Have you ever smelled the awful odor of rotten eggs? What about the spray from a skunk? They are pretty similar and equally as offensive. No one wants to be anywhere near a skunk when it lets off its defensive odor or “skunk spray.”
Skunks spray when they are feeling threatened. Naturally, to do the job, the scent must deter all living creatures. Skunk spray smells so horrid because it is a combination of chemicals containing sulfur. The anal glands of a skunk release the nauseating odor, and all nearby creatures run!
Not to mention, skunks carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans and pets too. That is why it is so important to keep them from getting into your home. If they do invade your yard or house, call a professional wildlife removal company quickly!
Removing Skunk Spray Smell from Your Home
Skunk spray seeps into clothes, skin, and fur, lasting for weeks. Researchers have proved the odor can last 14 to 21 days when left untreated. What’s more, the longer you leave the spray on the clothes, the harder it will be to get rid of the smell.
If a skunk gets into your home, their odor will drive you and your family out. Removing the pungent smell should be your top priority. Here are some of the ways you can remove the smell of skunk from your home.
1. Determine Where the Skunk Odor is Coming From. The first step is to find the odor’s source or where the scent is most potent. This task can be challenging since a skunk’s odor quickly spreads to the fabrics of your home. Once you find the spot of initial spray, take all steps to clean it up and then proceed to the other home areas.
2. Take your Pets and Their Bedding Outside. Unfortunately, if the skunk has sprayed your pet, you’ll need to move your furry family member outside to stop the spread of the odor. Then wash your pet and its bedding thoroughly. If the skunk has run away, keep your pet contained and outdoors until the smell is completely gone. Sadly, this process can take several hours, but your pet will be thankful to get rid of the terrible smell.
3. Open the Windows. Opening all of the windows in your home and keeping them open as long as you can is a must. Open the interior door to the garage as well, which will still circulate fresh air from outside to the inside of your home. The fresh air will be a welcomed inconvenience even if it is too hot or cold out to normally open windows. Once the scent is gone, you can close them back up.
4. Ceiling Fans and Ceiling Vents Help. Opening the vents in bathrooms and turning on ceiling fans will help circulate the fresh air coming in through the open windows. This way, you are one step closer to getting rid of the odor.
5. Wash Clothes that Have Skunk Spray. The temptation is to take off the clothes and run from the laundry room. Remember that the odor will spread to other fabrics in the room. Therefore, you will want to take the extra minute, while holding your breath, to place the items in the washer and get it started.
6. Clean Upholstery and Carpets. Cleaning the sections of your carpet and upholstery, which have been affected by the skunk spray, is one step closer to eradicating the odor. Smell these items (you’ll be doing much sniffing) to determine if they need cleaning or not. The smell can spread quickly from your carpet and drapes, to furniture and onto your sweet pets. Do you know where the skunk got in or ran out? Wash all those areas as well.
7. Replace Air Filters. Skunk odor can transfer through your Heating and Air Conditioning ductwork, so it is essential to put in new filters to catch the scent. Once the smell is gone, you may want to replace them once more, just to be sure.
8. Try Air Deodorizers- After your carpets, upholstery, and pets are all clean, and a new air filter is in your HVAC system, there is one more step. Hopefully, an air deodorizer will rid your home of the remaining horrid odor.
If you are familiar with a skunk’s odor in or around your home, you may need to hire a professional wildlife removal company to remove the pest. Besides, the skunk or skunk family may be living in your attic, crawl space, under a porch, shed, or deck. You don’t want to go searching for fear of being sprayed. Let the experts do that part for you.
Covenant Wildlife Removes Skunk Spray Smell
The friendly staff at Covenant Wildlife is happy to be your local choice for wildlife removal, even if that means removing a skunk. We use healthy, safe, and effective products to remove the odor for you. Once you have tried all you can, call our expert technicians out to remove the skunks and finish the job of eliminating any remaining odor for good.
To receive a free inspection of your home or yard, contact Covenant Wildlife Removal today.
