The science behind the smell of a skunk

Today’s Video of the Day from the American Chemical Society series Reactions explains why skunk spray smells so bad and what to do to eliminate the notoriously terrible odor.

While many people claim that a bath in tomato juice, oatmeal, or beer will get the job done, this is actually only masking the odor.

For dogs or other pets, a mixture of baking soda, baby shampoo, and hydrogen peroxide will do the trick. For humans, a shower with regular soap and shampoo should be sufficient to knock out the smell of a skunk.

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: American Chemical Society