Removal of Skunk Odor/Removing Odor

This chapter lists methods for removing skunk odor.

Odor

You can forget about tomato juice. The most effective formula has proven to be chemist Paul Krebaum's. He published it in "Chemical and Engineering News" in its October 1993 issue. You can also find it in Popular Science's August 2007 issue. Here is his recipe for the bathing concoction:

• One quart 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. Krebaum warned that there is no way to store this potion. "If you put the ingredients in a bottle, the whole thing would explode. This solution can irritate a pet's eyes and should be used carefully. 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 a degradation of the dog's coat quality. In the worst cases, the alcohol can result in permanent injuries to the cornea.

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 sulfonates. In an episode of the television program MythBusters, the hydrogen peroxide mix was found to be the most effective smell removal agent.