# Sprayed by a skunk



## Vernon_VA (Jan 18, 2021)

Anyone here ever been sprayed by a skunk? How long ago did it happen, and how did you get skunked? How'd you deal with the smell, and how long until you didn't stink anymore?


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## Pinky (Jan 18, 2021)

I never got sprayed - but my dog did. We washed him down with a can of tomato juice. It worked quite well. However, the skunky smell didn't leave his leather collar. We had to buy him a new one.


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## win231 (Jan 18, 2021)

I never have but a few years ago, I took my Yellow Lab outside & he immediately ran into the yard & I heard a commotion.  It was at night & I always take a powerful flashlight with me but I didn't see anything.  When my dog came back, he smelled terrible - like burned rice.  He ran into the laundry room & rubbed his nose & face on a spare bed, then he ran upstairs & rubbed his face on some of my shoes; of course I couldn't stop him.
I threw the bed, frame & headboard away, along with 3 pairs of shoes.  I looked online & found a remedy that worked for him - washing him 3 times with a mixture of peroxide, baking soda & Dish soap.


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 22, 2021)

Figured I'd comment on this again so other folks can see the question. Anyone else here ever been sprayed by a skunk?


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## Ruthanne (Apr 22, 2021)

Yes, when I was a teen, stunk to high hell.  I can't recall how I deskunked myself, though.


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## Ceege (Apr 22, 2021)

What Really Works to Get Rid of Skunk Odor​What has been proven to work, according to a variety of sources, is a home concoction developed by Paul Krebaum and published Chemical & Engineering News back in 1993:

1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon liquid detergent

Mix in a large, open container and use immediately. According to the Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, it can be safely used on people, pets, clothing, and furniture.

Warning​The mix cannot be covered or stored because it can explode a closed container. To get rid of the leftover solution, dilute it heavily with water, and pour down the drain.

https://www.thespruce.com/getting-rid-of-skunk-odor-2656337


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## Pepper (Apr 22, 2021)

Vernon_VA said:


> Anyone else here ever been sprayed by a skunk?


Why must you know, Vernon?


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## Don M. (Apr 22, 2021)

I nearly ran over a skunk with my tractor, a few years ago.  He "doused" the tractor bucket with a full load of his "perfume"....and it stunk so bad that I went back to the house and washed the tractor off with the garden hose, before I put it back in the shed.  However, the next day when I went to the shed, the smell was awful as soon as I opened the door.  I wound up mixing a bunch of soap and bleach into my pressure sprayer, and soaked the tractor with that, and let it set outdoors the rest of the day.....and left the windows open in the shed overnight, and that finally got rid of the stink. 

Out here, in this rural area, it's not unusual to drive over/near a skunk that has become "roadkill".  Invariably, the stink enters the car/truck, and we have to open the windows and turn on the fan for a 1/2 mile, or so, to get the odor out of the vehicle.


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 22, 2021)

Ruthanne said:


> Yes, when I was a teen, stunk to high hell.  I can't recall how I deskunked myself, though.


How'd you end up getting skunked?


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 22, 2021)

Don M. said:


> I nearly ran over a skunk with my tractor, a few years ago.  He "doused" the tractor bucket with a full load of his "perfume"....and it stunk so bad that I went back to the house and washed the tractor off with the garden hose, before I put it back in the shed.  However, the next day when I went to the shed, the smell was awful as soon as I opened the door.  I wound up mixing a bunch of soap and bleach into my pressure sprayer, and soaked the tractor with that, and let it set outdoors the rest of the day.....and left the windows open in the shed overnight, and that finally got rid of the stink.
> 
> Out here, in this rural area, it's not unusual to drive over/near a skunk that has become "roadkill".  Invariably, the stink enters the car/truck, and we have to open the windows and turn on the fan for a 1/2 mile, or so, to get the odor out of the vehicle.


It's a hell of a task deodorizing anything that's been skunked, including vehicles. Do you know anyone who's been skunked?


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## Timetrvlr (Apr 23, 2021)

Yes. Twice. I grew up on a farm. We had chickens and occasionally a skunk would raid the henhouse at night leaving several dead chickens.  My dad encouraged me to kill any skunk I found. I shot one and for some reason decided to bring my trophy home to show off (I was twelve). I threw it over the fence and when it hit the ground, an explosive squirt of yellow hit me in the face. Boy does that stuff burn the eyes! It also stinks!

As a teen, I had my own car and was joyriding one evening with my buddies on rural roads. I accidentally hit a skunk but it was only badly injured. I decided to dispatch it with a stomp to the head. Apparently, I miscalculated and stomped his abdomen and got squirted again! The guys insisted I ride on the fender of my own car as each was dropped off at his home. I wasn't very popular at school for a while.


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## SetWave (Apr 23, 2021)




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## Chet (Apr 23, 2021)

I know it's spring when I smell road killed skunks.


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## Llynn (Apr 23, 2021)

Considering where I grew up, it's amazing that I was never sprayed. I saw skunks frequently while walking in the woods and  It was common to smell the critters around the house as they made their way to check out our chicken pen. My poor boyhood mutt never learned not to mess with them. The tomato juice bath was the kid wisdom fix for stinky dogs so that was what Cubby endured after each encounter.


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## PamfromTx (Apr 23, 2021)

Uggghhh, that smell is horrendous.   Never have been sprayed but have been near one because of the smell.  Tomato juice is a good bath, I hear.


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## SetWave (Apr 23, 2021)

PamfromTx said:


> Uggghhh, that smell is horrendous.   Never have been sprayed but have been near one because of the smell.  Tomato juice is a good bath, I hear.


Actually, from a distance . . . I mean far far away . . . it smells like the great outdoors. Guess it's all in the association.
Many people complain about the smell of low tide but to me it means home in hollow waves across the reef.


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## Murrmurr (Apr 23, 2021)

I've been skunked. I was 7, or around there, and came across one while playing around the hay barn late in the evening. Mom washed me down on the back porch with a scrub brush and some home made tomato sauce, and I had to sit naked and freezing, covered with sauce, for like 10 minutes or so before she rinsed me off with the garden hose. brrr!

You can bet I stayed more aware of my surroundings after that experience.


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## RadishRose (Apr 23, 2021)

My dog. She ran at the sliding screen knocking it down, ran out and got it full blast.  Smelled up the whole house, carpets, everything. UGH!

Tomato soup helped but minty toothpaste was better. Then I picked up a commercial de-skunker.

It took several weeks before the house smelled normal again, maybe a month.


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 25, 2021)

Timetrvlr said:


> Yes. Twice. I grew up on a farm. We had chickens and occasionally a skunk would raid the henhouse at night leaving several dead chickens.  My dad encouraged me to kill any skunk I found. I shot one and for some reason decided to bring my trophy home to show off (I was twelve). I threw it over the fence and when it hit the ground, an explosive squirt of yellow hit me in the face. Boy does that stuff burn the eyes! It also stinks!
> 
> As a teen, I had my own car and was joyriding one evening with my buddies on rural roads. I accidentally hit a skunk but it was only badly injured. I decided to dispatch it with a stomp to the head. Apparently, I miscalculated and stomped his abdomen and got squirted again! The guys insisted I ride on the fender of my own car as each was dropped off at his home. I wasn't very popular at school for a while.


I remember seeing a while back that you mentioned on a post you got skunked twice. I'm sure your dad must have been thrilled you took his advice in the chicken coop. You use tomato juice to wash off?


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 25, 2021)

Llynn said:


> Considering where I grew up, it's amazing that I was never sprayed. I saw skunks frequently while walking in the woods and  It was common to smell the critters around the house as they made their way to check out our chicken pen. My poor boyhood mutt never learned not to mess with them. The tomato juice bath was the kid wisdom fix for stinky dogs so that was what Cubby endured after each encounter.


Tomato juice seems to be the classic fix, though I heard it doesn't help much.


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 25, 2021)

SetWave said:


> Actually, from a distance . . . I mean far far away . . . it smells like the great outdoors. Guess it's all in the association.
> Many people complain about the smell of low tide but to me it means home in hollow waves across the reef.


I agree. I love the smell of skunk from afar. Haven't been "lucky" enough to smell it up close, let alone get sprayed.


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 25, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I've been skunked. I was 7, or around there, and came across one while playing around the hay barn late in the evening. Mom washed me down on the back porch with a scrub brush and some home made tomato sauce, and I had to sit naked and freezing, covered with sauce, for like 10 minutes or so before she rinsed me off with the garden hose. brrr!
> 
> You can bet I stayed more aware of my surroundings after that experience.


I'm sure your mom was thrilled. How many scrubbings until you didn't smell like skunk?


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## Murrmurr (Apr 25, 2021)

Vernon_VA said:


> I'm sure your mom was thrilled. How many scrubbings until you didn't smell like skunk?


My presence in the house was well tolerated after I had a bubble bath that evening. Well, I don't remember anyone holding their nose after that but maybe they were sacrificing their senses for the sake of my 7 y/o sensitivities. Or maybe they held their breath every time I walked past.

Probably the key thing is that it wasn't a direct hit. The stinker was a good 7 or 8 feet away and I instinctively started running soon as I saw its tail get all bushed out, like an angry cat will do.


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## cdestroyer (Apr 25, 2021)

I thought I had posted my experience somewhere here but I will tell it again.....We lived on a small ranch in montana. Mom wanted a skunk for a pet, some people had them back then. So out us boys went looking for a small skunk to take to the vet and have descented. I thought why waste the time waiting until they grow up, lets catch a big one. So I did. Had it in a box on top of the station wagon ready to go to the vets. I was teasing it, jump up yell boo and jump down. Do it again. Jump up and yell boo and jump down. Do it again, only this time I miss timed it and the skunk hit me square in the face. That was the most awfull tasting stuff I have ever had. Mom made me strip down in the yard and scrub down with tomato juice, burn my clothes and I lived in the barn for two weeks while the smell dissapated.


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## Vernon_VA (Apr 25, 2021)

cdestroyer said:


> I thought I had posted my experience somewhere here but I will tell it again.....We lived on a small ranch in montana. Mom wanted a skunk for a pet, some people had them back then. So out us boys went looking for a small skunk to take to the vet and have descented. I thought why waste the time waiting until they grow up, lets catch a big one. So I did. Had it in a box on top of the station wagon ready to go to the vets. I was teasing it, jump up yell boo and jump down. Do it again. Jump up and yell boo and jump down. Do it again, only this time I miss timed it and the skunk hit me square in the face. That was the most awfull tasting stuff I have ever had. Mom made me strip down in the yard and scrub down with tomato juice, burn my clothes and I lived in the barn for two weeks while the smell dissapated.


Wow, two weeks? You must have really gotten blasted.


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## PamfromTx (Apr 26, 2021)




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## Vernon_VA (May 7, 2021)

PamfromTx said:


> View attachment 161910


I always thought Flower was cute.


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## Keesha (May 7, 2021)

cdestroyer said:


> I thought I had posted my experience somewhere here but I will tell it again.....We lived on a small ranch in montana. Mom wanted a skunk for a pet, some people had them back then. So out us boys went looking for a small skunk to take to the vet and have descented. I thought why waste the time waiting until they grow up, lets catch a big one. So I did. Had it in a box on top of the station wagon ready to go to the vets. I was teasing it, jump up yell boo and jump down. Do it again. Jump up and yell boo and jump down. Do it again, only this time I miss timed it and the skunk hit me square in the face. That was the most awfull tasting stuff I have ever had. Mom made me strip down in the yard and scrub down with tomato juice, burn my clothes and I lived in the barn for two weeks while the smell dissapated.


I’m on the skunks side.


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## Vernon_VA (Aug 14, 2021)

Figured it was time to revive this. Anyone here been sprayed by a skunk?


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## Judycat (Aug 15, 2021)

My dog was sprayed and came in the house rubbing his face. Yes it was very strong but I gave the dog a bath and the smell dissipated by morning. I never smelled strong skunk odor before and thought it smelled similar to garlic.


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## Vernon_VA (Aug 16, 2021)

Judycat said:


> My dog was sprayed and came in the house rubbing his face. Yes it was very strong but I gave the dog a bath and the smell dissipated by morning. I never smelled strong skunk odor before and thought it smelled similar to garlic.


Ah, poor pup.


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## chrislind2 (Aug 16, 2021)

My daughters fiancé killed a skunk near their chicken pens that was caught in a trap. He was lucky I guess not to get any of it on him, but his property smelled for many days. A bad thing to deal with for sure.


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## Vernon_VA (Nov 7, 2021)

Anymore folks here ever been skunked?


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## MrPants (Nov 7, 2021)

Had a cat that got a direct hit to the face once. It almost killed him because even though you can pretty much mute the smell on it's body, that stink in his nasal passages prevented him from eating or drinking for almost 4 days. Another day or 2 and he wouldn't have made it. 

I think any person running across a skunk normally would be cautious as not to make any threatening movements toward the skunk. Skunks only spray as a last resort. I once read somewhere that it is actually quite painful for them to 'spray' so they are not keen on doing it unless they feel very threatened.


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## Paco Dennis (Nov 8, 2021)

I was hunting Pheasant in a maze field in Kansas with a friend and his bird dog, when the dog stopped and pointed. We got close and then flushed out a SKUNK that sprayed the dog directly and we got smelled on too. LOL


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## timoc (Nov 8, 2021)

*Y'know*, some people are not very nice. 
On numerous occasions I've been accused of being a skunk when I've gotten out of some people's chairs.


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## timoc (Nov 8, 2021)

*And....*

Some of our well traveled members may have visited caves belonging to my ancestors. 
On the walls are pictures showing female inhabitants with pomegranates pushed up their nostrils, for what purpose I don't know.
The pictures also show purple and green hazy clouds emminating from the cave entrances.


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## Shalimar (Nov 8, 2021)

Timetrvlr said:


> Yes. Twice. I grew up on a farm. We had chickens and occasionally a skunk would raid the henhouse at night leaving several dead chickens.  My dad encouraged me to kill any skunk I found. I shot one and for some reason decided to bring my trophy home to show off (I was twelve). I threw it over the fence and when it hit the ground, an explosive squirt of yellow hit me in the face. Boy does that stuff burn the eyes! It also stinks!
> 
> As a teen, I had my own car and was joyriding one evening with my buddies on rural roads. I accidentally hit a skunk but it was only badly injured. I decided to dispatch it with a stomp to the head. Apparently, I miscalculated and stomped his abdomen and got squirted again! The guys insisted I ride on the fender of my own car as each was dropped off at his home. I wasn't very popular at school for a while.


I hope you dispatched the poor skunk.


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## squatting dog (Nov 15, 2021)

I often wondered what it would be like to live on this road.    
Skunks Misery Rd, Locust Valley, NY 11560


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## Remy (Nov 16, 2021)

Poor little skunks. I've seen a couple (could have been the same one) behind my work place when I feed the feral cats. They just scamper off. There are skunks, possum and racoons in the gulch.


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## Vernon_VA (Nov 18, 2021)

Paco Dennis said:


> I was hunting Pheasant in a maze field in Kansas with a friend and his bird dog, when the dog stopped and pointed. We got close and then flushed out a SKUNK that sprayed the dog directly and we got smelled on too. LOL


Did you and the dog have to share a tomato juice bath?


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## squatting dog (Nov 18, 2021)




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## Paco Dennis (Nov 18, 2021)

Vernon_VA said:


> Did you and the dog have to share a tomato juice bath?


LOL. Never heard of that remedy. Sounds delectable though.


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## Vernon_VA (Nov 20, 2021)

Paco Dennis said:


> LOL. Never heard of that remedy. Sounds delectable though.


That's the remedy I've always heard to use when you get sprayed by a skunk, but it doesn't work. At least not well.


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## Vernon_VA (Mar 13, 2022)

Been a while. Anyone else ever been skunked?


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## Vernon_VA (Jun 25, 2022)

Figured I'd revive this. Anyone been skunked before?


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