# Skunk Odor **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunk-odor/154356 "2003-02-11T15:34:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RangerDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9e8a1a/32.png) [@RangerDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RangerDude)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunk-odor/154356/1 "2003-02-11T15:34:13Z")
What is the best way to rid your house of skunk odor? The skunk has been humanely trapped in a cage and released into the wild (far away from our house). We have aired out the house by opening all the windows. What is the best way to actually clean out the lingering odor? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunk-odor/154356/2 "2003-02-11T16:09:41Z")
From [Chemistry of Skunk Spray](http://www.humboldt.edu/~wfw2/chemofskunkspray.html): > [@](#): > > To get rid of the odor of skunk spray, it is necessary to change the thiols into compounds that have little or no odor. This can easily be done by oxidizing the thiols to sulfonic acids. Many oxidizing agents can effect this change. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) are mild enough to be used on pets although it may change their hair color. For inanimate objects sodium hypochlorite solutions (liquid laundry bleach) are cheap and effective. They give recipes [here](http://www.humboldt.edu/~wfw2/deodorize.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunk-odor/154356/3 "2003-02-11T17:05:02Z")
There’s a product called “Nature’s Miracle” which can be obtained at many pet supply stores. I used it to rid my last apartment of a severe attack of skunkitis not so long ago. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunk-odor/154356/4 "2003-02-11T17:23:39Z")
Plain old “Nature’s Miracle” is supposedly for urine and things like that (it’s great for housebreaking accidents) - they have a [special formula](http://www.petsmart.com/dog/shopping/clean_up/stain___odor_control/products/product_15692.shtml) just for skunk odor, but double check the label to make sure it’s not just an over-priced version of their regular product (much like “Excedrin”/“Excedrin Migraine”). ---
**Author:** ![RangerDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9e8a1a/32.png) [@RangerDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RangerDude)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunk-odor/154356/5 "2003-02-11T17:59:13Z")
Thank you for the advice. You’ve been most helpful. Well, I’m off to go do some shopping now.