You know when it happened. The smell hit before you even saw the dog. Or they were already inside, tail wagging, completely oblivious to the chaos they just caused.
This is a time-sensitive situation. The decisions you make in the next 30 minutes will determine whether you're dealing with this for a few hours or a few weeks. Here's exactly what to do, in order.
Step 1: Contain the Dog
If your dog is still outside, keep them there. Every surface they touch indoors will absorb skunk oil. If they're already inside, calmly guide them to a contained area with easy-to-clean floors (bathroom, laundry room, kitchen) and close the doors behind you.
Step 2: Check Where the Spray Hit
Skunks aim for the face. Common zones: muzzle, chest, neck, and shoulders. Knowing the concentration areas helps you target the bath treatment. If your dog was sprayed near the eyes, rinse them gently with clean lukewarm water before anything else.
Step 3: Gather Supplies Before You Start
Don't begin the bath and then need to leave the room. Collect everything first:
- Stink Solution Skunk Odor Eliminator Kit (Bath Booster + Finishing Spray)
- Your dog's regular shampoo
- Old towels
- Clothes you don't mind getting smelly
Step 4: Run the Bath and Add the Bath Booster
Fill the tub with warm water and add half the bottle of Bath Booster before bringing your dog in. Bathe as normal with their shampoo while OAM Technology works through the coat by identifying, bonding to, absorbing, breaking down, and fully eliminating skunk odor molecules. Focus extra time on the direct spray zones.
Step 5: Apply the Finishing Spray
Towel-dry your dog and lightly mist their entire coat with the 16 oz Skunk Odor Eliminator Spray. Let it dry naturally. This catches any remaining odor and protects against the smell creeping back as the fur dries.
Step 6: Treat Every Surface Your Dog Touched
Think through the path from door to bath: carpet, furniture, your clothing, the car if applicable. Use the Finishing Spray on all of it. Safe on carpet, upholstery, hardwood, tile, and fabric. Spray and let air dry.
What NOT to Do
Tomato juice doesn't work. It overwhelms your nose temporarily, and when the tomato smell fades, the skunk is still there. The same goes for most DIY remedies. They reduce the smell briefly but never break down the odor at the source.
Don't let your dog air dry and hope for the best. The odor molecules need to be actively broken down. Fresh air just dilutes, it doesn't eliminate.
Don't use air fresheners indoors. Adding competing scents to a skunked space usually makes the experience worse, not better.
Be Ready Before It Happens Again
The best time to have the Stink Solution Skunk Odor Eliminator Kit is before you need it. If it's happened once, there's a real chance it'll happen again.
Shop the Skunk Odor Eliminator Kit →
The combo kit includes the 16 oz Bath Booster and 16 oz Finishing Spray. It has everything you need for your dog, your home, and every surface in between.