The recipe is 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, ΒΌ cup baking soda and 1-2 teaspoon(s) liquid soap. The soap breaks up the oils in the skunk spray and allows the other ingredients to chemically alter the stenchy stuff. Supposed to work it in and leave it on for 20 minutes then rinse....
Unfortunately, I have a lot of experience deskunking dogs, without access to all the ingredients above.
The skunk spray is an oily substance with initial stink plus some other chemicals in it that release odor when they get wet, which is why it gets worse after the fact, and reappears whenever the dog gets wet.
A grease cutting detergent is necessary (i.e. Dawn) and it does require lather, rinse, repeat, and repeat. For the poor beasties that get saturated about the face, head, and neck, I then use a scrub brush or tooth brush with a powdered cleanser with bleach paste, which is harsh but very effective in eliminating the stubborn remnants, then the last detergent bath.
Face shots really suck. Helps to lube the eyes to keep soap, etc. out of them.
