If you have ever had a skunk unload its fumes onto your dog, you know how bad this odor can be. While tons of products and home remedies claim to remove skunk odors from your pet, few of them do a great job.

So, we’ve provided reviews of skunk shampoos and skunk smell removers for dogs to bring you the list of the best ones available this year. These products work and are worth keeping on hand for the dreaded day that you need them.

 

A Quick Comparison of Our Winners (2024)

The 10 Best Skunk Shampoos for Dogs

1. Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover — Best Overall

Our reviews show that Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover is the best overall skunk shampoo for dogs. This product removes skunk smells from just about everything and everyone, including your dog, yourself, your clothing, and your vehicle. If it’s been contaminated, Nature’s Miracle can clean it.

What stands out the most about this shampoo is that it removes the skunk odor rather than just covering it up. After use, there’s no lingering smell; your dog won’t smell like roses, but they won’t smell like skunks either. It should be noted that skunk odor shampoo needs to be followed up with a regular dog shampoo for a thorough cleaning. So, your dog will need a good bath even after the stink is gone.

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2. Thornell Skunk-Off Shampoo — Best Value

To get rid of the skunk smell fast and without breaking the bank, we recommend Thornell Skunk-Off Shampoo as the best skunk shampoo for dogs for the money. This reliable odor removal shampoo removes skunk smells and leaves your dog fresh smelling after use.

This product needs to be applied before you wet down your dog in order for it to work. While this isn’t difficult, it’s important, and this shampoo frequently gets bad reviews because of ill-followed directions. When the directions are followed properly, it’s a highly effective method of cleaning skunk smell off your dog.

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3. Hyponic De-Skunk Pet Shampoo — Premium Choice

If your pup has allergies and skin sensitivities, this De-Skunk Pet Shampoo from Hyponic is worth a try. This formula is additive free and uses natural products instead of deodorizing chemicals, making it unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction. It’s gentle enough to use on puppies too (most skunk odor removers are recommended for adult dogs only).

The biggest downsides to this product are the price tag and the smell that it leaves behind. This shampoo is expensive compared to other products, but it’s worth it if it removes skunk odor and prevents your dog from having a reaction. There is a strong floral scent left behind after using this shampoo. It’s tough to criticize it for that, though, because it successfully removes skunk odor without any chemicals, and this is a hard thing to do. The strong residual smell will fade after a few days. Anyone who has dealt with skunk stink will agree that it’s a small price to pay.

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4. Alpha Tech Pet Inc. SkunkAway Odor Remover Dog Spray

Alpha Tech Pet Inc. SkunkAway offers a powder odor remover product in a spray bottle. It becomes a powerful, fragrance-free formula to do away with skunk smells for good when mixed with water. It neutralizes odors rather than covering them up, so you can pinpoint any areas that haven’t been deodorized sufficiently. This is a good product to try if your dog doesn’t love baths because it can be sprayed and left on. There’s no requirement to shampoo your dog once you’re done.

The only downside to this product is that it’s only good for 7 days once it’s mixed with water. You’ll need to purchase another bottle after you’ve used it if you want to keep some on hand.

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5. Skout’s Honor Professional Strength Skunk Odor Eliminator

Skout’s Honor Professional Strength Skunk Odor Eliminator is a non-toxic, eco-friendly odor eliminator that is safe for your dog but strong enough to stop skunk smells in their tracks. This product neutralizes odors instead of covering them up by breaking down the molecules in skunk spray that cause the smell in the first place. As a bonus, Skout’s Honor donates a full day’s worth of meals to an animal shelter every time their product is purchased, so you can feel good about the money that you’ve spent.

This product has to come directly into contact with skunk spray to be effective, so it works when used immediately after the spray has occurred. If it’s dried on, you will have a much harder time eliminating the smell. You’ll want to follow up with mild dog shampoo, and most users find that it takes several applications to eliminate the smell completely.

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6. Tough Stuff SKUNKED! Deodorizing Dog Spray

Tough Stuff SKUNKED contains over 70 different essential oils designed to make your dog smell better after they’ve been “skunked.” It leaves behind a fresh smell and can be used on any water-safe material that needs odor removal.

As a deodorizing spray, this product works great. It leaves your dog smelling clean rather than overly perfumed, and it’s much easier to saturate a dog’s coat with a spray-on product than having to put them in the bath. Since this product contains essential oils, you’ll have to be careful about children or other pets getting into it, as it has the potential for toxicity if ingested.

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7. Bissell BarkBath Odor & Skunk No Rinse Dog Shampoo

This waterless dog shampoo is designed to be used with the Bissell BarkBath Portable Dog Bath & Grooming System, but if you don’t have one, it is still effective when used separately. It’s pH balanced to be safe for puppies and adult dogs and contains ingredients that not only eliminate skunk odors but nourish and condition your dog’s coat at the same time.

You will need to apply this product more than once for a serious skunk stink. It’s convenient to de-skunk your dog, but since it’s waterless shampoo, it won’t do the same job that a bath will. It will certainly take the edge off, though, and it is a great product to have on hand when you’re on the go or somewhere that a bath isn’t an option.

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8. UltraCruz Z-Skunk’R Dog Spray

UltraCruz Z-Skunk’R Dog Spray is a foaming dog shampoo with a hose applicator attached. To deodorize your dog, you simply attach the container to your garden hose and start rinsing. It provides a deep clean and is pH balanced with added moisturizers to prevent skin dryness. The essential oils leave your dog lightly scented afterward.

This dog spray is designed to provide ultimate convenience for cleaning skunk-sprayed dogs, but whether it does is dependent on your individual circumstances. If you have plenty of yard space, this is an easy way to use your hose to clean at a distance and avoid your dog transferring smells to you during a bath. If you’re an apartment dweller with a skunky dog, this isn’t the product for you. A strong odor-removing shampoo made for use in the tub is a better choice.

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9. Professional Pet Products Skunk Odor Pet Shampoo

Professional Pet Products Skunk Odor Pet Shampoo is a hypoallergenic product that can be used on dogs of any age that have sensitive skin or allergies. This shampoo is tough on odors but gentle on the skin. Since there aren’t that many hypoallergenic skunk odor removers available, this alone makes it worth a try for dogs that need hypoallergenic products.

The lack of chemical ingredients in this product means you’ll need to use the rinse-and-repeat principle while cleaning your dog. You can expect to have to lather your pet several times before fully relieving the skunk smell. While it might be time-consuming, it won’t irritate your dog’s skin, and it won’t leave any smell or residue behind, so we still think that it’s worth giving it a try.

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10. Smelleze Natural Skunk Deodorizer Granules

Smelleze Natural Skunk Deodorizer helps combat chemical thiols, the compounds that make skunk spray smell so awful. This product is easy to use, environmentally friendly, and safe for both pets and people. It’s non-toxic and completely odorless, so you won’t have to worry about replacing one awful smell with another.

The biggest downside of Smelleze is the method of application. It doesn’t require mixing, so you’ll have to pour the granules onto your dog’s coat, let it sit, then wash it off with a shampoo. The granular formula can make it extremely difficult to break down skunk odors on the underside of your dog. Smelleze is best used for skunk odors that your dog transfers to other spaces, such as carpet, upholstery, or your vehicle.

 

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Skunk Shampoo for Your Dog

Skunk spray has an odor that is particularly difficult to get out. It can linger for up to a month if you don’t act fast. If your dog’s curiosity has gotten the best of them and you find yourself with a skunk-smelling dog, we’re here to help you get that odor out in the fastest and easiest way possible.

Useful Tips for Removing Skunk Odor

Which Is Better: Spray or Shampoo?

You may have noticed that the list of skunk shampoos for dogs contains a mixture of regular shampoos and spray shampoos. One isn’t necessarily better than the other; it’s about your circumstances and which one you can use the fastest when you find yourself with a skunky canine.

Old clothes and rubber gloves are key for the application. In some cases, you will be best served to spray your dog first, then follow up with a good de-skunk shampoo. Regardless of the product directions, you should always follow up with a good bath using your dog’s regular shampoo to avoid drying out their skin and coat.

How Long Does Skunk Odor Last?

The stinky smell of skunk spray can last 3–4 weeks if it’s left untreated. The longer you wait, the longer it lasts. If you are an avid hiker or camper or live in an area where your dog may come into contact with a skunk, it’s best to purchase a skunk odor remover before you need it. It’s one of those emergency products that you should risk wasting money on even if you might never need to use it. If the situation arises, you won’t have time to run to the store.

How Do You Remove Skunk Smell from Humans?

If your dog’s exploration has led to you getting skunked too, there are things that you can do:

Does Tomato Juice Get Rid of Skunk Smell?

As home remedies go, this one is pervasive. A quick Google search will give you all kinds of homemade recipes for ridding yourself or your pet of skunk smell. Tomato juice, beer, and dish soap are among the top-recommended products to neutralize skunk odor.

Despite its popularity, tomato juice (and the other options) simply does not work. Neutralizing skunk smells requires breaking down the smell-causing compounds in the spray, which is best done with a skunk-smell remover.

Be Persistent

Skunk odors are pervasive no matter what skunk-odor-remover product you choose. If your dog has been sprayed by a skunk, know that it isn’t the end of the world, and the smell will go away. It’s unlikely that the smell will be completely eradicated the first time with even the best odor remover. Most will need a few washes for the smell to totally fade, and your dog may have a lingering smell for a while.

The important thing is to act quickly and keep scrubbing until you can at least co-exist with your pet, then scrub some more, and follow up with a good bath even after the stink is gone. When it comes to skunk smells, persistence is the best strategy.

 

Conclusion

Our best overall recommendation for skunk shampoos for dogs is Nature’s Miracle Skunk Odor Remover. This product is an effective odor neutralizer that is safe for pets, humans, and fabrics. The best value for the money is Thornell Skunk-Off Shampoo. This product is highly effective at removing odors; just make sure to follow the application directions carefully. If your dog needs a hypoallergenic option, we recommend our premium choice, Hyponic De-Skunk Pet Shampoo. While it comes with a higher price tag, this skunk shampoo is gentle enough to use on puppies or dogs with allergies.

While having their dog encounter a skunk is every dog owner’s worst nightmare, it doesn’t have to be. Arm yourself with good skunk shampoo, and your dog is sure to be smell free in no time.

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Featured Image Credit: oritslama, Pixabay