Best DIY Skunk Odor Removal
Here’s the good news! Not every cleanup job requires a professional service to come in – though we are happy to help where we can of course. One of those seemingly insurmountable jobs is removing the potent skunk odor from homes and pets. This time on The BIOClean blog, we’re going to tell you about DIY skunk odor removal!
How to Get Skunk Smell Out of the House
Skunks produce a heckuva smell and it can linger for days or even weeks. Here are a few tips to help you beat that smell fast and clear your home out.
Open Up
First open up all of your windows to let as much sun and air in. This will help two-fold. Circulating the air is a big help of course but also that sunlight that is allowed in can help oxidize the odors, shortening it’s lifespan.
Use Vinegar
Put bowls of white vinegar in each room for a few days. The vinegar will sit and absorb the skunk odor molecules floating about and neutralize it.
Boil Vinegar
You can speed up the process a bit through boiling vinegar. Put a pot of white vinegar on the stove and boil for an hour. Refill as it evaporates to prevent damage to the pot and of course don’t leave the stove unattended. The vinegar should neutralize the skunk smell. Your house might smell like vinegar for a bit, but that’s a lot better than skunk that’s for sure.
Wash It Out
Grab up any clothing, bedding, or fabrics that have the odor lingering. Toss them into the washing machine on the hottest setting. Add ½ cup of baking soda in addition to your normal detergent. Wash and repeat the wash cycle once more. Then air dry your laundry (outside if possible) instead of using the dryer. Using the dryer’s heat can seal the odor into the fabric.
Steam Clean Soft Surfaces – Bleach The Hard Ones
For any furniture or other soft surfaces you can’t launder, do a thorough steam cleaning to pull out and break apart the lingering odors.
For harder surfaces mix up a blend of bleach and water, 1:9 (1 part bleach to 9 parts water). Test on a small section first to be sure it doesn’t damage or discolor the surface and when all things are clear go for it.
Change the Filters
When everything has been handled, make sure you swap out your HVAC filters so you’re starting fresh.
How to Clear Your Yard of Skunk Smell
So if you or your pet got blasted by a skunk, the area of effect is much larger than you’d expect. Skunk spray can travel up to ten feet, settling into any porous surfaces that are present. Thankfully you can clean these too!
First, mix up a bleach mixture, 1 cup of bleach to a gallon of water. Working in small areas, using a sponge or cloth to wash the porous surface with the solution. Rinse each section with fresh water as you go to make sure it doesn’t sit for too long and damage the surface.
Do not use a pressure washer for this! Pressure washers can overspray and hit plants or other items with the bleach causing serious problems.
Follow these instructions and your home should get clear of that potent skunk smell and you can return to living comfortably. For worse scenarios or instances where the skunk odor has been had time to dig in, you can call The BIOClean Team to take care of business.