Skunks produce a foul-smelling liquid in their anal glands that they fire whenever they feel cornered or threatened. The spray is so pungent that even predators as large as bears tend to leave these furry creatures alone.
In a picture-perfect world, only animals that go after skunks ever get doused by the skunk's putrid spray. However, since the world we live in is not picture-perfect, let us take a moment to talk about what to do if a skunk sprays you or your pet.
Prevention
Skunks do not usually spray their fluids all the time. In fact, they put up several defense displays, from stamping their feet to hissing at potential threats. It takes them over a week to produce their fluid, and they can only fire six times before running out of fluid. This is why they reserve the spraying for the final act.
Humans can avoid a skunk's spray by calmly backing away when they encounter a restless skunk. On the other hand, pets are quite oblivious to the attack, which makes them susceptible to the skunk's spray. If a skunk sprays you or your pet, the next step involves finding a solution.
Cure
Most people believe that bathing in tomato juice will get rid of the skunk's foul odor. This is a myth, and you should treat it as such. In reality, the only reason people believe that bathing in tomato juice works is its effect on our sense of smell. When doused completely in tomato juice, the human nose no longer perceives the skunk's spray, but the tomato juice smell instead. Scientists call this olfactory fatigue.
So, what do I do if a skunk sprays my pet or family member? Well, it is actually quite simple. You can concoct a solution from the comfort of your home that can remove the skunk's smell from a pet or human.
Before we get into concocting this wonder solution, we should first mention that you should not store any extra solution inside a bottle or sealed container. Concoct only what you can use completely because any extra solution is capable of blowing up the bottle or sealed container.
Paul Krebaum of Lisle, Illinois, made the concoction, and the Chemical and Engineering News published it in 1993. The ingredients needed are:
· 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide.
· 1/4 cup baking soda.
· 1 teaspoon liquid detergent. You can use any liquid detergent. It generally does not matter the brand.
Pour the ingredients inside a bowl or bucket, stirring continuously to incorporate them. Once the solution appears fizzy, apply it to your pet or the person sprayed by the skunk. Knead the solution into the person's skin or your pet's fur while avoiding their eyes, mouth, and nose. Rinse thoroughly.
You may be wondering what makes this solution so effective. Well, the secret lies in the chemical composition of the skunk's smelly spray. The skunk's fluid is made of thiols, which are extremely odorous compounds. The concoction chemically alters the thiols by fusing oxygen molecules to it. This forms a new odorless substance that you then rinse off your body or pet's fur.
You should be cautious when wandering around places that skunks live in. As we all know, prevention is better than cure. It is better for a skunk not to spray you at all than to find a fix every time.
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