De-skunking Formula

March 10, 2011

Question:My dogs keep running into skunks. I always hear about using tomato juice to cut the smell. Do you have any suggestions for a natural method of de-stinking my dogs should this happen again?

Answer: There are many recipes that people use, but here’s one from Assistant Chief Doug Huckins:

Take one quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (from a pharmacy), a quarter cup of baking soda and one teaspoon of liquid soap (I use Dawn).

Mix together and wash sprayed animal for five minutes, keeping mixture out of eyes, nose and mouth. Rinse with tap water.

Based on feedback from users, this recipe as listed is a suitable quantity for a small dog. Double it for medium-size dog, and triple it for large dogs.

I used less than that on Tessa and it worked great. My neighbor yolk me of the same the same recipe.

Does this work for fishing trips also ?

This really works on skunk scent.  Here's why; the hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, has extra oxygen in it compared to water, H20.  When the baking soda is added to the hydrogen peroxide, the oxygen atom is released.  The solution immediately starts to bubble and foam as the oxygen is released as a gas.  This oxygen atom is starved for an electron in it's outer valence shell.  Skunk juice has an extra electron and bonds to the Oxygen atom.  This forms 'skunk oxide'.  think of how iron and oxygen turns to rust, 'iron-oxide' and you get the idea.  This new compound no longer stinks.  It's still there, but in a new molecule.  The soap, Dawn dishwashing liquid, emulsifies the skunk-oxide oil and  it's able to be washed away. 

I've used this many times. The reason it's not marketed in a package this way is because it's hazardous.  A truck wrecked hauling this stuff could form quite a bit of loose oxygen.  If there were an ignition source; BOOM!  It's not allowed to transport hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in the same truck I'm told. 

 
  Really good information!  I have nightly visits from a few different skunks, (One actually poked it's little head in my front door one night as I was watching the tube!)  Now we don't have dogs, but my cat might be considered a threat to some of the small young polecats and having something to de-stink him would be nice! Should he ever get sprayed!

I've used this blend many times, usually at about 4 in the morning.     

Also, do your best to keep your dogs outside, or under leash, after being skunked.  My dogs used to charge into the house through the doggy-door and start rubbing against EVERYTHING: cabinets, carpet, furniture, beds, etc...

Yup.  I use the same formula, cool to read that there is an explanation for why it actually works.  I used it 2 weeks ago, also in the middle of the night.  Another thing I do when the dog manages to come back in through the doggy door and stink up the house is leave open, flat plastic trays of coffee grinds all over the house.  For some reason the grounds soak up the lingering smell.  This also works in your car if you happen to run over one of those little stink rats.

The latest problem was raccoons.  My little Jack Russell got into it bad with them on Sunday night.  Woke up to screeching sound that made my hair stand on end...I think it was her squealing from pain while being attacked in the backyard.  I hollered out the window for her to come in, which I think surprised the raccoons enough to let her loose.  Had to take her in for an emergency vet visit.  She has puncture wounds on her back and anus.  She's on pain meds and antibiotics now.