Skunks are cute little critters, when viewed from afar (or, say, in pictures). But get too close under the wrong circumstances, and peeeyewww! It’s a fragrance no one wants to smell, including other skunks. These little guys can spray up to 10 feet, and we all know you can smell it from almost a mile away (literally).
That means your artificial turf is as vulnerable as everything else when skunks are doing their thing. Heavenly Greens offers numerous types of top-quality artificial grass, including odor-resistant products specially formulated for dogs. Nonetheless, when it comes to skunks, it may not matter whether you chose pet-specific artificial turf or another excellent type of faux grass for your lawn. Skunk smell is an extreme. Yuck.
If only you’d had a V-8
The time-honored method for getting rid of skunk smell is liberal application of tomato juice. But depending on the extent of your problem, your larder may not be stocked well enough. In that case, the following simple recipe from the Humane Society for de-skunking your dog should also work on your artificial turf.
Combine:
- 1 quart of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide (from any pharmacy or the grocery store)
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap
It’s worth a trip to the store to get the peroxide if you don’t have any on hand. But time is of the essence here, so you could also try a mixture of vinegar and water instead of the above ingredients.
Wear rubber gloves. Gently rub the affected area with the solution, but don’t let it sit because peroxide is a form of bleach. Rinse thoroughly, then wash again with soapy water. Rinse thoroughly.
If you use the peroxide/baking soda formula, apply it to your artificial grass right away and do not store any leftover solution, because if it sits around too long it can explode. Seriously. No matter how bad the skunk smell on your artificial turf, it’s no reason to blow up your house.
And if you get skunkified during the cleaning process, washing your clothes with your regular detergent plus ½-cup of baking soda should make them wearable again.
Prevention is the best medicine
Skunks are very shy by nature. And they’re usually nocturnal, coming out around dawn and dusk to eat insects, plants, and mice. They’d rather avoid you, but they’ll spray if they get scared or annoyed. They get particularly spray-happy between January and March, which is their mating season. It’s no love potion – males spray competitors, and females spray pesky males vying for their attention. You know how it is.
Thankfully, it’s summer now. Use this lull in the action to fortify your home and practice the following skunk-resistant behaviors, so you don’t inadvertently attract the little dears, whether they’re looking for a mate or just a snack and a snooze:
- Close up any holes, vents, etc. that might provide access to underneath your home, deck, or shed. Look for evidence of digging, too, because skunks have long nails for exactly that purpose. If you think you already have a skunk, call a professional wildlife remover.
- Make sure your garbage can has a tight-fitting lid.
- Don’t feed pets outside.
- Take in pet water at night.
And keep that de-skunking recipe handy. That way, you’ll be prepared for mating season when January rolls around. Hopefully, you won’t have to worry about getting that funky skunky aroma out of your artificial turf.
