Any unpleasant smell from any source is unacceptable for the human respiratory system, let alone a skunk smell. According to poision.org, it directly affects your lungs by generating chronic irritation.
But, is skunk smell in house dangerous from every source?
A skunk smell from every source won’t irritate your lungs or create instant respiratory issues. Skedaddle Wildlife says that: if the skunk smell is mild, it’ll make you uncomfortable, leading you to nausea and vomiting.
The risk knows no bounds if the skunk smell is due to gas leakage. The result of gas leakage could lead to severe detonation. A skunk smell from dead organisms is equally threatening as a gas leakage smell.
Why Does My House Smell Like A Skunk?
My house suddenly smells like a skunk- a common phenomenon among householders. Once you find the origin and reason behind the skunk smell, you can get rid of this quickly.
Hydrogen sulfide leak
If you notice a skunk gas smell in the house, it could be a hydrogen sulfide leak. Hydrogen sulfide leak mostly happens for bacterial breakdown. During the decomposition process, dead organisms release hydrogen sulfide gas.
Probably, any dead insect or pet exists in your house. Besides, the gas smell may come from the sewer drains. The gas leakage is final if its pipes aren’t well-connected or leaked.
Presence of propane gas
If you notice the rotten egg smell in your room, it might be the presence of propane gas. The prime reason behind this skunk smell is the mold. Also, dead organisms affected by bacteria attacks can emit propane gas.
Unusual dog poop
Dog’s poop isn’t that smelly if its food habits and digestion are going well. According to Petplan, “Dogs’ poop should have a mildly noticeable odor, but nothing too foul smelling.”
Your dog might have unusual poop with a skunk smell when it goes through a poor diet. Another symptom is their fart with an excessive skunk smell. If they have digestion problems, your house smells like a skunk from the dog.
Problematic air conditioner
An air conditioner can arise with many internal problems that lead it to release a skunk smell. The corrosion in the condenser pipes of an AC allows it to release the gas. As a result, you get a lingering skunk smell in the house.
Home wastages
Home wastages like decomposing food leftovers can generate a skunk smell in your house. Food items also start rotting after a certain time, resulting in mild gas leakage.
How Long Does A Skunk Smell Last In The House?
The presence interval of the skunk smell in your house depends on the source of the smell. If the skunk smell is mild, it can last up to 3 weeks. By ensuring proper ventilation, it’s possible to remove the lingering skunk smell.
If the smell is from a dead organism, it’ll spread the smell until you clean it. After performing a dedicated cleaning and ensuring proper ventilation, the smell won’t last longer than a week.
How To Get Rid Of The Skunk Smell In The House?
To eliminate the skunk smell from the house, you need to fix the source of the smell’s origin. Here’s a complete guideline to get the lingering skunk smell out of the house.
Are you suspecting a hydrogen sulfide leak?
Prime suspects
| Bacterial breakdown | Hydrogen sulfide naturally generates from decomposing organisms. You should suspect bacterial breakdown if any pet, plant, or insect decomposes. And you need to take steps against hydrogen sulfide leaks in your house. |
| Inappropriate plumbing | If traps inside the sewer drain are exposed somehow, you’ll face a hydrogen sulfide leak. The traps are filled with hydrogen sulfide, resulting in this problem with the help of cracked pipes. |
How to get rid of this problem
After noticing a skunk smell in the house at night or day, you should take immediate steps. Here is the way how to get rid of this hydrogen sulfide in an instant.
Step:1- Follow safety manners
First, clear the area with all dangerous reactants and any human beings. Equip yourself with safety equipment like goggles, gas masks, and a non-flammable and thermal-absorbing outfit.
Step:2- Find the source of the smell
Determine first if the smell is from faulty plumbing or from any rotten organism. Also, determine if the source is on the floor or any obtuse corner of your house.
Step:3- Fix the overflowed sink.
If you find a skunk smell in the house from the sink, that’s because of faulty plumbing. When debris gets stuck in the sink, a foul odor of hydrogen sulfide is generated. Here you can follow an easy operation to eliminate the smell.
- Pour a sufficient amount of boiled water into the sink drain. Then, clear the path by inserting a rubber funnel into the sink drain. Clean the path as long as it takes to be properly cleaned.
- To eliminate the odor permanently, apply baking soda down the drain. Mixing white vinegar is also appreciable. Wait until you see a foam mixture. Then, pour boiling water into the drain to remove the nasty smell.
Step:4- Clean bacteria-affected areas
- If you find that the skunk smell is of a bacterial breakdown, open all the doors and windows.
- Set a fan or air cooler to pass out the smell from the house.
- Now, mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a bowl.
- Using a soft cloth, clean the area precisely with the mixture.
- You can put a bowl of vinegar or baking soda near the cleaned area to remove the residual lingering smell.
Is Your House Affected By Propane Gas?
Prime suspects
| Old molds | Old molds make your house smell like skunk and burnt rubber. It often releases a gas with the smell of commercial propane gas. Raw propane gas is odorless and doesn’t contain mercaptan in the solution. You smell a skunk odor due to this chemical. |
| Decomposing organisms | Decomposing organisms get affected by various kinds of bacteria. A group of bacteria generates a skunk smell in the dead body, producing a mild odor like propane gas. |
How To Get Rid Of This Problem
If you find a skunk smell in the house in winter. You have to activate fans, remove the smell and wait for hours. So, using the best skunk smell remover may work in this case efficiently. Here are some easy steps to remove the skunk smell that feels like propane gas.
Step:1- Figure out the exact smell source
The smell source from defective molds needs dedicated cleaning. If the smell is from a dead organism, you must remove it first.
Step:2- Clean the surface.
- You can use homemade skunk smell remover to eliminate the foul odor. Mix 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (fresh bottle) with ¼ cup of baking soda.
- Also, add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid dish soap to the mixture.
- Then, apply it to the defective molds or the area contaminated with the dead body.
Step:3- Call for emergencies
Removing the skunk smell quickly is impossible if you have to cover a vast area. Then, calling for emergency service is the right choice. You should contact your nearest cleaning service in this circumstance.
Have You Checked Your Dog’s Poop?
Prime suspects
| Unusual poop | The unusual poop of your pet dog is the result of a poor diet. Also, it happens because of changes in food habits, environmental pollution, food toxins, and other reasons. The final outcome is devastating- the skunk smell in your house. |
| Fart with bad odor | Dog’s digestion system comes with hydrogen sulfide, a byproduct of the internal reaction. So, a portion of this gas releases through the fart, resulting in a skunk smell in the house. |
How To Get Rid Of This Problem
It’s about keeping your pet clean and habituating with decent food habits. Until its habit grows, you have to clean its poop from time to time. The faster you remove their poop, the faster you get rid of the skunk smell. Here are some pro tips you should follow.
Step:1- Keep your dog clean
- Give it a deep wash if your pet’s body smells like skunk. Mix 16 ounces of hydrogen peroxide with two TSP of baking soda in a bowl.
- After adding one TSP of dishwashing liquid to the mixture, wash the pet precisely.
- Don’t forget to dry your dog naturally to disappear the skunk smell.
Step:2- Clean the surface.
You must perform a dedicated wash if the poop is on the floor or carpet. Prepare a balanced mixture of white vinegar and water. Apply the mixture to the surface after cleaning the poop. Open all the windows, and let the smell pass away from the room.
Is Your Ac Responsible?
Prime suspects
| Unusual gas extraction | Corrosion in the condenser pipe of an AC starts extracting its gas. The gas smell is strong enough to make your house uninhabitable. |
| Mild gas smell for dust blockage | Mild gas leakage in the long term also can be a reason for the skunk smell. The fact arises when sensitive parts of the AC get blocked. |
How To Get Rid Of This Problem
The solution is simple if you don’t have any severe gas leaks. Otherwise, you need to call an expert to fix the problem.
Step:1- Enable air passing from the home
Allow the gas leaking from the AC to get away from the house. Direct the air towards any open source, like a window or door.
Step:2- Clean the dust.
Check all possible areas that can contain dust. Most dust is gathered near the AC filter and AC coil. So, clean those areas to ensure the safe operation of your AC.
Step:3- Examine the leak
If the leakage is fixable, take the help of the user manual. You should keep others away from the house until the AC is fixed. Call for experts if the leakage is extensive or you can’t find the source.
Is It Coming From The Home Wastages?
Prime suspects
| Dirty clothes | Dirty clothing gathered in a place for a long time causes a skunk smell in the house. Generally, it takes a few days to generate that smell. The smell isn’t as strong as the general skunk smell sources. |
| Food wastages | Some foods with rich protein go through bacterial breakdown. The skunk smell will spread throughout the house if the breakdown is at its peak. |
How to get rid of this problem
Keeping the affected area clan is the only way to eliminate this problem. Here you know some pro tips to eliminate the skunk smell.
Step:1- Eliminate the source
- Remove old and dirty clothes from that place immediately.
- Then, open the doors and windows along with running the fans. Make it quick when it’s about food wastage.
Step:2- Perform a deep clean
Apply a mixture of baking soda to remove the odor permanently. Bleaching powder could be a good option if your carpet isn’t affected by the food left over.
How Long Does It Take To Remove The Skunk Smell?
Usually, mild skunk smells can be removed within 14-21 days. More pungent odors need longer times to remove. The interval isn’t fixed as it can be originated from various surfaces. Even after eliminating the source, the smell can occupy the room.
Removing the skunk smell quickly from fabrics is possible by washing them with baking soda in hot water. After a specific time, the odor will permanently be removed depending on the fabric quality.
What Should You Do If You Smell A Skunk In The House?
Before taking any dedicated step, you must take some quick steps when you smell a skunk in the house.
- Make the doors and windows open
- Try to remove any flammable source
- Follow the smell to determine its origin
- Figure out what’s precisely creating this problem
- Run the fan to pass out the odor
- Keep your pet and children away from the house
- Call for an expert if you can’t figure out the smell source
Conclusion
The skunk smell isn’t acceptable in a resident- mild or strong. A mild skunk smell may not affect you, but your pet or baby can be affected. Also, it can make your neighbors affected.
So, is skunk smell in house dangerous?
It’s not dangerous until it makes you or others uncomfortable. A very little skunk smell can be removed by widening the airflow. The smell will surely disappear if you use a cleaning mixture on a dirty surface.
But, it’ll take more than weeks to remove the smell when you got a severe gas leak. The leak can arise from the AC, the plumbing area, and the molds. Whatever the reason for the skunk smell is, take safety measures before starting to fix it.