So, you got skunked. Want to know how to remove skunk odor from your home? Here are our best tips for deodorizing skunk spray.
Why tomato juice doesn’t work when your pet gets sprayed by a skunk.
The best reason not to bathe your pet in tomato juice is that there is a better option. Not to mention that tomato juice is messy. I bet you would need to buy a lot of it too. They say for it to work, you must bath your pet in it for an hour, then wash with soap. Tell me, how realistic is that? How about you skip over the tomato juice idea.Some authorities say that tomato juice doesn’t remove skunk odor. The reason people think this works is due to “olfactory fatigue”. Have you ever gone into a stinky house and wonder why the people who live there doesn’t notice it? When your nose becomes overwhelmed with a certain smell, you stop smelling it. Your nose will get so tired of smelling the skunk smell that the tomato juice smell takes its place.
What To Use Instead Of Tomato Juice For Skunk Odor Removal?
Use a mixture of one quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 – 1/2 cup of baking soda, and 1-3 teaspoons of dish soap. This environmentally friendly mixture is safe for humans and animals. Use it to wash skunk spray off your skin, pets, and clothes. Don’t use this to deodorize an entire room. The following suggestion is for spot deodorizing, not general deodorizing.
There are a ton of commercially available deodorizers. This one you make from scratch. While it sounds good to mix it in a spray bottle, you will want to mix this in an open container. This mixture is like Oxy-clean. Once mixed, it oxidizes the stinky material and kills odor causing bacteria.
Mix in a bucket, then immediately wash your pet, or soak yourself and other items. Do this while the solution is bubbling. Leave the mixture in place for approximately five minutes. Then rinse. It generates a lot of oxygen and could explode if you try to bottle it. With any deodorizing efforts, you may need to repeat things. For an extra bathing boost, use tea tree oil.
When washing clothes, add it during the wash cycle. Let the washer fill with water first. Hydrogen peroxide can bleach clothing. So be careful. Using vinegar during the wash cycle can give the deodorizing an extra boost too!
For in an inanimate object, mix 1 cup of liquid laundry bleach in a gallon of water. It’s cheap and effective. This works well on your driveway, garage, or deck. A little ammonia in water works well too. Do not mix the two together! You can soak clothes or curtains for several hours, then wash them. Plan on doing this a few times. Expect some discoloration too. When washing items, be sure to follow directions for washing a particular fabric. Launder items two times, then hang dry. Do not put them in the dryer! If you can hang them outside, that is best.
How To Get Skunk Spray Out Of Your House
The previous suggestions are great for deodorizing items, clothes, and pets. But what do you do if your entire house smells like skunk?
Ozone generators work in a similar way to the hydrogen peroxide mixture. Renting one is a great idea if your house smells from a skunk spraying under your deck or porch. With this, you have to get the right size for the space you are using it in. The area needs to be vacated, a window cracked, and it needs to be aired out before reentry. You will want to follow the directions for your specific ozone generator.
Your house breathes through cracks and crevices. If a skunk sprays just outside your walls, your home will inhale some of it. Or a lot of it. Skunk odor is not permanent. It will go away. You do not have to throw out all your belongings. Once inside it will stick to any cloth material. Rugs, carpet, curtains, and furniture will soak it up like a sponge. Wash what you can with the tips mentioned above. Shampoo your carpets too.
First off, you will want to deodorize the source of the odor. Find out where the skunk sprayed. If you do this, then you won’t struggle with the odor inside as much. Sometimes they die too. In this case, the body will need to be removed. Skunk carcasses can smell for several years if left in place. So be sure to inspect for a dead skunk too.
Humidity plays a role in the ability to smell skunk essence. The higher humidity, the more you will smell it. Do not to be surprised to smell the skunk odor again when it rains or becomes humid.
Odor can linger in stagnant air pockets. When an air current is introduced, you will catch another whiff. You must air out the building or room as much as possible. Do this early and often. This type of deodorizing is called dilution.
Do not forget to change the furnace air filter too! This should be the first thing you do inside.
General Deodorizing Tips
Deodorizing works for all odors, not just skunks. There are 4 deodorizing methods: Masking, source removal, dilution, and encapsulation. You will want to integrate multiple methods for better success.The best method is source removal. If someone pooped on the floor, what is the best option? Masking the smell with air freshener? Diluting the smell by opening a window? Encapsulating it with something? Or removing the poop that is on the floor? Of course, you want to remove the source. But why not do all of them? Spray some air freshener, air out the room, pick up the poop and spray some nature’s miracle on the spot. You will want to do the same thing with skunk odor.
Steps To Take When Deodorizing Skunk Spray.
1. Wash your pet if it got sprayed. Eliminate the possibility of tracking skunk spray inside.
2. Find out where the odor is coming from. Inspect to see if a skunk sprayed or died.
3. Remove the dead skunk or apply deodorant to the area the skunk sprayed.
4. Air out the house.
5. Change your furnace filter.
6. Wash any cloth items that absorbed the smell. Shampoo carpets, and upholstered furniture.
7. Run an ozone generator.
8. Mask the odor inside with air fresheners or use odor removers.
9. Keep humidity low and circulate stagnant air pockets.
10. Air out the house often.
11. Burn scented candles, use deodorizers. Or hire a skunk odor removal service.
If you need help, Lakewood Exterminating can assist applying commercial deodorants.
Professional Skunk Odor Removal Service
Do not expect 100% odor reduction from our skunk odor removal service alone. You will want to integrate everything mentioned above too. Remember that you may need additional applications. There is likely a cost associated with any repeat applications. Some deodorants contain toxic materials. These may cause adverse reactions in people sensitive to ingredients. To avoid exposing children, pets, and plants to chemicals we require you vacate the home. Remove or secure food stuffs. Cover food preparation areas. Wash them before use. We follow all product label directions. We will provide you with instructions based on the products used. You will want to ventilate the area in conjunction with treatment. Some products may discolor fabrics and other materials. Odor problems are more difficult to remove when they penetrate porous surfaces. Sheetrock, concrete, or unpainted wood are examples of porous materials. If you are concerned about the products that we use, please request the SDS sheets. Go to a fresh air area and ventilate the treated area if you feel side effects.
Atomizing
A fine mist works best for those locations where the skunk odor seems to linger. That is why our skunk odor removal service could benefit you. We have an atomizer that breaks the spray particles into fine microns. This makes it much more effective than using a pump sprayer. The small droplets atomizers produce keep the product airborne longer. As a result, it is better circulated throughout the treatment area. The tiny crevices in basements and crawl spaces can be completely treated through natural air movements. On top of that, smaller droplets allow less product to be used and can still eliminate odors. Reducing chemical use is always a good thing. Approximately 16 ounces or atomized deodorant can treat a 1500 sq foot home. That is pretty good compared to using a normal sprayer.
Odor Removers
After all is said and done, you will want to place some odor removing products down. These will absorb the odor, not mask it. You can find them in the cleaning isle of Lowes. They are mesh bags of white lava rocks, or containers of gel beads. Freshwave is one brand. It captures odorous compounds and neutralizes them.
Professional Odor Control Products For Skunks
Epoleon N-100, Epoleon NnZ, Citrus Neutrox, and Bac-Azap® Odor Encapsulation are the products that we utilize in our skunk odor removal service. We also have deodorant foggers.
If you have any questions about skunk odor removal, please let us know!
