Your pet just got skunked! Don’t panic … and don’t let them run loose in the house either (if you can help it), they’ll rub up against every bit of furniture you own (personal experience).
Depending on how badly your pet (hopefully it’s your dog and not your cat!) was skunked, you may need to wash him or her a few times. Later, when they get wet, you’ll smell it again, but this is the recipe that gets the best results. There are several commercial skunk odor remover shampoos you can buy, I have never tested them myself, because this recipe works consistently, but they are out there and well worth testing. If you prefer to skip the whole thing and you can get your pet to a groomer, call ahead, some groomers will accept skunked pets, but not all, definitely let them know when you are making the appointment.
Notes:
Avoid getting the skunk remover mix in your pet’s eyes. If your pet’s eyes are red and swollen, contact your vet.
Don’t premix the skunk remover recipe. Keep the ingredients separate until you need them.
Life hack:
If your dog is a regular offender, keep the backup ingredients on hand, and replace them as soon as you use them. The same goes for commercial shampoo if that’s your preference.
Double or triple the recipe below for larger dogs. The amount in the skunk odor remover recipe below should be enough for a small to medium-sized dog or cat.
Ingredients:
1Qt. 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup Baking Soda
2 tsp Dawn Liquid Dish Soap.
Steps:
Do NOT spray your dog or cat with water yet.
Mix the above ingredients together. A plastic soda bottle with a cap works great for this. The solution will fizz.
Keep the mix out of your pet’s eyes. Use a sponge or face wash towel to clean his or her head, and around their mouth and eyes.
Knead the solution into the fur, be sure to get every part of your pet with the mixture. Let it soak in for about 20 minutes
After about 20 minutes rinse thoroughly with water.
Shampoo with pet shampoo if you like. It will help with the smell.
