1. How far can a skunk spray?
Up to 10 feet-15 feet
2. How long does it take for skunk odor to go away on its own?
If left untreated, the smell of a skunk can last anywhere from days, to two weeks, to a month (depending upon circumstances).
3. Why does skunk smell so bad?
The complex oily combination of sulfuric chemicals, called “thiols,” is what makes skunk musk smell so bad. Humans can smell skunk musk in parts per billion, whereas other odors like cigarette smoke, can only be detected in parts per million.
The scent of skunk musk is due to primarily these two thiols:
- 2-Butene-1-thiol (38-44%),
- 3-Methyl-1-butanethiol (18-26%)
Skunk musk also contains thioacetate derivatives of the following thiols (these derivatives turn into smelly thiols and become even more potent when mixed with water, thus giving skunk musk its incredible staying power, especially when an animal gets wet):
- 2-butenyl thioacetate (12-16%)
- 3-methylbutanyl thioacetate (2-3%)
- 2-quinolinemethyl thioacetate (4-11%)
A third compound found in skunk musk is an alkaloid:
- 2-methylquinoline (4-11%)
4. What are the effects of skunk spray?
Skunk musk can cause sneezing, nausea, vomiting, and drooling. It can also cause temporary blindness if a pet is sprayed in the eyes.
5. How far can skunk be smelled outdoors?
Downwind, skunk musk is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to 3.5 miles away.
6. How quickly can a skunk re-charge to spray again?
Skunks are reluctant to use this weapon, as they carry just enough material for about five or six uses (about 15 cc). After it has been exhausted it takes approximately 10 days to produce another supply.
7. Should I immediately wash my dog after being skunked?
NO – water negatively affects the thioacetates of skunk musk, making the oily substance resistant to being chemically neutralized by most current products on the market. Chemically neutralize FIRST; then if needed, shampoo to help rid the coat of residual oils (which are yellow in color).
8. Home remedy for partial neutralization of skunk musk (when commercial treatments are not available):
- 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
- ¼ cup baking soda
- Teaspoon of liquid detergent
SkunkAway® Spray & SkunkAway® Shampoo
(HOW THEY BOTH WORK)
Many pets, particularly dogs, all too often encounter skunks and are sprayed by the skunk. Furthermore, many people (hunters, campers, hikers) also encounter skunks in the woods and if not alert, may be sprayed by a skunk which may subsequently require a complete cleaning, if not disposal, of gear, and clothes worn at the time.
Anecdotal remedies such as washing or bathing in tomato juice have long since been proven ineffective.
Most products on the market today cannot “completely” alleviate the odor problem. This is because the odor is persistent and may remain noticeable, particularly in damp weather, and especially if the fur and hair of animals which have been sprayed gets wet again.
The pungent malodor of skunk spray is due to complex organic sulfur compounds produced in the animal’s musk glands. These pungent compounds contain divalent sulfur - which is the chemical moiety responsible for their odor.
SkunkAway® Spray presents a new and unique solution to this age-old problem. These odiferous compounds, known as osmogenes (chemical compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, mercaptan, thioether, isovaleric acid, amines and ammonia) are effectively controlled and chemically complexed with the Neutralization Factor found only in SkunkAway®.
This amazing compound, called Neutralization Factor-7™ (NF-7) is a novel approach to the dissolution of hypervalent compounds with pungent odors such as skunk musk. NF-7 delivers a unique fixating complex that traps and absorbs malodor causing substances and remains stable even if the treated substrate dries. Through a proprietary chain reaction, NF-7 disassembles these malodors and re-assembles them in a new odor-free matrix, eliminating the malodor entirely. NF-7 serves to cleave sulfur-carbon bonds and complex the remaining compounds with an electron-rich replacement. It’s electron swapping at its finest. This complex reaction can be referred to as Reductive Desulfonylation followed by Reductive Elimination. This one-two reaction is the replacement of an unpleasant odor-causing sulfonyl group compound with a new stable non-odiferous result.
STEP #1 - SkunkAway® Spray with NF-7 is the only product of its kind developed to completely neutralize skunk odors...even after an animal gets wet again.
Highly concentrated odor neutralizer:
- Maximum active substance
- Biodegradable
- Non-microbiocidal
- Specific spectrum odor absorption
STEP #2 - Sulfur compounds, especially when oxidized, can leave discoloration on fur, some textiles, etc. SkunkAway® Shampoo removes discoloration as it contains an agent that forms a cohesive bond with the sulfides. Plus, it provides an additional level of assault on remaining odors not fully mitigated by use of the spray (i.e., areas not fully saturated by the spray).
For maximum effectiveness, first neutralize skunk odors by using SkunkAway Spray®, and then follow up by using SkunkAway® Shampoo.