Introduction
Having skunk odour in your home can be extremely unpleasant and embarrassing. Skunk spray has an incredibly pungent and lasting smell that can permeate walls, carpets, furniture and even clothes. Getting rid of skunk odour requires patience and persistence. This guide will provide tips on how to remove skunk smell from your home.
Identifying Skunk Odour
Skunk spray has a very distinctive scent that is impossible to miss. It smells like sulphur mixed with garlic and burnt rubber. The pungent odour is designed to ward off predators and can be detected even when highly diluted. Skunk smell is often described as unpleasant, overpowering and nauseating.
Here are some signs that indicate skunk odour in your home:
- An extremely foul, penetrating odour unlike any other
- The smell gets worse when windows are opened
- Odour seems to stick around and linger
- Smell is strongest in certain areas like entry points
If you notice these signs, you likely have a skunk odour problem that needs to be dealt with. The longer you wait, the worse it gets.
Finding the Source
Before removing skunk smell, it is important to find the source. This will help pinpoint which areas need the most work. Here are some ways to locate where the odour is originating from:
- Sniff around outside your home and see if you can locate a specific area with very strong skunk odour. This may indicate where the skunk sprayed.
- Check for obvious spray marks on walls, doors, vents or foundations.
- See if the smell gets noticeably stronger in certain rooms or areas inside the home.
- Look for dead giveaways like skunk feathers or bug spray cans tipped over by animals outside.
Once you’ve identified where the spray occurred, you can focus on treating those specific areas first when removing the odour.
Airing Out the House
One of the first steps is to thoroughly air out the affected rooms. This helps dissipate the smell and prevent it from setting into fabrics.
- Open all windows and doors to create cross breeze.
- Use window fans blowing outward to circulate fresh air in.
- Leave house airing out for several hours if possible.
- Repeat the process daily until smell dissipates.
Airing out helps cut down the pungency and pushes the odour outside. Make sure to shut all windows when not actively ventilating to keep smells from blowing back inside.
Neutralizing & Absorbing the Smell
There are special deodorizing products that can chemically neutralize and absorb foul skunk odour. These help destroy the sulphur compounds causing the stench.
Baking Soda
Sprinkling baking soda liberally in affected rooms can absorb and neutralize skunk smell. Let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming.
Vinegar
Wiping down walls, floors and other surfaces with white vinegar can help eliminate skunk odour. It cuts through the smell molecules.
Commercial Odour Removers
Products like OdorXit or Nature’s Miracle are specifically formulated to destroy skunk smell. Use per manufacturer instructions in spray bottles.
Air Purifiers & Ionizers
Running these appliances in smell-prone rooms can actively filter out and neutralize skunk odour over time. Models with carbon filters work best.
Repeated applications and continuous use is key for these odor removal solutions to fully neutralize skunk smell.
Washing Fabrics & Upholstery
Skunk smell can really stick to fabrics like clothes, curtains, cushions and carpets. Washing them helps eliminate embedded odours.
- Machine wash clothes and fabrics on hot cycle with heavy duty detergent. Adding borax also helps.
- For upholstery, spot clean affected areas with vinegar first. Then use carpet cleaner.
- Launder and dry clean coats, jackets and other unwashable smelly garments.
Washing and drying on high heat helps release the skunk smell from fabric fibres. Repeat washes may be needed for severe odours.
Sealing Off Affected Areas
If the source of the skunk odour is localized outside, seal it off to prevent smells from entering again.
- Use plastic sheeting and duct tape to cover vents, cracks and holes.
- Stuff steel wool into openings mice can get through.
- Caulk and seal bigger gaps around pipes or windows.
This forces the skunk smell outside rather than letting it filter back in. Continue sealing and caulking until all openings are covered.
Calling a Professional
For severe skunk odour that you cannot eliminate yourself, calling a professional may be needed.
They have commercial-grade deodorizers and ozone generators to fully neutralize skunk smell. Professionals can also disinfect and seal off hard-to-reach openings animals may be getting through.
Though pricier than DIY options, professionals have the best chance of fully eliminating persistent skunk odours. Get an estimate first and compare costs vs convenience.
Preventing Skunk Odour
Here are some tips to help prevent skunk spraying and odour in the future:
- Install motion sensor floodlights to scare away skunks.
- Use ammonia soaked rags around garden edges to deter skunks from entering.
- Close off crawl spaces and porches skunks could get under.
- Keep pet food inside and secure trash in sealed bins. Don’t attract skunks.
- Act quickly at the first signs of skunks around your property.
Being proactive makes your home less inviting to skunks and can help avoid dealing with their horrible spray again!
Conclusion
Dealing with skunk smell infiltration requires diligence and repetitive odour removal efforts. Thoroughly airing out rooms, washing smelly fabrics, using neutralizing cleaners and sealing up access points are key steps when removing skunk odour from a home. While it takes patience and work, you can get rid of even the worst skunk smell nuisance with the right knowledge and products.
