Best Skunk Odor Removal Recipe Ever!

Just today my hubby and I were reminiscing about our first years with Lexi, our lovely Yellow Labrador Retriever. She is our older dog, now — 9 or 10. No one knows for sure. She was rescued from a puppy-mill where she was used for breeding only. 

Before we knew her, Lexi lived in a chicken coop, ate from a cow trough and had puppies, puppies and more puppies. When we got her she was probably over 4 years old – they never kept records – and she was totally traumatized. It took two years for her to go near men — even my husband — so you know it had been bad. No worries, though. We have spoiled her ever since and she now has a wonderful, safe life.

Sadie, our “puppy” is our latest addition. Another beautiful yellow lab, Sadie is just 16 months old. Neither of them is interested in chasing squirrels, though many a squirrel has come by to tempt them. I think it is because Lexi couldn’t chase them (she was in that chicken coop) and Sadie learns from Lexi. All squirrels are safe with them.

That is when our thoughts turned to the night of The Great Skunk Incident! Lexi chased that night, alright. She chased a SKUNK while I was walking her — so I “chased” a skunk, too! Ugh.

Back in those days, the only way I could get Lexi to poop (excuse my “French”) was to take her for a walk. She wouldn’t go in the yard (Thanks to that chicken-coop upbringing, I guess. She’d never been on a grass lawn before she lived with us.) 

It was a cool fall evening, nearly dark outside, and I took Lexi for her nightly constitutional. We rounded the corner, nearly home and very successful (I still don’t remember what happened to that poop-bag.) and Lexi sensed something. It was a skunk, underneath a neighbor’s pine tree. I didn’t know the skunk was there but Lexi sure did and she took off like a shot –all 120 pounds of her! I held on to the leash as best I could but it finally pulled out of my hands. Thankfully, she went for the tree first and her leash got caught up. That’s how I got her back or it would have become the “Great Missing Dog” incident, instead. The skunk high-tailed it out from under the tree and ran away but not before SPRAYING HER and the leash and, therefore, me too! It was horrible.

So, I muttered and thanked God (all at the same time) as I brought her home. I was so grateful that it hadn’t been worse. But now what? I remembered the tomato juice baths we had to give my big boxer Duke when I was a kid. No skunk was safe around him…and neither were we. He’d smell like skunky tomatoes for weeks. The odor was just awful.

So, I Called The Experts: When I got home I chained Lexi outside, took off my skunk oil laden coat, leaving it outdoors as well.  Then I called Animal Emergency–this WAS an emergency. They told me exactly what to do.  

I needed to make a concoction of dishwashing soap, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and lather Lexi up for 20 minutes, rinse her, do it again for 20 minutes (that is a LOT OF LATHERING) rinse her again and towel dry. May I say that it worked like a dream. Not a lot of fun, mind you, but it cured the problem.  My coat was another story but first…

Expect it to fizz a lot. The peroxide and soda combination does that. For large dogs, you will want to double the recipe since you will be lathering, rinsing and lathering again before the final rinse.  Don’t short change the time in this. Results is what matters.

Important: do not get the liquid in your dog’s eyes, nose or mouth. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when you do this, too.

My husband took my dry-clean only coat in a plastic trash bag to the dry cleaners.  They made him leave it outside and kiddingly asked if he made me sleep the garage that night! Thankfully, I did not and the scent came out of my coat, too. The leash was a waste, though. I threw it away.

      

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