You have probably heard that the best way to get rid of skunk odor is to wash your dog – or if you’re really unlucky, yourself – with tomato juice. This is an old wives' tale which does not work. The only thing worse than skunk odor on your dog is the combined smell of skunk and tomato juice! Here are some of the best ways to remove skunk odor from your dog.

Immediately wipe off your dog with paper towels to remove fluid that hasn’t soaked in yet. This will greatly reduce the effect of the skunk odor. You can use commercial products. They are by far the most effective way to get your dog smelling like a dog again. Using enzymes and microbes, they efficiently and naturally destroy the smelly bacteria that compose skunk odor.

Two effective products are Earths Balance - Skunk Free and Petastic - Skunk Odor Eliminator. You should consider having these on hand before your dog gets sprayed. Skunks are nocturnal animals, so it is likely that your dog will be sprayed at the most inopportune time, such as a chilly spring evening just as you are about to go to bed. These late night encounters mean that your local pet store which carries these products will probably be closed. If you are planning to use these products, do not use any other methods before or after application because they will interfere with the activity of the enzymes that remove skunk odor, causing them to be ineffective.

You can use Listerine or any other antiseptic mouthwash. Apply the mouth wash to the affected areas, let it soak for a few minutes and rinse. You can repeat this as necessary. It is very important to avoid getting this or any other commercial products in your dog’s eyes. It will sting badly. If your dog is sprayed in the face, which is very likely, use a washcloth or paper towel to carefully apply any cleaning solutions.

You can use a solution invented by Paul Krebaum, an Illinois chemist:

• 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide
• ¼ cup of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of dish soap

Combine the ingredients at the time of use. This solution works to remove skunk odor because of a chemical reaction initiated immediately upon combining the ingredients. If it sits for too long, it will become ineffective.

Apply the mixture to the affected areas, let it set for about five minutes and rinse. If you need to repeat the process, you must create a new solution, as the chemical reaction quickly expires. Avoid getting it into your pet’s eyes, nose and mouth.

Dealing with a dog that has been skunked is a miserable experience. No matter how horrible the skunk odor that emanates from your dog, keep in mind that he was only fulfilling an instinctual curiosity. Your dog is probably suffering from this encounter more than you are; being sprayed by a skunk, especially in the eyes, is very painful, not to mention that a dog’s sense of smell is much keener then that of humans.