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I apologize in advance if this is off-topic but I'm in need of some help and not sure who to ask. Our dog got blasted by a skunk and went inside the house. We've got the dog under control but the house still smells awful (I think some of the oil dripped on the floor).

Are there preferred/recommended techniques for getting rid of the smell in the house? Thankfully we have laminate floors instead of carpet but I'm concerned about the smell seeping into the walls and furniture. Do I need to get industrial degreasers? I've heard that a combination of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish detergent might help.

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  • I'd try one of the enzyme-based organic scent cancellers, available from pet stores or online under multiple brand names. I've found these effective against many organic odors, and they're nontoxic; they do have to be applied directly to the stink to be effective, though. (This is a more concentrated and less staining version of the old tomato juice technique, I believe.)
    – keshlam
    Commented Apr 9, 2016 at 3:52

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I have used that mixture with good success. Make sure to wipe down everything that the dog might have come in contact with, and I mean everything. Floors, walls, trim, doors, etc. You might need to repeat the procedure a few days later.

The skunk odor tends to linger quite a bit and you will find that it gradually reduces in intensity over time but is still evident. Anytime your dog gets wet you smell it, likely for months!

If it is really bad and does not go away you might opt to bring in a professional cleaning company who will have stronger chemicals to deal with it.

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  • Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. It seems like the mixture helped. From what I understand, it forms an alkaline peroxide that breaks down the oil. I'm also trying leaving bowls of vinegar out which seems to have helped (either that or at least distract the senses while cleaning).
    – Mike B
    Commented Jun 25, 2012 at 16:02
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    A lot of things will only mask the smell, while some others will eliminate it. My guess is that the vinegar just masks it.
    – Steven
    Commented Jun 25, 2012 at 16:22
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When a skunk on the porch sprayed our cat through the screen door - spraying straight into the house, we found a combination of things worked. The peroxide/dish soap mix on the cat and most surfaces worked fine.

On some surfaces, we needed something that could be left in place to really soak in. For those we used a skunk smell remover from the vet. It's made with the same enzymes that are in the stuff you can get from pet stores, but in a much stronger concentration. It took 2 treatments to really kill the last of the smell. We also used it on the leather seats of my car when my husband, who thought the cat had been sprayed, got into the car immediately after being sprayed himself.

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The combination of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish detergent did get rid of the skunk oil and smell when our dog rubbed his face and neck all over the laminate flooring after getting sprayed. Be aware, however, that the mixture (peroxide is a bleaching agent, remember) may take off enough of the laminate finish to lighten the flooring. Since I cleaned the floors late at night, I left the mixture on overnight - not good. Our laminate is a dark oiled finish with a wood grain and definitely some of that finish had a dark stain in it. I actually like the color better now, but the finish is duller. I did the entire room, so everything looks the same. I used Petsmart's Skunk remover on the lower cabinets the next day, and that didn't affect the finish at all.

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