How to Get Skunk Smell Out of Your Car (Interior & Exterior)

While skunks look sweet and cuddly they leave behind a strong odor that could make you numb. You will notice a distinctive stench on your car's exterior as well as interior if you happen to be the victim of a skunk accident. You can remove the unpleasant stench from your vehicle if you are quick.

These steps will help you deal with any skunk smells on your vehicle's exterior and undercarriage. You can also find tips to remove the skunk scent from your interior. 

Car Exterior Skunk Smells

1. A Cleaning Solution

Your typical soap and water or usual car wash solution simply won’t cut it this time. You need something powerful when dealing with the skunk smell.

Fill a spray can with liquid dish detergent and distilled vinegar. Mix the mixture well. 

2. Spray affected Areas

Because the tires were likely to have come in contact with skunks, you should start with them. You should spray and clean the tires thoroughly.

Cleaning your vehicle will be more difficult if it has had more contact than necessary by the skunk. However, there’s no reason to use this solution anywhere that contact wasn’t made. These areas can still be cleaned normally. 

3. Rinse & Dry Car

After you have covered all the areas, rinse off your pressure washer or hose. To avoid any water spots, dry your vehicle with a microfiber cloth.

You can wait for about an hour before you start to notice the difference in smell. Continue to detect the smell of skunk under your car. You'll need to do the same steps again until the smell is gone. 

How to Get Rid of Skunk Smell in Undercarriage

1. Charcoal can be used

If you are running over a squirrel, your tires may be the only point of contact. Most likely, your car’s undercarriage also got a good dose of skunk smell on it. But, it can be challenging to get to the undercarriage.

Place a tarp on top of the car with charcoal if you have enough time. This will absorb the car's odor. 

2. Spray with the Solution

If you don’t have time to wait, you can use the same cleaning solution you made for the car exterior. The undercarriage can be cleaned with vinegar and dish soap. 

You should make sure that it's well coated. This step may need to be repeated a few times so that you get every part covered. 

3. Rinse clean

Wash the car thoroughly. You may have to put in extra effort and even get underneath the car. 

You will need to clean again if the smell persists after cleaning. Skunk smell can remain a long time and isn’t going away on its own. 

How to Get Rid of Skunk Smell in Car Interior

1. A Cleaning Solution

If the car's exterior smells too strongly, the interior of the vehicle will be affected. You will need to find a solution to clean the interior.

You can use vinegar with water mixed in a spray bottle if your vehicle has cloth seats. Mix vinegar and linseed olive oil if your vinyl or leather seats are covered. Make sure to not combine water and your recipe. 

2. Make sure to clean the seats

You can spray the fabric directly on cloth seats. Don’t forget to spray some on the carpet as well. You should let the solution rest for several minutes before wiping it off with a microfiber towel. Don't rub it dry. Instead, dab the solution. It can make the scent penetrate deeper into your fabric if you rub it. 

You can spray the solution onto a towel on vinyl and leather seats. After the seat has sat for a while, wipe it dry using another towel. 

This process may need to be repeated several times until the smell stops. In most cases, it is only necessary to repeat the process two more times before your car's interior becomes bearable. 

3. Use Carpet Deodorizer

If the smell has permeated the vehicle’s carpet, you can buy a commercial deodorizer to make it smell better. There are some that simply mask odors and won’t work for skunk odor. You should instead look for one which neutralizes the odors. 

Carpet deodorizer can be used on fabric upholstery as well. To quickly get rid of the smell of skunk, add a small amount of deodorizer to your cleaning routines.