ingredients, the solution must be used immediately, so there won’t be any time to go searching for the dog, etc!
I did this outside and tied the dog up to a post so my hands would be free. I also had a hose handy. I suppose you could do this in your bathtub if you had to, but I wouldn’t unless I was very desperate!
Mix together the peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap. Stir well and then quickly apply to the dry dog, being careful not to splash any in his eyes. Thoroughly work the solution in his coat. It should cover and permeate as much of the hair as possible.
Allow the dog to “soak” for around 5 minutes.
A chemical reaction is occurring which actually neutralizes the odor. This is why you must use it before the peroxide and soda are finished with their reaction. It can not be made ahead of time and stored.
After the waiting period, thoroughly rinse the dog with water.
You may have to repeat the process, but I only had to do it once and we were skunk free!
I hope you never have a need for this remedy on your homestead, but it might be a good idea to bookmark this post, just in case!
This post is a part of: Simple Lives Thursday
About Jill Winger
Thanks, I hope I do not have to use it but I know people who's dogs have got skunked. Guess it would work on people to .
Hope I never need to use this, but I know where to find the information if I (or someone I know) needs it. Love your blog!
-Brenda
Great post.
If you happen to get sprayed, make sure to wash clothes in COLD water, not hot. Hot water will send the oils into vapor and spread them all over. Cold and detergent will take the stink away.
I didn’t know that Laurie! Thanks for the tip- I will DEFINITELY keep it in mind!
This is marvelous! A little on the “too late” side but good for next time!
I found a distilled vinegar/water rinse after the washing helped alot too. I even used this solution + vinegar rinse on myself after the skunky puppy crawled all over me crying about that not so nice playmate he found LOL
I see skunks almost every night while walking my Muffin. She’s a very smart cookie, and has even come face to face a few times with skunks and didn’t get sprayed. Still I worry it’s gonna happen. If this question is dumb, I’m sorry. But I remember using hydrogen peroxide to clean some doggie wounds and it bleached her brown coat. Can’t this solution take out the color and the smell? Found you on pinterest.
Oh my, this post brings back memories! A few summers ago my saint Bernard got sprayed 3 times. Big dog equals big area to spray! We had to double up on all the ingredients to get her covered….BUT it works like a charm, takes any odor right way.
The “recipe” calls for 1/4 Baking Soda. That would be 1/4 cup, tablespoon, teaspoon . . . . . . . ?
Please respond so I’ll know exactly what measurement of baking soda to use. Thank you.
the key is to coat the entire dog with baby powder first. Skunk spray is oil based so it will stick to the powder. Then use the solution on the dog. This works 100 times better.
It’s 1/4 cup. Was a typo- it’s fixed now.
Thank you!!! LOVE your website!
It’s 1/4 cup baking soda for anyone who is wondering. Works like a charm, too, used it 3 times….3 out of 4 dogs have gotten direct hits. Only dog who hasn’t gotten it yet, oddly enough, is my hunting dog LOL. And I’ve never done it anywhere else BUT my bathtub….it’s either been late fall or winter when my dogs have gotten sprayed (we’re in SD, far too cold for an outdoor bath after October usually), LOL. It takes all of 15 minutes to de-skunk them & doesn’t leave any odor behind, I give the tub a quick scrub, no big deal
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Our family dogs are very experienced with doing the late-night Polecat Polka; I think I’m up to about 10 times now between my dogs and my parents’ dogs… This solution, when mixed according to the recipe, is a magic potion for de-skunking Fido. And Kate, thanx for the baby powder tip! I’ll try it next time, and trust me, there WILL be a next time…
Yes, to the poster who asked if peroxide will “bleach” your dog’s coat. I have read that it can, and can also bleach your clothes. Our dog got skunked at 4 a.m. Monday morning. A real treat. My spouse let the dog out and I was sound asleep. What a way to be awakened. 1 1/2 days later, the house smells less, thanks to open windows, candles, mopping the floor and air freshener. Tonight as a last ditch effort I put some baby powder on the dog’s neck where it seems to still have some skunk scent. I can’t bring myself to give the poor thing another bath. Meanwhile, its freezing out tonight, I just shut all the windows except 2 upstairs with a fan venting out. Could be worse things that happen, but this was such a pain in the butt.
Good to know cos no doubt when we move our dogs will be nosey and meet up with the local skunks, we have them around here but never had any run ins with them but i think we will when we move. thanks for sharing
Is there a proven method to keep them out of a fenced yard….my poor Border Collie just got skunked in the face on her eyes. She is at the vets office getting meds in her eyes.
You will be glad to have this recipe if you need it! I have used it before and trust me it DOES work. Just make sure you have the stuff ahead of time. lol I have everything stored in a bucket in the garage with the recipe in a page protector taped to the bucket.
I found that if you add apple cider vinegar to this recipe, it cuts the oils better. The smell is almost totally gone after one bath!
Good idea Dean– I hadn’t thought of that. Vinegar is good for everything.
Hello-
Do you know of a natural way to remove cat urine smell from carpeting? Do you think the de-skunking remedy would work?
We recently moved in to a rental home that had previously had dogs and for whatever reason, my kitties are feeling the need to mark the carpet here and there. Obviously there are many reasons why I need to remove this odor as soon as possible. I would appreciate any thoughts or advice you might have.
Thank you so much –
Tina
Let’s see– I’d definitely try the lemon oil/baking soda method and let it sit on the carpet for several days– and then use the vinegar too. You may have to repeat it a couple of times– hope that works for you!