How To Get A Skunk Smell Out Of Furniture And Clothes

When you've been sprayed by a skunk, admiration probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind, but you have to admit skunks have an amazing defense system. The oily substance they secrete to ward off predators is so potent that its scent can linger indefinitely on fabric. Hopefully, you weren't wearing your favorite outfit when you crossed paths with a skunk because getting skunk out of clothes and furniture can be a hit-or-miss process. Both DIY solutions and commercial products like skunk odor remover and skunk shampoo can be effective at neutralizing skunk smell on various surfaces, but fabrics can't always be saved.

Your best chance at getting the skunk smell out of clothes is to treat them with a neutralizing solution as quickly as possible after you've been sprayed. You don't want to leave skunked clothes to sit overnight before cleaning them. So while commercial products like skunk odor remover and skunk shampoo can be useful in dealing with the aftermath of a skunk incident, you need to buy them in advance.

That may not be the worst idea if you and/or your pets were sprayed in your yard; even as you work to get rid of skunks around your home, there's a possibility that they'll spray again before they move on. You might want to have skunk shampoo handy the next time your dog comes to the door smelling foul and looking embarrassed.

One effective DIY strategy for getting the skunk smell out of clothes uses something you probably already keep stocked in your bathroom: hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used as a disinfectant, but it will also neutralize the skunk smell. The biggest issue is that peroxide may bleach dark-colored fabrics. Always test peroxide on a small patch of fabric first and wait a few minutes to see if it causes bleaching.

The standard recipe for DIY skunk odor remover is 1 quart hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent or liquid dish soap. You can use this solution to neutralize the skunk smell on pet fur and clean hard surfaces. For example, if you have skunk odor coming through vents, cleaning the outsides of air units with the peroxide solution should help. Or, you can try spraying it on fabric and letting it sit for five or 10 minutes before rinsing. Alternately, add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide to a bucket of water and soak clothing in the diluted solution for about 30 minutes.

With delicate or dark-colored fabrics, distilled white vinegar can be a safer alternative to peroxide. Soak clothes in a solution of about one part vinegar to four parts water for a few hours. After pretreating clothes with either peroxide or vinegar, wash them according to label instructions with your regular detergent. Repeat the peroxide or vinegar treatment if the skunk smell lingers after clothes have been washed; don't put them in the dryer smelly or the odor will be permanently set.

The challenge with getting skunk smell out of fabric furniture is obvious: you can't soak your entire couch or armchair in hydrogen peroxide or vinegar. (Though you may be able to remove, soak, and wash cushion covers according to the care label, be sure to test peroxide on the fabric to check for colorfastness before soaking cushion covers in a peroxide solution.)

Using a handheld steam cleaner should help lift some of that funky skunk smell from couches and other furniture. Depending on its design, you may be able to use vinegar in your steam cleaner to boost its odor-fighting power. Leaving uncovered bowls of vinegar around smelly furniture for a few days may also help absorb some of the lingering stink.

If skunks have passed through your yard, your patio furniture may smell faintly of their spray. Most kinds of furniture that are designed for outdoor use are durable enough to be cleaned with bleach. Check with the manufacturer first if you're not sure.

Always dilute bleach according to the directions on the bottle as different products may have different strengths. If your bleach bottle doesn't have instructions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says to use a solution of 1/3 cup bleach for every 1 gallon of room temperature water. Wearing gloves and eye protection, use a sponge to scrub furniture with the bleach solution. Wait 10 minutes to give the bleach time to kill germs; then spray furniture clean with a hose.