I apologize in advance for the length. It's kind of a sad-funny story.

Yesterday evening, Suka got into the garbage can. I had made homemade macaroni and cheese the night before and it was in the bottom of the trash. I don't know how he got the cheese all over his back. Maybe he rolled in it. It hardened up and by the time I discovered it, it was like cement or a big glob of super glue on his fur. I couldn't move it at all. It was plastered down real good.

So I put him into the shower and I started washing him with soap and water. It didn't work. It was literally like trying to wash a sidewalk. I tried another type of soap, and it didn't work. I was scrubbing and picking cheese out of his fur as much as possible but it just wasn't working.

Then I thought I should turn the blow dryer on hot and try to melt it a little bit so it would be easier to get out. I was worried about this method because I know the hot air can burn the skin, so I was trying to be really careful not to let it sit in one place for too long as well as keeping my hand down by the area I was working on so I could feel how hot it was getting in that spot before it would start to hurt Suka's skin. That kind of worked, but since I couldn't really let it stay in one spot long enough to heat it, not very well at all. So I tried Dawn dish soap, and I just kept scrubbing. I was slowly - very slowly - making progress.

I should've just shaved him, but we're visiting his breeder today and I really didn't want to have a conversation with her about what happened. She's very critical.

I called my husband and asked him to pick up Goo Gone on his way home from work. At that point, it was the only thing I could think of to use. My mom used it to get gum out of our hair, so I thought it might work on the cheese. I had even tried rubbing alcohol and vinegar to get it out of his fur.

When he came home with the Goo Gone, I poured half a bottle on his back and started working it into his fur. Then my husband asks me, "Is that safe for his skin?" The string of words that came out of my mouth at that moment cannot be repeated here. Thankfully, I found out they use Goo Gone to get hair glue out of weaves, so yes, it was safe for his skin.

Fortunately, after a bit of work, the cheese came out of his fur. Unfortunately, the Goo Gone is not. I tried to shampoo it out, but the shampoo won't lather and just slides over his fur. Oh no! At that point, I'd been working on him for an hour. I couldn't be mad at him, especially since he was sitting so calmly in the tub and giving me puppy kisses whenever my face was near enough for him to reach.

I finally gave up for the night and let him out of the tub. I dried him off with a towel and decided to give him a quick bath in the morning.

This morning came, and I started doing heavy research on how to clean up Goo Gone. Most of the suggestions involved soap and water, which I already discovered doesn't work at all. Someone suggested all-purpose cleaner for getting it out of carpet, so I started doing research on how safe that kind of cleaner is for hair and skin. I'm not about to use ANYTHING on my dog that could hurt him, especially after my desperation with the Goo Gone last night where I didn't think to check before I used it.

I found an all natural all-purpose cleaner under my kitchen sink and grabbed a large glass of vinegar. I wanted to try the vinegar first. When it didn't work (even water droplets are just sliding off his fur at this point), I tried the all-purpose cleaner. I was really careful not to let it get down to his skin even though it would've been fine. I didn't want to take a chance. The cleaner seemed to work a little bit, but not enough to really be effective. So I tried to shampoo his fur again, and it lathered up a little bit, then hardly at all. So I rinsed him off as best as I could (again, water droplets just sliding off his fur), and then blew his fur dry while using a slicker brush. I was hoping I could get the Goo Gone to evaporate or at least look normal for his visit with the breeder this afternoon.

So long story not so short, his fur looks normal, but it doesn't smell normal in that spot, and I'm pretty sure I still feel Goo Gone residue. I don't want to subject him to anymore tries to get the Goo Gone out. If he gets through the visit with his breeder this afternoon without any questions being asked, I'm content to just let it stay on his fur until it works its way out over time.

So after this whole tragic story, does anyone have any idea how to get the Goo Gone out for sure? Something tried and true? I really don't want to try any experiments with it at this point. God forbid this should ever happen again, but if it does, I'm just going to bring him to a groomer.

The moral of the story: Don't make homemade mac and cheese. Ever.

I Know I shouldn't be laughing but the way you write this, I just can't help. Poor Suka!!! Poor patient (much more than mine would have had!) Suka ....

I wish I could help, but I've only used Goo Gone a couple of times and then it was things like tent / boots that I didn't care whether I got all the residue out or not.

LOL - It's okay if you laugh! Even through my desperation at the time, I saw how funny the situation was. I know I'm going to reminisce about this day at some point and just shake my head and chuckle.

I've been watching his coat as it's drying, and thankfully, it does look completely normal. I just hope his breeder doesn't stick her nose down to it...

I decided I should share some photos of Suka to go along with the story to show everyone the state of his fur. As you can see, it really does look normal again, even though I can feel the difference in the texture.

Mix vinegar with baking soda and the dish soap. It should help with the smell. You may even start with a little dried baking soda to see if the powder will suck up any residue first and brush it out, then do the mixture and bath him with it. It takes out the smell of skunk so I don't know why it wouldn't strip goo gone.

Oooh, that's a good idea! I use that mixture to get really tough stains out of my carpet. I'll have to give it a go the next time I give him a bath. I don't have time now because we're about to leave to see his breeder. Hopefully I can make it through this visit without her noticing the smell of Goo Gone. Heh.

I am so sorry for the mess you were in...and really sorry that I can't help laughing

Both Acher and Ami got into something fishy smelling yesterday - have no clue what. We have no ponds on the property and my non compost garbage goes in a can locked in the 4-car. So I spent the day with soap, water, towels and lots and lots and lots of cornstarch baby powder.

And when Archer climbed in with us a 4 AM...he STILL smelled like fish as he snuggled up tighte between us...

One note for future reference - I've often found the best solvent for a solute is something like. The recommendation for pine pitch is butter or peanut butter for instance (or lighter fluid but contrary to hubbies recommendation, I am NOT using lighter fluid on my dog!) So I wonder, if, since cheese is oily, if you had used olive oil to remove the chunks? Or milk?

Me? I use cornstarch based baby powder for all sorts of smells. The cornstarch absorbs, the baby powder smell is wonderful.

I was gonna suggest some type of dry powder as goo gone is oily. SO the cornstach baby powder and baking soda are all good starts.

Great ideas! I have some powder lying around the house, as well as corn starch and baking soda. I'll give those a shot. It seems like I got most of it out of his fur, but it still has a Goo Gone smell to it, and I can feel some oily residue left over. But at least it's back to normal for the most part. The cheese was an absolute nightmare! I think I almost succumbed to tears a couple of times out of frustration, and my determination to get it out is the only thing that kept me going. I actually did tell his breeder what happened and she got a chuckle out of it and suggested peanut butter if it happens again. So I'll have to file that one away for future reference.

Here are some photos from our trip to his breeder's home.

He is beautiful! His head reminds me a lot of my last husky boy at that age.

Sorry about the goo gone incident my previous huskies, the boy knew how to open the refridgerator, and one day he did and took out a loaf of American cheese slices I had bought at Costco. Him and his sister ate do much they proceeded to vomit it up around the house, it was everywhere and when I came home the stench was wicked. The girl had even tried to "hide" it! I don't remember what all products I had to use to get it out of the carpet but it was a JOB. So I totally feel for you.

Jessie, just one note, only the cornstarch based baby powder is safe to use... the talc based powders can be damaging to lungs. Though why they still put talc in baby powder I'll never know.

Thanks, Amy! I actually don't have talcum powder or baby powder to use. I have some powder I sometimes use after I take a shower, but there's very little of it left. And whatever it would've done, I'm positive baking soda can do, so that's what I'm planning. I'm actually going to pour vinegar over him first and then sprinkle the baking soda on him in the hopes that it'll work out the oil and any cheese that might still be left in his coat. I've been trying to find out if this will cause any harm to him (kind of like how bleach and ammonia make mustard gas), but it looks like it'll be safe to do.

Jimmy, what is it about our Huskies loving to get into mischief? LOL I'm so glad I didn't have to get it out of the carpet! I probably would've just tore up the carpet, which we're actually planning to do this summer when my dad is going to help me get the black tar off the finished wood flooring underneath it (that tar is the only reason we haven't ripped it up sooner).

whitehusky3 wrote:

Thanks, Amy! I actually don't have talcum powder or baby powder to use. I have some powder I sometimes use after I take a shower, but there's very little of it left. And whatever it would've done, I'm positive baking soda can do, so that's what I'm planning. I'm actually going to pour vinegar over him first and then sprinkle the baking soda on him in the hopes that it'll work out the oil and any cheese that might still be left in his coat. I've been trying to find out if this will cause any harm to him (kind of like how bleach and ammonia make mustard gas), but it looks like it'll be safe to do.

Jimmy, what is it about our Huskies loving to get into mischief? LOL I'm so glad I didn't have to get it out of the carpet! I probably would've just tore up the carpet, which we're actually planning to do this summer when my dad is going to help me get the black tar off the finished wood flooring underneath it (that tar is the only reason we haven't ripped it up sooner).

If you are trying to absorb the oil, cornstarch is your best bet. Dump a bunch in, fluff it around, let sit for a bit than brush out...repeat.

Will corn starch plug the bathtub drain?

whitehusky3 wrote:

Will corn starch plug the bathtub drain?

Probably not IF you keep water running rapidly...it dissolves readily in water. But, there is no need to get the cornstarch wet. Put it on dry, fluff it into her fur with your hands, let her be fo 20 -30 minutes, then brush her. Any that gets on the floor can just be vacuumed, swept or whiped up. You don't have to wash it out... at dog shows people use cornstarch to make white parts whiter. It's also used as a dry, waterless shampoo. If you set the cornstarch, it will lose its ability to absorb the oily stuff.

The baking soda and vinegar rinse worked perfectly! All the Goo Gone smell and residue is gone. I followed it up with a quick shampoo to give him a nice smell. I think I'm going to let him have a break from the bath until May when he goes to his first dog show because he's had enough baths this week to last him awhile. Hopefully he doesn't get into anything else that'll require it. I normally only give my dogs a bath twice per year and only if it's needed. This poor puppy is going to hate me soon.

Glad to hear it worked. Make sense that it did because apple cider vinegar and baking soda combined are a natural shampoo for humans.

Giving him a break from baths until May didn't work out as planned. It's mud season, and he and Romeo decided to roll around in the dirt. They both got baths. It turned out to be a good thing in Suka's case because some of the baking soda didn't rinse out and had clumped up in one spot on his undercoat. I wasn't going to worry about it because it's just baking soda and hardly noticeable, but since he had to have another bath to get rid of the mud, I made sure I got that out too.

But yes, it worked wonderfully to get rid of the Goo Gone and any cheese that may have been left over, so I'm going to keep that in my back pocket for future reference.