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There are times when I just barely miss getting sprayed by a skunk (there are a lot of them in my area). I haven't actually gotten directly sprayed, but I would like to be ready in case that happens. I hear that taking a bath in tomato soup helps, but don't want to waste all that food if I can help it (especially if it doesn't work).

  1. If I have quick access to civilization, what's my best route of action?

  2. If I'm out in the middle of nowhere, how can I make it tolerable while I finish/abort my mission, and return to civilization?

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    I think step 1 is probably to swear profusely, no? – nhinkle Jan 21 '15 at 3:39
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    Not a huge issue in North Wales this... ;D – user2766 Jan 21 '15 at 8:39
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    @Liam, are there any issues with wildlife in North Wales? – ShemSeger Jan 21 '15 at 22:24
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    ha ha @ShemSeger, Cows are actually the biggest danger in the UK countryside! We successfully killed anything unpleasant or dangerous hundreds of years ago. – user2766 Jan 22 '15 at 11:40
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The magic skunk-smell-be-gone recipe:

In a plastic bucket, mix well the following ingredients:

  • 1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

  • 1/4 cup of baking soda

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons liquid soap

First thing you want to do is get as much of the skunk goo off of you as you can. Using paper towel, tissues, or a rag you can throw away, dab the spray off your skin. Rinsing with water does not work because the skunk spray is oil based.

  1. Go somewhere with a shower, get as much of the stuff off of you as you can with a rag/towel, shower (soap very well), then wash any areas that still smell using the H2O2 concoction. Note: H2O2 breaks down quick so use the stuff immediately after mixing.

  2. Breath through your mouth. Burn your clothes. But seriously... remove your affected clothes and put them in a plastic bag (to burn later-or wash). Remember that the spray is an oil, so washing in creek water will just spread it around and not necessarily wash it off, dab off as much as you can, wash up to the best of your abilities and then just deal with the smell. There really isn't much else you can do. If the smell is making you gag, put some sap on your lip, or pee into a rag and tie it around your face (it works for mustard gas...).

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    You say skunk spray is oil based. So I should try to find a grease-cutting soap for the recipe you posted, no? – J. Musser Jan 21 '15 at 3:02
  • Our dog stuck his head in a skunk hole this summer and got sprayed right up the nose, we used liquid dish soap and it worked brilliantly. – ShemSeger Jan 21 '15 at 14:37
  • Yea if it's oil based then I would think soap or dish washing soap should take it off – Huangism Jan 22 '15 at 16:19
  • @Huangism - It's not just oil, it's also got sulfur in it (organosulfur compounds—thiol–**nasty stuff*), plain soap just isn't enough to get the smell out, trust me. Even this recipe doesn't get it out 100%, you still get a hint of it for a while everytime you get wet. I can't even begin to describe how foul the smell is at full strength... I'd smelt skunks from a distance my entire life, but up close on my dogs face it was more foul than anything I could have ever imagined. If I got sprayed in the face by a skunk I would seriously consider rubbing poo on my lip to try and mask the odour. – ShemSeger Jan 22 '15 at 17:00
  • There's a reason why even hungry bears won't mess with skunks. – ShemSeger Jan 22 '15 at 17:00

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