# Skunked!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381 "2006-02-07T13:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381/1 "2006-02-07T13:57:19Z")
Somehow, a misguided skunk entered our heating system and sprayed. The entire house is now uninhabitable. The odor has even saturated our clothes. How long does the odor last? Can it be effectively removed from the entire house? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381/2 "2006-02-07T14:01:06Z")
It is really hard to get rid of and it last for a long time. You may have a rather serious problem. However, my very large fury dog got sprayed by a skunk and then was so spooked that he ran in the house and ran all around when I opened the front door. The smell got in carpets and elesewhere. I got some anti-skunk smell spray from Pet-Smart, used it liberally, and it worked fairly well. I would suggest the same. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381/3 "2006-02-07T14:33:41Z")
Mythbusters found that peroxide and dishwashing liquid work as well or better than commercial de-skunking stuff. Good luck; IME with dogs, the smell stays around for a long, _long_ time. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381/4 "2006-02-07T14:44:41Z")
You’ll need to seriously spray everything absorbent with a good deskunker…the best place is probably a pet or farm supply store. Otherwise everything will smell for weeks. Speaking from experience, when one of my dogs chased a skunk inside the house. :eek: I got the skunk out safely, but both the house & dog reeked. Cleaning and using deskunking spray got the reek down to a dull roar. I imagine you’ll need to get your ductwork douched out though. I bet a duct cleaning company can handle it. It’s not that pricey. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381/5 "2006-02-07T17:02:14Z")
Wow. I’d move and sue the skunk for lowering your property value. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381/6 "2006-02-07T18:10:49Z")
I was going to do exactly that, but the skunk got a better lawyer then I could afford. I think it was professional courtesy. Sorry, I could not help myself. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skunked/343381/7 "2006-02-07T20:21:17Z")
Friend of a friend (sounds like UL setup, but I met the couple once)had a skunk enter house, presumably through the dog flap. Then the dog (hence the flap)apparently managed to corner the skunk in every room of the house. Insurance pretty much ended up replacing anything not made of metal…almost as bad as a fire.