Things You'll Need
soap
water
vinegar
carbolic soap
tomato juice
bucket
old rags and sponges
a large tub, drum or other outdoor water supply
Tips
You should stop after each step to see if the smell is gone. Many times it will not be necessary to continue through all of the steps to get rid of the smell.
If you still can not get rid of the smell, then you should consider going to an outdoor store and purchase a skunk removal soap or mixture.
Getting sprayed by a skunk is no fun at all. Not only is it not fun for you, but it isn't any fun for anyone around you either. It seems impossible to get the smell out of you and out of your clothing. The worst part is there are a whole lot of myths and stories about ways to get rid of the smell and it is hard to know which ones actually work and which ones are just old wives tales. Well, here is a method that will actually work, at least on your body. Your clothes might be ruined, though you could try and get them clean.
Take off the clothes that you are wearing to start with. The clothes can be saved by using some bleaches or other specialty detergents, but you might just be better off pitching them, especially if you are out camping. Otherwise the smell will stay around the campsite for the entire trip.
Fill a tub of some kind with water and get in. It is recommended that you do this outside if at all possible.
Clean yourself with regular soap first. Sometimes this is enough, especially if the skunk didn't get a very good spray on you. Other times it is just good to get dirt and other things off of you before you start the rest of the process.
Wash with carbolic soap. This soap will have smell that is similar to a “hospital smell” and should be able to be found at any pharmacy.
Fill a bucket with equal parts of water and vinegar. Use a rag and sponge to wash yourself with this mixture. Scrub hard, but not to the point of it being painful.
Pour tomato juice all over your body and begin to wash yourself with it. Again, you will need to scrub this into your skin as well.
Clean yourself off with regular soap one or two more times after this process. This is simply to remove all of the chemicals and odors that you used to neutralize the skunk smell.
Resources
Tips
- Check after each type of treatment to see if the smell is gone. Many times, it will not be necessary to continue through all the steps to get rid of the smell. If you still cannot get rid of the smell, then you should consider going to an outdoor store and purchasing a commercial skunk odor removal soap or mixture.
