4 Ways to Get Skunk Smell Out of the House - WikiHow

7/21/2019 4 Ways to Get Skunk Smell Out of the House - WikiHow

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How to Get Skunk Smell Out of the

HouseFour Methods: Freshening Up Hydrogen Peroxide (newly opened) and Baking Soda Vinegar Bleach

Skunk smell can get into your house by a variety of sources. For instance, you

or your pet might be sprayed, or a skunk could spray something else directly

outside of your house. Mild skunk smells can usually be removed by simply

airing out your home, but stronger skunk smells that have worked their way

into fur, clothes, or carpeting can linger for several months to several years if

immediate action is not taken. If you need to get skunk smell out of your

house, here are a few different methods to try.

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Open your windows.[1] Let natural sunlight and fresh air into your home to help

neutralize the skunk odor.

Closing your house up will only keep the stench inside. By opening your

windows, you let out some of the smell and allow fresh air into your home to

help replace some of the contaminated air.

Sunlight also has an effect on fabric. The ultraviolet rays can help neutralize the

odor and lift it out of your fabrics.If you need to get skunk smell out of clothes, towels, blankets, or other

removable fabrics, wash the fabric and hang it to dry outdoors. The direct

exposure to sunlight and fresh air will work better at ridding the fabric of the

skunk smell than a dryer would.

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Method 1 of 4: Freshening Up

Ways to Get Skunk Smell Out of the House - wikiHow http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Skunk-Smell-Out-of-the-H

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Run fans. Turn on electric ceiling fans and desk fans to keep the air circulating in

your home.

If you allow the air to remain still and stagnant, the skunk smell will only sink

deeper into your fabrics. Turning on all the fans in your home as soon as

possible helps to keep the air in your house moving, thereby preventing the

odor from settling into anything too deeply.

This works especially well when used in conjunction with opened windows.

Change out your filters.[2] Change out your air conditioner and heater filters

before and after you treat the rest of your home for skunk odor.

The skunk smell can cling to these filters, and as a result, you may end up

smelling skunk through your air vents for months. The only way to remedy this

is by changing out your air filters.

Changing the air filters before treating the rest of your home minimizes the

amount of stink coming through your vents and re-contaminating the rest of

your home.

Do a sniff test after you clean the rest of your home. Smell the air filters. If they

do not smell like skunk, you may not need to change them again. If they do

smell like skunk, however, you should replace them once more to prevent the

filters from re-contaminating the rest of your home with smelly air.

Shampoo your carpets and wash removable fabrics. Clothes, towels, blankets,

and other removable fabrics should be washed in washing machine with hot water

and detergent as quickly as possible. Carpets and other hard-to-wash fabrics, like cloth

furniture and curtains, should be washed using a wet vacuum.

Steam cleaners work better than ordinary wet vacuums because the heat helps

to open and expand the stitching of the fabric. This allows the detergent to sink

in further and eliminate more of the skunk smell. An ordinary wet vacuum is still

better than nothing, however.

As a general rule, clothes and other fabrics should be washed within one or two

hours of initial contamination in order to prevent the smell from sinking in too

deep.

Spray air deodorizers. Deodorizing air fresheners can mask and remove part of

the skunk smell.

Look for a spray that specifically indicates its ability to deodorizing. Most air

fresheners only emit a strong perfume that covers other odors in the home. This

will not be enough to deal with skunk smell, however. Only a deodorizing

freshener can neutralize and eliminate some of the stink.There are also special "de-skunking" sprays that are formulated specifically with

the purpose of removing skunk odor. People who use these sprays tend to

report mixed results, but you can read reviews about various types online and

determine which may be the most effective for your needs.


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Mix together 1 quart (1 liter) hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup (60 ml) baking soda,

and 1 tsp (5 ml) liquid laundry detergent or dish detergent.[3] Combine the

ingredients in an open container.

Use 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, if possible.

For more stubborn skunk odors, you may need to up the amount of baking soda

to 1/2 cup (125 ml) and the amount of soap to 1 Tbsp (15 ml).

Do not close the container after mixing the ingredients together. The gas that

will be produced could build up and create enough pressure to destroy the

container.

Do not store this mixture. Use it as soon as you mix it together.

Scrub yourself or your dogs with this solution. Dip a clean washcloth in the

solution and use it to clean contaminated fur and skin.

This solution is safe for both dogs and human, but you should avoid getting it

into eyes, ears, or mouths. While it is safe for skin, it can sting and damage

eyes or other sensitive areas.Saturate then scrub the skunked dog or human with this solution and let sit for

five minutes before rinsing it off with clean water. Repeat as necessary until you

can no longer smell the skunk.

Note that you may need to make more of the solution for a bigger dog or adult

human.

This works best if done within an hour or two after contamination.

Combine one part hydrogen with six parts warm water. This solution is safe to

use on clothing and other fabrics, but the amount you make will depend on how

much you need to deodorize.

As far as fabrics are concerned, this solution is recommended over the stronger

hydrogen peroxide solution used to clean pets and people. Strong

concentrations of hydrogen peroxide can damage clothes, but when diluted with

water, it should be safe to use on normal fabrics.

Avoid using this solution on delicate fabrics or "dry clean only" clothes.

Dunk your clothes in the solution. Dip contaminated clothes in the diluted

hydrogen peroxide and let soak for one or two hours.

After removing the clothes from the solution, place them in the washing

machine and run a normal washing cycle.

Alternatively, add baking soda to your next wash. If you feel uncomfortable

dunking your clothes in hydrogen peroxide, add 1/2 cup (125 ml) baking soda to

the washing machine at the beginning of your washing cycle.

Method 2 of 4: Hydrogen Peroxide (newly opened) and Baking Soda


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You can also add the same amount of baking soda to a load of clothes treated

with hydrogen peroxide for maximum deodorizing power.

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Create a vinegar solution. Mix one part vinegar with five parts warm water in a

large bucket.

The precise amounts you need will largely depend on how much you need to

clean. This solution is meant for clothes, blankets, towels, and other removable

fabrics that can be washed in a washing machine.

Note that some synthetic fabrics and delicate fabrics may not hold up well when

exposed to acidic vinegar.

Dunk contaminated fabrics into the solution. Dip your contaminated clothes

and other fabrics into the diluted vinegar. Let them soak for two to three hours.

For best results, use your hands to gently scrub the fabric for several minutes

after dipping it into the vinegar solution. Doing so works the vinegar in between

the fibers of the fabric, allowing it to penetrate further and deodorize more of the

smell.

This treatment is most effective when performed within one or two hours of

contamination.

Finish washing the fabrics in a washing machine. After removing your fabrics

from the vinegar solution, wash them in a standard warm wash cycle.

For extra deodorizing power, add 1/2 cup (125 ml) baking soda to the washing

machine at the beginning of the wash.

If possible, air dry in sun and fresh air instead of drying in the dryer.

Place bowls of vinegar around the house. If you cannot pinpoint the exact

source of the smell, fill small bowls with a little white vinegar and place them

around the house.

Focus on the worst smelling rooms of the house, since the source of the stench

most likely originates there.

If you have pets or small children, you may want to consider putting the vinegarhigh up on shelves to prevent them from ingesting it.

The vinegar should absorb much of the smell after 24 hours. In most cases, the

smell of vinegar should not be too potent, either.

Method 3 of 4: Vinegar


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Dilute bleach with water.[4] Combine 1 cup (250 ml) bleach with 1 gallon (4 liters)

warm water in an open container.

When working with bleach, it is best to avoid using other chemicals or cleaners,

since many will have a chemical reaction with the bleach that may produce a

toxic gas.

It is also wise to keep the room well-ventilated by opening windows and doors.

Do not work with bleach in a closed room.

Scrub hard surfaces with this solution. Dip a scrubbing brush into the bleach

and use it to wash kitchen floors, counters, car tires, decks, or other contaminated

hard surfaces.

Do not use this solution on carpets, upholstery, or other fabrics since bleach is

likely to stain fabrics.

Avoid using this solution on clothes. You can add bleach to whites, according to

label directions, but darker colors should not be bleached.

If you do not have a scrubbing brush, you could also use a clean rag orabrasive sponge.

To protect your hands, you may want to wear rubber cleaning gloves as you

work with the bleach solution.

Rinse and repeat as needed. Wash off the bleach with warm water. Repeat the

process as necessary in order to remove the smell.

Wipe bleached surfaces with a clean water-soaked rag or mop.

Dry with a clean, dry cloth after finishing.

Skunk Odor RemoverRemove odor from pets, people, and all areas wherethe skunk hit.

Method 4 of 4: Bleach


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If all else fails, get professional help. Take smelly clothes, blankets, and

other removable fabrics to a professional dry cleaner and ask them to

get the skunk smell out. If the odor has gotten into your carpet, hire a

professional steam-cleaning carpet cleaner to give your home a good

scrubbing. Similarly, if your pet was sprayed by a skunk, take it to aprofessional pet groomer.

You could try giving contaminated pets and people the classic tomato

juice bath, but the tomato smell only masks the skunk odor instead of

neutralizing it.[5]

Electric fans

Air filters

We could really use your help!

Tips

Things You'll Need

Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No


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Carpet shampoo

Wet vacuum or steam cleaner

Air deodorizers

3 percent hydrogen peroxide

Baking soda

Dish or laundry detergent

Water

Large bucket or container

Washing machine

White vinegar

Bleach

Scrubbing brush or sponge

Rag or washcloth

Rubber gloves

! http://www.getsmellout.com/how-to-get-skunk-smell-out-of-clothes/ 1.

! http://thehousingforum.com/how-to-get-rid-of-skunk-smell/ 2.

! http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/2009/03/getting-rid-of-skunk-

smell.html

3.

! http://www.mvmagazine.com/article.php?248954.

! http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/how-to-get-skunk-smell-

off-dog.htm

5.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 541,352 times.

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4 Ways to Get Skunk Smell Out of the House - WikiHow