A skunk hit. Whether it got your pet or a family member, you’re now tasked with clean-up duty, and it’s not going to be fun. Your first concern is no doubt this: How long does skunk odor last? It depends on how fast you act. 

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Here’s everything you need to know about how long skunk smell lingers and how to combat it.

The Skunk Spray Potion

This member of the weasel family has a musk gland near its anus used for courtship, mating, and protection. Spraying is a defense mechanism, either for protection or as a reaction to being startled by an unexpected loud sound, such as a loud foot stomp. Skunk spray is discharged as a mist or liquid stream, with incredible accuracy of up to almost four metres. Amber in colour, this oily concoction is made of methylquinoline, thiols, and thioacetate. Thiols unleash the stench, and thioacetate makes it linger. 

The skunk spray is particularly potent to the human nose due to our enhanced sensitivity to the sulfuric chemicals, specifically thiols, found in skunk odor. We can detect this smell as low as ten parts per billion, which is why even from great distances, many of us sniff out foul skunk odor. It’s so sensitive to humans that it’s used as an additive in natural gas to detect leaks. 

A skunk’s stripes are actually an indication of where the animal’s weapon is. They draw down the body, purposely pointing to the harm this critter can cause. Animal species that choose fight over flight are known for these kinds of markings. It highlights their distinct ability to infect potential enemies. 

You’ll know when a skunk is getting ready to spray. It starts by aiming its body towards the threat and does a little dance where it stamps its feet to let the other animal know it’s irritated. For the grand finale, it raises its tail and sprays its enemy.

Watch the Clock

Just how long does skunk odor last? Unfortunately, there’s no hard-and-fast answer regarding timing. The longer you wait to scrub the smell out, the harder it is to clean it from furniture, clothing, and yourself. 

The lasting effect of a skunk spray really depends on how fast you act or if you choose to let nature take its course. The quickness of your clean up and the lingering smell go hand in hand, so waiting to remove the stink just delays the process. 

A confined area can hold the smell for years, while naturally aired spaces take two to four months. Fortunately for homeowners, effective home remedies and store products exist to combat and dissolve the odor in a matter of hours.

The Clean Up

Readily available household ingredients do the trick to quickly neutralize and dissolve skunk odor. Don’t keep wondering just how long does skunk odor last. Use the tools you already have.

Baking soda, peroxide, and dish soap combine to form the foolproof neutralizing formula that can be applied to a variety of surfaces. This mix counteracts with the chemicals in the spray by altering the spray’s chemical makeup, which dissolves skunk odor. The soap degreases the oily nature of the liquid, while the other two ingredients combine to form an alkaline peroxide that turns the musk into an odorless sulfuric acid that washes away.

For clothes, furniture, and other cloth material, bleach and heavy-duty detergent also work. Be sure to wash fabric and clothing multiple times to get rid of every last smelly particle.

There’s no longer any reason to ask “how long does skunk odor last?” If the skunk sprayed close to home, you may want to consider wild animal removal services to eliminate the threat of being sprayed and dealing with this scenario all over again.

Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!

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