Tips/Tricks for dealing with the side-effects of a nearby skunking?

September 16, 2007 5:37 PM

Barring nose plugs and closing windows, is there a way to eliminate the ambient skunk stench that's wafting into the house?

I'm guessing either a neighbourhood pet has run afoul of a skunk or a skunk has run afoul of a car/truck nearby. Whichever the case may be, the eye-watering reek is finding its way in.

Removing the window fans for the sake of this temporary gas attack doesn't seem worthwhile, since it will dissipate in a couple hours or so. However, this happens a few times every summer and fall, so any workable tricks would be appreciated.

posted by CKmtl to home & garden (9 comments total)

Only a few times each season?

I was actually thinking of posting something very similar because we deal with skunk stench a couple times a week. Seriously, it is so frequent we don't even wake up from it any more. We know the local skunk frequents the garden two doors down. We also know the skunk is not spraying any neighborhood dogs or cats. When I've been camping and had skunks nosing about the campfire just a few feet from us, I swear they didn't stink like this local skunk. Has he sprung a leak?

No one in our neighborhood wants to trap and relocate the skunk. We don't even know how big the local skunk population is. Without doing anything to the skunk, I think you and I are in the same boat of just having to get used to the stink. You will. Honestly, I'd rather deal with skunk stink than the smells that come from my dog some days.
posted by onhazier at 5:59 PM on September 16, 2007

spray some lysol and go see a movie. there's not much you can do. if it happens often, you might call animal control to see what they recommend in terms of repellants and/or traps, but i wouldn't get your hopes up.
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:20 PM on September 16, 2007

If you have a crawlspace under your house, make sure it's secure enough not to be used as a skunk den. If they start living down there, the stench will linger even if you get rid of them.
posted by BrotherCaine at 7:34 PM on September 16, 2007

If you can find the source of the smell, pour some hydrogen peroxide on it. Some sources recommend mixing baking soda with the peroxide, but that will instantly liberate all the oxygen. I am wondering if that soda just makes it look like it is working more as it foams. I am not sure which is better, pure peroxide or peroxide and soda, but peroxide is the key to killing skunk odor.
posted by caddis at 8:33 PM on September 16, 2007

am I the only with a weird affinity for the skunk smell?
posted by randomstriker at 12:42 AM on September 17, 2007

I actually find it somewhat pleasant, but apparently there's some chemical in it that's very unpleasant but not smellable by everyone. In my area, there is a forest preserve animal park which is brilliant at trapping skunks and other troublesome creatures and relocating them. You might contact city services and ask them.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:21 AM on September 17, 2007

@randomstriker: no
posted by lastobelus at 3:14 AM on September 17, 2007

If there is a point source for the smell, I'll nth the hydrogen peroxide as well (or Oxyclean mixed in water...). Although if it's in your neighbor's yard it may be hard to apply.

But if it's just a visitor wandering around your neighborhood, maybe turn on porch lights and bang some pans out your door to scare it away from your area whenever you smell it.

@randomstriker - I, too, never minded skunk smell until our dog was sprayed in our yard. The difference in "spray concentrate" and ambient skunk-ass-smell is huge. It was so concentrated it almost made me throw up while the dog got 8+ baths in oxyclean. Now skunk smell brings back bad memories - Post Traumatic Skunk Syndrome.
posted by JibberJabber at 8:57 AM on September 17, 2007

Distant skunk smell doesn't bother me at all. This was really concentrated, in a gagging and eye-watering sort of way. I was hoping someone would know a Good Housekeeping style magic air-purifying trick.

Ah well, was worth a shot.

caddis & JibberJabber - I'd be more afraid that a flashlight hunt for the stink epicenter would result in _me_ getting sprayed.

BrotherCaine - Yup, the crawlspace has been critter resistant so far, knock on wood. We've only had groundhogs occasionally try to set up house under one of the sheds.

onhazier - I guess I'll consider myself lucky that it's only an occasional thing.
posted by CKmtl at 2:31 PM on September 17, 2007