A black bear in Caribou, Maine learned the hard way why skunks are best left alone after receiving a short blast of the famously foul smelling spray directly to the snout.
Skunks use their spray as a last resort and usually provide plenty of warning signs before unleashing the yellow oily liquid which is stored in two specialized anal glands (roughly 2 teaspoons of fluid). This skunk displayed all the telltale signs of an immanent spray including raising its tail, puffing up and charging.
The bear didn’t take the hint and was quickly sent running after suffering a direct hit with the spray that can induce intense eye irritation, temporary blindness, nausea, and vomiting in both humans and animals.
If you ever get sprayed by a skunk don’t panic, it’s obviously an uncomfortable situation but its only temporary. There are plenty of commercial grade deodorizers on the market but more often than not they are not available and home remedies are required. Chemist Paul Krebaum discovered a solution that can be concocted out of household products that changes the odorous thiols into odorless acids, thereby chemically neutralizing the skunk odor
The formula is:
- 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (fresh bottle),
- ¼ cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and
- 1-2 teaspoons of liquid dish soap.
Ingredients must be mixed in an open container and used immediately. Never mix the ingredients in advance because oxygen released from the solution may cause a closed container to explode. The solution can be used on people or pets; avoid splashing the product in the eyes or mouth. Allow the solution to remain in hair for five minutes before rinsing with water. Repeat as needed. Avoid using this solution directly on clothing as it may discolor the fabric. Add the mixture to the wash during the wash cycle to dilute it.
Never overlook the simple act of taking a shower and washing clothes to mitigate skunk odor. Time and air eventually will remove odors from items. Any cleaning fluid or household chlorine bleach also can be used to remove skunk odor from fabrics. Use these products in separate steps — not together. Test cleansers first on an inconspicuous portion of the fabric before applying to the entire fabric. Soap and water can be used to dissolve the oils in the skunk spray to help remove it from fabrics and other surfaces. Wash laundry items a second time, then hang dry, preferably outdoors. Do not put them in the clothes dryer. Be sure to follow any directions that are specific to washing a particular fabric.
For clothing that cannot be washed or dry-cleaned, such as shoes, suspend them outdoors, allowing fresh air to carry away the volatile thiols. The odor will decrease over time, provided the material is not re-exposed to skunk musk.
