A skunk is not what I planned on writing about this week, but early Wednesday morning changed my mind. Since I have been retired, I find I’m getting up earlier in the morning than ever before. So Wednesday morning I got up at 3:30am and went to let Lily out our back door so that she could make her morning patrol around the backyard. As I opened the door she saw a shadowy figure lurking below our birdfeeder. She charged the feeder, but just as I turned on the backyard light, she did a 180 and turned tail and ran back inside. That shadowy figure turned out to be a skunk. 

When Lily was a pup and we lived in Swan Lake she had the misfortune to get sprayed by a skunk and since then she knows not to chase the “striped kitties”. Luckily she only received a glancing blow from the skunk, and when she ran back inside she went directly into the tub. We washed her down with Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover, as we always keep some in the house, and then shampooed her, so that she was good. 

My backyard however is another story. Skunks spray from two glands on each side of the anus under their tail, so if they are looking at you, you won’t get sprayed. It is when they turn and lift their tail, you want to run and run fast. Skunks can spray with great accuracy up to ten feet and once they spray you can smell the cloud up to three miles down wind. Skunk spray is a complex mixture of sulfur-containing organic compounds, primarily thiols, thioacetates, and other volatile chemicals. Breaking down skunk spray involves neutralizing or oxidizing its primary components, thiols and thioacetates, which are responsible for the persistent odor. A widely used hydrogen peroxide mixture for removing skunk smell consists of 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and two teaspoons Dawn dish soap. The hydrogen peroxide and baking soda oxidize thiols into less odorous sulfonic acids, while the soap helps emulsify the oily spray for removal. Apply to affected surfaces or pets, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Do not store this mixture, as it can release gas and explode in a closed container. Products like Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover or Skunk-Off use enzymes or oxidizing agents to break down thiols. These are formulated for safe use on pets, fabrics, or surfaces and often work similarly to the peroxide mixture. 

For my back patio, a bleach solution will help to break down the odor faster. A diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) can oxidize thiols on hard, non-porous surfaces like concrete or tile. However, bleach is too harsh for pets, fabrics, or skin and should be used cautiously. But for the rest of my backyard only time will get rid of that smell. Skunk spray naturally degrades over time as thioacetates break down into thiols and volatilize. Over time, sunlight will break down the odor, as UV light and oxygen slowly degrade the compounds. One thing you shouldn’t do is use tomato juice, as it only masks the odor temporarily and doesn’t break down the chemicals. Hopefully this little story will help you, if you find yourself in a pickle at 3:30 in the morning. Now that the summer is over and the camps and colonies are closing, skunks are traveling to find food to fatten up for the long winter hibernation ahead.