How to Eliminate Skunk Odor?

Help! This past winter we were invaded by a family of skunks. Six of these furry little unpleasant creatures were caught in traps and removed by wildlife professionals and relocated to the woods. We have not had another invasion to this point; however we have had an odor that has remained inside our home. Here we are, 8 months later and the one side of our home reeks of skunk Eau De perfume. The odor emanates from the side of the home where the skunks were captured. When the sun shines on that side of our home, on most days the smell begins. The smell is inside only, no odor outside. We have tried everything from charcoal, baking soda, perfumes, vinegar, and all to no avail. Sometimes the odor seems to come up through the bathroom sink. The only relief we are afforded is when we open the doors and let the air in. Heat, rain and air conditioning make the smell worse. There are no more skunks living outside and the smell is not a preferred fragrance of sweet florals, sandalwood and musk that we would certainly fancy. Any suggestions on how to remove this environmental odorant of stench, reek and stink?
- E & J, Williamson, Prescott Valley

As we all know, there have been many formulas passed down from generations about how to remove skunk odor, such as tomato juice and vinegar and burning your clothes. Skunk odor is very hard to remove and is difficult to neutralize. Skunks excrete a highly odiferous material; a yellow oil that is composed of thiols that are stored in the glands near the base of the tail of the skunk. Before starting the cleanup of the skunk oil, it is extremely important to make sure that the source (the skunk) has been relocated and in this case, the family seems to be vacationing in another mountain range. Your particular problem sounds as if the outside air may have blown in some of the “thiols” into the home and has permeated in some areas of the walls, flooring or even ceiling. A deep cleaning, which would include wiping down of the walls and cleaning the floors with an odor neutralizer that counteracts with the order is recommended. You can use a homemade version of this and that would be hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and liquid dish soap. A good mix would be one pint of hydrogen peroxide, a couple of teaspoons of any dish washing soap and one small box of baking soda. Mix all of this in one gallon of water. This particular mixture releases oxygen compounds that bond with the “thiols” and is an effective neutralizer. Keep in mind this mixture has a shelf life of about one hour. You can also put this mixture into a sprayer and spray the outside of your home as well. I would also recommend pouring this mixture down your sinks. If the smell does persist there are machines called “hydroxyl” which are safe and another effective use for the Eau De perfume smell of skunks. These machines are also effective for removal of smoke odor, killing viruses and mold.