Information on skunks, skunk spray, and skunk odor
Skunk Spray and Skunk Odor table of contents
- When will a skunk spray?
- How does a skunk spray?
- What makes a skunk smell?
- What to do if you encounter a skunk
- What happens to a Dog sprayed by skunk?
- What to do when a skunk sprays my dog
- Skunk Odor Removal
- Bio FOG SCOE 10x Odor Eliminator
- Stinkin' Reminders
- Skunk characteristics, habits, and habitat
- Books all nature and outdoor enthusiasts should have in their libraries
- DO YOU HAVE A GOOD SKUNK STORY? TELL US HERE!
Why do people run from such a cute little animal?
When will a skunk spray?
How does a skunk spray?

Where does the skunk spray it's odor from? Click on the area to purchase the poster. It's a gift anyone who has been sprayed will never forget!
What makes a skunk smell?
What to do if you encounter a skunk
What happens to a Dog sprayed by skunk?

What to do when a skunk sprays my dog
1. If you go to the door, hear a frantic dog, and smell a skunk odor, DO NOT LET THEM IN! If you do, the odor will stick to everything and exponentially complicate the issue.
2. Any windows that are open shut them immediately to reduce the odor from permeating the house.
3. Let your dog settle down outside while you change into clothes you can throw out. If you have rubber gloves you'll need them too.
4. Prior to going outside, you'll need: Vick's vapor rub, a leash, washcloth, shampoo supplies, towels, and a flashlight if it's dark. If it's winter and you turn the water off inside, don't forget to turn it on.
5. Prepare a place to keep the dog. Places, in order of preference are: OUTSIDE (if it's not too cold), the garage, an unfinished basement, or bathroom. If you'll be keeping your dog inside, place plastic trash bags where you plan on leashing your dog overnight and move any absorbable material (anything you can't wipe down) away from the area. Make sure the drinking dish is nearby and you can secure a leashed dog in the location.
6. If you have the Vick's, place some under your nose. It will reduce the pungent skunk odor.
7. Once outside leash the dog and attempt to have your dog not rub against you.
8. Bath time! Shampooing the dog will remove some of the skunk spray off; however, more baths will occur.
9. A dog follows its nose, and a skunk aims for the face resulting in skunk odor being heavily concentrated around a dogs face. Use the washcloth to carefully clean the dogs face.
10. Lots of soap and water is important.
11. Check the dog very carefully for any scratches or bite marks. Skunks can carry rabies. If you find any bites or scratches, you should call your veterinarian.
12. You can now continue to remove odor or towel dry the dog until you can obtain odor removal supplies.
13. If you must bring the dog inside, do not let them touch anything. Keep them leashed until you finish the process.
Skunk Odor Removal
Tomato Juice BUSTED The smell of tomatoes masked the scent and turned lighter colored fur on my dog pink.
Vinegar MINOR IMPROVEMENT Skunk spray is an oily substance that is non-polar. Vinegar is polar. The two substances repel each other just like oil and vinegar for salads, they just don't mix. The result is vinegar slightly removing oil from the fur similar to soap.
Enzyme solutions. MINOR/ MODERATE IMPROVEMENT Many skunk removal products exist on the market that work on the basis that enzymes will break down the organic material neutralizing the SPRAY. The process takes a few days to work; however, the odor is not fully removed.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda. MODERATE IMPROVEMENT The solution. oxidizes organic material, chemically altering the skunk spray. Peroxide will bleach your dog's fur and cannot be stored in a closed container because it could pressurize and explode; however, the solution was the best home remedy.
How to make the solution:
1. One quart hydrogen peroxide
2. ¼ cup of baking soda
3. Dog shampoo
Odorxit MODERATE IMPROVEMENT Its effectiveness was equivalent to hydrogen peroxide without the bleaching effect. I also found Odorxit effectively removes pet urine from carpets when applied to urine and vacuumed with a shop vac. Odorxit also provides customer support and a guarantee. OdorXit Guarantee

Click on the photo to learn more about this product
Bio FOG SCOE 10x Odor Eliminator
Stinkin' Reminders
Skunk animal information table of contents
- Why do people run from such a cute little animal?
- What to do if you encounter a skunk
- Bio FOG SCOE 10x Odor Eliminator
- Stinkin' Reminders
- Skunk characteristics, habits, and habitat
- Striped Skunk scientific Name
- Characteristics
- Striped skunk range and habitat
- Striped skunk life cycle
- Striped skunk mortality
- Striped skunk Diet
- Books all nature and outdoor enthusiasts should have in their libraries
- Skunk in the News
- What do skunks and Valentines Day have in common?
- DO YOU HAVE A GOOD SKUNK STORY? TELL US HERE!
Striped Skunk scientific Name
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mephitidae
Genus: mephitis
Species: mephitis Mephitis
Characteristics
Striped skunks are about the size of a domestic cat. Males are normally larger than females. The average weight of an adult ranges between 3-14 pounds. Combined head and body length can range from 22-32 inches with the tail being 6-12 inches. Striped Skunk have cone shaped heads containing small black eyes, and small ears that are barely discernable from it's fur. Their tooth structure is unique having 34 teeth, which contain only one pair of molars on the upper jaw and 2 pair of molars on the lower jaw, for a total of 6 molars. Despite their intense odor, striped skunks have a highly developed sense of smell, which is used to locate food supplies. It's hearing is good; however, their eyesight is limited. Striped skunk's legs are short and thick, giving them a low profile. Each foot has five toes. The claws are plantigrade meaning the front claws are longer than the rear claws. Longer front claws increase striped skunk's ability to dig in soil for shelter and food sources.
Striped skunk range and habitat
Striped skunk life cycle
Striped skunk mortality
Striped skunk Diet
Books all nature and outdoor enthusiasts should have in their libraries
Skunk in the News
A new window will pop up to read the article.
What do skunks and Valentines Day have in common?
After breeding season, females will begin to look for a den suitable for raising their young. They will look for areas protected from the weather such as an old log, under large rocks, vacant burrows, and possibly under your shed or house. During February and March, it is wise to avoid skunks and prevent them from denning near areas frequented by people. Here are a few tips to prevent dealing with skunk spray.
If you have a crawl space under your house make sure there are no holes larger than a golf ball to prevent skunks from denning under your house.
Keep your trash or any food sources inside to deny food access.
If you notice any burrows in your yard, locate, fill with dirt, and cover with a heavy object all burrow entrances.
If you have any gaps between your shed and the ground, completely block the area with a heavy object like cinder blocks.
If there is an alive or dead skunk on the road and you can safely avoid it, do not run over it. Even a dead skunk's spray can stick to a vehicle for a long time.
When leaving a pet outside, especially at night, from a safe distance carefully look over the surrounding area your pet will be in before letting it outside.
If you are unfortunate and do have to deal with skunk spray continue reading for some helpful tips.
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
Article references
The following websites helped to provide information about skunks. Vote on the one you like best.
Skunks | CDC Rabies Just 4 Kids
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- susannaduffy susannaduffy Nov 25, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
- Fortunately I've never met, nor am I likely to meet, a skunk.Must be a harrowing experience
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DO YOU HAVE A GOOD SKUNK STORY? TELL US HERE!
When a skunk moves in or when a skunk sprays either you or your pet, it's an occasion you'll never forget. The initial drama is normally not a laughing matter; however, when the smell begins to fade and the story is told again and again the humor begins to come out of the occasion. If you have a good story, we would love to have you share it with other readers! If you liked this page on skunks and would like to see more information added, please rate my page by clicking on the stars on the top of the page.
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- Tybron Tybron Oct 17, 2009 @ 12:17 am | in reply to Sean
- Sean, your crawlspace should be cleanable either with the H2O2 solution or with bleach, depending on how accessible it is to you. Obviously with bleach there are fumes and ventilation to worry about, though it seems to be pretty reliable for cleaning the scent from solid surfaces.
Of course I'd love to have a healthy wild skunk co-habit my residence but I'm weird like that. ;)
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- The_Party_Animal The_Party_Animal Oct 16, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
- What a great lens full of great info on a very Stink Subject. I have had my dogs sprayed and it is NO fun at all. I made a mixture in the middle of the night once that really helped - it is the peroxide one - I felt like a scientist. Skunk Smell is the worst!! You have beenBlessed by The Party Animal. Party On....
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- Sean Sean Oct 15, 2009 @ 4:25 am
- It's 4:00 a.m. and my wife and I just woke up to the beautiful smell. We thought a skunk sprayed close. But after a short investigation. We realized a skunk sprayed in our crawl space. The smell is so strong right now it's making us sick. Maybe we will be able to laugh about this another time.
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- Jessie Jessie Sep 19, 2009 @ 9:38 am
- Dude, I have totally had a skunk chase me too! I was walking and thought it was a kitty because there was no street light so I cooed and approached it til about 2 feet away I saw the white stripe, so I ran and it chased me all the way into my house! OMG! When I told my mom, she laughed at me and said that skunks don't chase people:(
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- hayleylou hayleylou Sep 5, 2009 @ 5:44 pm
- The video is hilarious! There is so much info on this lens. Skunks are something I have never had a problem with - living in Oz, but the way my hubby makes smells sometimes maybe I should treat him as a skunk!
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- Tybron Tybron Aug 30, 2009 @ 2:04 am | in reply to julian
- By your description, the spraying seems mildly unprovoked, I can only assume the skunk might have been a mother protecting nearby kits (like someone posted here earlier) or took your unusually bold approach as a predatory action (or perhaps the skunk felt cornered?) My only time coming upon an adult skunk it was digging for grubs mere feet away from me. I watched him for about a minute and as soon as he saw me he ran away as fast as his little legs could take him and hid in a storm drain. Skunks usually try to get away rather than confront people.
Regardless, yes just using water is counter-productive since it activates dormant hydrogen particles in the spray and "refreshes" it, making the smell worse! People have that problem with previously skunked pets all the time.
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- julian julian Aug 29, 2009 @ 4:59 pm | in reply to jone
- i remeber a few years ago i was walking on the sidewalk and saw a skunk. i kept on going because they wont spray you if you leave them alone, when i passed him he had turned around and i looked back at him, i was about a foot or two away, and before i could turn around and go, he sprayed me. then standing there, not beliving that i got sprayed he actualty sprayed me again before he took off. i have no clue why he sprayed me twice, but i left the smell because i didnt want to ruin my hair, i smelled for weeks after i was skunked. if you stay with the smell, you could smell for around a month, or more. showers actualty make it worse, when you get whet you will stink terribly.
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- Summer Summer Aug 17, 2009 @ 10:25 am
- This supposedly works wonders. I am going to try it.
http://www.biocidesystems.com/roomshocker1.html
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- Tybron Tybron Aug 15, 2009 @ 7:54 pm | in reply to Jen
- Typically a skunk that acts really aggressive and chases people may have rabies. You might get that checked out before someone or their pet gets bitten. Typical skunk behavior is to turn and run away, NOT to give chase to animals larger than them.
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- Jen Jen Aug 15, 2009 @ 12:50 am
- I think a skunk has claimed a corner on our block. Every night when I walk my dog, we turn a corner and find a skunk. We usually give him a wide berth and he usually turns to face us. His (?) tail goes up, and he watches us for a bit, and then, just when we think we're in the clear, the little bugger chases after us! E V E R Y time! Me and my 100# dog end up running down the block each night! (And I'm sure my dog thinks I'm just a big sissy...) Tonight, we went back around to see if he would do it again, but he was nowhere in sight. Of course, we didn't go digging too deep, either. But he comes out each night, under the street lamps to chase us down the block. What's up with that?!?!
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- Tybron Tybron Aug 6, 2009 @ 7:09 pm | in reply to jone
- If you have any more questions e-mail me at tybron (at) gmail.com. When I was sprayed and had to work the next day I used the hydrogen peroxide/baking soda/soap remedy and it dissolved instantly without a trace. I really hope you're not soured on skunks over this, because technically you should've put a sheet over the trap before releasing the little guy, he thought you were trying to hurt him and didn't mean any harm.
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- Tybron Tybron Aug 6, 2009 @ 7:06 pm | in reply to jone
- It will gradually fade over time, to a lighter muskier scent. As JM said though there's hydrogen particles in the spray and those will activate when you shower or otherwise get the sprayed areas wet.
As for how long exactly, I don't have an exact answer. Clothing stays stinky for months, but skin naturally sweats and peels away so I'd estimate 2-3 weeks before it's faded enough not to be noticeable. I guess it depends on how badly the skunk got you, because someone else here posted that even 3 weeks later she was gagging her friends.
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- jone jone Aug 6, 2009 @ 4:52 pm | in reply to Tybron
- to add on to how many weeks, will i smell just as bad or will it fade? or how long will i smell this bad. o-o
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- jone jone Aug 6, 2009 @ 4:50 pm | in reply to Tybron
- o.o how many weeks?
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- Tybron Tybron Aug 5, 2009 @ 8:18 pm | in reply to jone
- You'll have to use the hydrogen peroxide/baking soda technique, apply it quickly with a soft sponge if you're really worried about your skin, then wash it off just as quickly. If you stay stinky the scent will literally take weeks to fade as your natural sweat slowly debases and removes the odor.
Alternate methods include using white vinegar (this will debase the oil and greatly REDUCE the scent to a softer less noticeable one, I've tried it myself), or Massengill douche powder. I wish you luck on removing the scent, even though I love skunk odor, I can sympathize that it's very overpowering and you have to work your way up to really liking it up-close and personal strong.
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- JB-III JB-III Aug 5, 2009 @ 7:03 pm
- Use the peroxide baking soda remedy with a liquid soap. If you don't remove the scent you'll smell like a skunk for weeks every time you take a shower. Good luck and let us know how everything turns out!
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- jone jone Aug 5, 2009 @ 6:09 pm
- I go sprayed pretty bad this morning. my brother set up a trap hoping to catch a racoon thats been around but instead he caught a big adult skunk. he wouldnt go near it cuz he didnt want to get sprayed, and i couldnt stand to see the thing die. so i got on my knees and started to open the trap. it sprayed me in the face from about a foot away, then again when it got out of the trap, about 4 feet away. i cant take care of it because im a bruenet and i have sensitive skin, so i cant use peroxide, and alot of the products hurt my skin, but i really stink. i heard tomato paste makes you stink more, and the shower did nothing, i still cant belive i got skunked! i kinda always wanted to know what it would be like to be sprayed now im sorry i wanted to. can somone tell me how long ill stink if i cant take care of it? the sooner the better i really need an answer D: its kinda already in my skin around my neck and face, and i really smell gross, its bad so please how long will i stink this bad
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- Stephen Stephen Aug 3, 2009 @ 1:09 pm
- Well, as long as everyone else is sharing.... I recall I time that I went out to to do some yardwork early in the morning. I planned to start by watering the flowerbeds. This meant crawling under an overgrown bush to reach the spigot. Well, I was quite horrified to find that a skunk had made his home under there since the last time I had used the hose. The darned thing got me good, mostly in the chest, but a little splash hit my face as well. I ran out before it had a chance to get me again, crying and vomiting.
I didn't want to go out in public in my skunky state, so I had to rely on a friend to pick some remedies up. Unfortunately, no one really wanted to deliver them to me (can't exactly blame them), so it was a couple days before I was able to get myself on the road to smelling normal.
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- Tybron Tybron Aug 2, 2009 @ 9:28 pm
- Now for my skunk spraying story. I've been sprayed twice, once a few years ago by a roadkilled skunk I was trying to move off the road (I hate seeing them mangled by multiple cars, and it's possible to set them off postmortem). When the amber spray hit my left arm I simply sniffed and sniffed, it was a fine overpowering musky scent and made me a bit nauseous but otherwise I actually really enjoyed it. I still do to this day, and even ordered pure skunk musk online so I can smell it whenever I like.
The second time I got sprayed by a skunk kit that ran under a fence near a Burger King that was feeding wild animals (a BAD idea by the way, it messes up their health and can get them killed). The little guy ran under another fence and gave me a "parting shot" which was cute of him, a little mist on my pant leg and lower arm and that wonderous smell filled the air. I've actually found the scent erotic for years, I wish skunk lovers like me got the sprayings instead of you people. :)
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- Tybron Tybron Aug 2, 2009 @ 3:17 am
- First off, anyone that says the same skunk sprayed them more than 6 times in one encounter is exaggerating or outright lying. Skunks' metabolic processes are not that of gods. They only can contain 6 squirts (about 1 tablespoon, in fact) of musk per week, and it takes a whole week to recharge the glands. Luckily there's not as much outright hatemongering towards skunks on this site as I've seen elsewhere on the web, but at least try to keep facts straight.
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