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It’s late evening, and you’re walking home from the ice cream store. Since it’s summer time, the ice cream is melting quickly and dripping down your wrist. Then it hits you. A wall of the most putrid aroma you can imagine. A mix between burnt rubber and garlic cloves. What else could it be but a skunk?

And although you can hardly stand the nasty smell, you thank your lucky stars that the skunk had released its stink before you happened upon it. Anybody who has been sprayed, or has suffered the effects of the family dog’s run-in with a skunk knows that this little critter can really leave its mark.

Even though the striped skunk is about the size of a cat, most animals big enough to hunt it are smart enough not to bother. Because when it is faced with danger, the skunk will arch its back and raise its tail, then, look out! The skunk is able to release a fine spray which can travel up to 3 meters.

If you are unlucky enough to be its target, you will probably feel very nauseous, and your eyes will burn and water. However, the skunk usually sprays only as a last resort-they hate strong smells themselves-but it is generally a good idea to quietly and calmly walk away whenever you spot a skunk. They won’t spray unless properly provoked.

Sometimes, skunks release a small amount of scent just to announce their presence. They may use their spray to attract a mate or else to define their territory. What you smell on a summer’s evening is probably such an instance. They are nocturnal creatures who like to rummage through garbage. Skunks truly are omnivores and will snack on everything from insects, fish and carrion to fruits, grasses, leaves, buds and nuts. That’s why garbage appeals to them! They are proficient diggers, but they cannot climb very well. Skunks can be found hiding under porches and wood-piles, so be on the look-out.

If you know that a skunk is hiding under your house, don’t panic! Just place stereo speakers onto a bare floor. Then, play the loudest bass-heavy music that you can find. Since skunks do not like loud vibrations, they should scatter as soon as they hear it. If the skunk does spray, and the smell enters your home, you should boil white vinegar for a couple of hours until the smell dissipates. Add the vinegar to the wash cycle to remove the smell from clothing, or add it to water when mopping the floor.

Some people suggest bathing in tomato juice if you or your pets are exposed to the stink. One expert recommends cleaning stinky pets with a mixture of 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent, and 1 quart of Hydrogen Peroxide 3%. Apply this mixture to the pet while it is foaming. Apparently, the oxygen released by the foaming reaction neutralizes the skunk odor, while the dish detergent removes the oily residue that holds the odor in place.

The skunk’s predators include the coyote and the Great Horned Owl, but the majority of skunks lose their lives to cars. And although many people view skunks as a nuisance, some folks enjoy keeping them as pets. Of course they take one precaution-can you guess what that might be? They have the baby skunk’s scent glands removed before they can douse anyone with their spray. A precaution well worth the trouble, wouldn’t you say?