How To Remove The Lingering Smell of Skunk and Fear
1 quart hydrogen peroxide.
¼ cup baking soda.
2 teaspoons liquid dishwashing soap.
This is a homemade solution for getting rid of skunk smell. Ask me why I know.
Our rust-colored mutt, Mollie, was very timid when we first purchased our cabin in northern Arizona in 2019, jumping at every bump in the night and staying glued to our ankles when we ventured outside. Somewhere in her rescue dog brain remained memories of being abandoned as a puppy that caused her to be cautious in new surroundings.
After two years, the circle she explored around the cabin had gotten wider, as she protected us from marauding stellar jays, gray squirrels, and rock chipmunks. Queen of her domain, Mollie had discovered her best life.
Occasionally, Mollie went on high alert after the sun went down, wanting to investigate a noise in the middle of the night.
“It’s okay,” I reassured her, not wanting to leave my comfy blankets, but also not wanting to meet any nocturnal creatures. Who knew what could be out beyond the border of the porch light? A coyote? A porcupine? In the past, even mountain lions and black bears had been spotted in the area.
But during our last cabin stay, Mollie zipped out around my husband Kevin’s feet when he opened the door before dawn. Forgetting she was a 30-pound house dog, she raced like an experienced bloodhound around the cabin, after her quarry. Kevin heard a yelp and Mollie came racing back inside, followed with the lingering stench of skunk.
She didn’t take a direct hit, but she smelled odiferous enough that she got a cold bath outside at 4:30 in the morning, before she had a chance to roll on the carpet or rub against the furniture. The combo of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap proved a good solution for removing the unwanted smell.
The rest of the week, Mollie stayed close to my side, needing reassuring pets and back scratches. She didn’t venture far from the cabin and made no barking requests to go outside at 2 a.m. She had discovered her best life had a skunk in it.
Life Sometimes Has Skunks
Life isn’t perfect. Even in the best seasons, a stinking situation might be lurking around the corner, spraying all who get too close. We know this. We’ve experienced this.
Cancer. Divorce. Job loss. Relationship challenges. The details are different for each of us, but the lingering smell of fear is the same, tempting us to hunker down, shut the door, and take no further risks.
When we discover a skunk in our best life, our Heavenly Father is there with reassuring words and the comfort of His presence. He promises to be with us in our times of fear that cling to us like a nasty smell.
In Psalm 141:2 ESV, the psalmist writes, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
Prayer in times of fear is a proven stink remover.
Do you have something you need to pray about? Your Heavenly Father is listening.
This post was recently published in the SanTan Sun.