Things You'll Need
Gentle, grease cutting dish soap
Distilled white vinegar
Towels
Incomplete combustion occurs when wood burns at low temperatures, increasing the chance of creosote forming. Oily and black, creosote looks similar to soot and leaves unsightly residue on anything it comes in contact with. When an animal rubs against a surface that has creosote on it, the oily, black residue can transfer onto the animal’s fur, leaving difficult-to-remove stains and discolorations. You typically cannot remove the creosote from the animal’s fur with a normal washing.
Place the animal in a clean bathtub. Rinse the creosote-stained fur with warm water until damp.
Add two drops of a gentle, grease-cutting dish soap to your hands and rub them together until a lather forms.
Massage the lather gently into the animal’s fur. Continue in this manner for several seconds. Rinse the fur clean with warm water.
Pour distilled white vinegar directly on the fur if the creosote remains. Massage the vinegar gently into the stained fur for several seconds. Rinse the fur clean with warm water.
Repeat Steps 2-4 until you have removed all traces of the creosote from the animal's fur. Rinse the fur clean with warm water and gently dry the animal with a towel.
References
- Shannon L. Loomis, DVM; Audubon Animal Clinc; Bridgeport, West Virginia
Writer Bio
Amanda Flanigan began writing professionally in 2007. Flanigan has written for various publications, including WV Living and American Craft Council, and has published several eBooks on craft and garden-related subjects. Flanigan completed two writing courses at Pierpont Community and Technical College.
