Removal of Skunk Odor/Removing Odor

This chapter lists methods for removing skunk odor.

Hydrogen peroxide method

You can forget about tomato juice, it only covers up the stench. In an episode of the television program MythBusters, chemist Paul Krebaum's peroxide-and-baking-soda formula was found to be the most effective. It was first published by K.M. Reese in the "Newscripts" section of "Chemical and Engineering News," Oct. 18, 1993 . You can also find it in Popular Science's August 2007 issue.

Here is his recipe:

• One quart (1 lt.) of 3% hydrogen peroxide
• One quarter cup of baking soda
• one teaspoon of liquid hand soap (not detergent)

Bathe your pet in this solution and rinse with warm tap water. This solution could irritate a pet's eyes and should be used carefully. Krebaum warned that there is no way to store this potion. "If you put the ingredients in a bottle, the whole thing would explode.

The thiols that are responsible for the odor are not water soluble, even with soap, but the baking soda catalyzes the oxidative ability of the peroxide, which oxidizes the thiols into highly water-soluble, non-foul smelling sulfonates.

Paul Krebaum recommends oxygen bleach for fabrics that are color-safe to it, on his website. For use on clothing, furniture, and anything of fabric, use the solution Nature's Cure usually found at large animal stores. Nature's Miracle, however, should also be used with caution. One of the active ingredients, alcohol, can create dry skin and cause degradation of the dog's coat quality. In the worst cases, the alcohol can result in permanent injuries to the cornea.