"Bad Smells" that you like...
 

Is there any smell that you enjoy that other people normally gag at? I've heard that smell is a powerful evoker of memory, more than any of the other senses; so that a particular smell can instantly bring back a vivid memory of some other time that you smelled that smell.

I think that this accounts, in part, for liking the smell of certain things that smell bad to other people. Here's my list:

Crude oil: My dad worked maintenance at a nearby oil refinery for years, and he came home covered with it every night. And when the wind blew the wrong way, the whole town smelled like crude. So I always take a lungful whenever I drive by a refinery; reminds me of the good old days.

Cowshit: My junior high school was across the street from a dairy farm. On warm days, you couldn't smell anything else. And Dad, an old school farmboy, fertilized the plants around our suburban tract home with manure. We had flies on the lawn. The other kids used to tease me about it, and all I could do was shrug. It was true. Again, it's an association with the good old days.

Marigolds. Talk about strong. But our yard was full of them. I'll take a deep whiff even today.

Skunk. No excuse for this; but I don't mind the smell at all. My wife thinks that an early life full of the smell of crude oil and cowshit burned out my nostrils. But as long as the skunk doesn't spray on me, I think the smell is strong but okay.

What about you? Are there any "stinky" odors that you like because of good associations, or just because?

Skunk, I smoked alot of weed as a kid and now everytime I smell a skunk it takes me back to that special special time!

gasoline... :) some people hate it. I love it. Dont know why...

I also dont mind skunk. It just doesn't bother me.

gasoline, my father worked for the pipeline and going to work with him when I was little and getting to climb the tanks at the tank farms in TX, AL, LA, and MS were some of the best times I remember. Once we settled in GA (we moved 18 times before I was 8) they didnt allow me to climb them anymore.

Garlic breath, It just smells good. I get hungry when I smell it.

Gasoline
Burning Rubber

I love cars, hehe...

Me too... I'd add

Differential gear oil and hot, muddy exhaust (I used to 4wheel a lot)

Good times...


Oh... and there is one kind of hairspray that smells like strawberry kind of, that my first GF used to wear 17 years ago. Even today, if I smell it, it makes me think of her.

I second cow shit. Takes me right back.

Hoppes #9 is one.

The smell of open sewers evokes strong memories of Subic Bay. Crossing the bridge over Shit River (I knew the real name once, but it's lost from my rapidly deteriorating memory) from Naval Station to Olongapo City and tossing money to the virgins under the bridge (I always tossed bills, not coins). I really, really loved being in the Philippines. Wonderfully warm and friendly people who always made me feel welcome. Most of them anyway. After Marcos was deposed, the New People's Army (just another bunch of selfish rat-bastard communists who thought that they should be the HMF'sIC in charge) began operating there.

Trips to Baguio City or out to the one of the islands. A long, long 3 weeks operating in the hills around San Miguel. Quiet evenings on the beach. Rowdy nights at the Zanzibar and Marilyn's.

Getting old kinda sucks.

I love the smell of my husband's BO.

diseal exhaust....dont know why just do.

I love the smell of Ethylene Glycol - antifreeze... it smells sweet.

that, and the smell of nasty pond water... reminds me of fishing when i was a kid.

Chlorine - Reminds me of going to center parcs as a little kiddy, good times.

I don't mind skunk either. It's not something I'd like to smell all of the time, but every now and then, it's nice to smell skunk.

I absolutely crave the smell of gasoline sometimes. :-/

Gasoline, :lol:

geee I guess the smell of gasoline isnt as "bad" as we thought it was hehehe

Gasoline and Gunpowder. The smell after fireworks on the fourth of July is great.

I would have to go with my own farts :-)

:lol: LOL!!! I was wondering how long before that came up...

I've always liked the smell of gasoline, I can't associate the reason why with anything, but I've always loved it.

2-Stroke Oil Smoke

Gasoline - "Fuel is pumping engines. Burning hard loose and clean. Churning my direction. Quench my thirst with gasoline."

Gunpowder

Gasoline, gunpowder, burnt electronics, cow shit.

I don't know why, or the explanations are too confusing, but I tend to like those smells.

diseal exhaust too, used to work at a car shop and there is nothing better than that.
smely feet too, just my own though

haha..I know, I read every post on the thread and was wondering how this wasn't posted. Had to do it. :)

gas, fresh cut grass (some people can't stand it), smoke, horse maneuer (I love mucking the stalls!), grease (like the smell of someone working on a car), garlic

That female musky smell, you know what I'm talking baout.

smells I like: gasoline, gunpowder, cow manure, skunks

smells i dislike: freshly cut grass and .. hmm there are other smells i cant stand, but i cant think of them off the top of my head... my mind does a good job blocking those out :)

Durian, either you know what I'm talking about or you don't. The taste ain't bad either.

Grandma used to dump her coffee grounds and ashtrays in the trashcan. When I smell that combination in the breakroom trashcan at work, I always remember her.

And I have to admit, I have no problem sniffing it up when I rip one in the car with the windows up.

Cordite!

I know, its scary...

Diesel fumes. Tires(new tires...was in a tire store the other day and it smelled so good). Plastic in general. Burning wood. Wood in general. Paint. Rubbing alcohol.
Bleach.

Paste in a pot (the kind we used to have in kindergarden in the 50's & 60's)

cow or horse manure

rotten peaches

engines (when they've been removed from a car/truck for repair, I love walking around them & smelling them)

caves (something earthy & old & slightly scary about that smell)

fresh sweat on a man's chest, neck or back

newly pressed / hot-combed hair

Nitromethane exhaust.
Gasoline (enough to smell but not overpowering)
Burnt stuff in general, especially wood and paper
Gunpowder
Duct tape

Gasoline...I see a pattern here...

Gasoline, moth balls, freshly ironed polyester

frshcut grass and gasoline. Kind of wierd with the gasoline trend. I am sure there must be some sort of common reasoning behind it.

Yup, another vote for gasoline. I have liked the smell since a little kid but have always been careful not to inhale too deeply!!!!

So at what point of acceptance does a bad smell become a not-bad smell? I mean, if we all like it, then it can't be THAT bad, eh?

I like all of the natural smells, I can't stand men's cologne, I'll put up with women's though.

Seems like everyone loves gasoline. I like gasoline as well. I also like the smell of paint and nail polish remover.

Apparently gasoline is not unusual. I like skunk, too, because it reminds me of San Diego. No skunks here in Vegas, and when I drive back to SD, the first time I smell skunk I know I'm close to my childhood home.

Also, I like the smell of fresh pipe and cigar smoke. I don't like cigarettes, and the stale smoke of cigars, once it's settled in to the furniture, is nasty. But I've always like the fresh smoke for some reason. Some pipe tobaccos I think smell better than incense.

house hold chemicals.

Skunk isn't bad from a distance but lemme tell you what you smell in your car and what you smell when the stuff is all over your shirt are to very different smells.

Gas smells good, Silicone caulk, Campho-Phynique(sp) Burnt Circuit board.. umm..

One big problem we have around here is chicken manure. The farmers will empty their chicken houses and dump tons of manure in the cow pastures to fertilize the fields but sometimes a big pile will set there a week in the sun and start to stink REALLY bad. I don't think there is a person in the world that could like that smell. Once it's speard out the smell leaves in a few days, but it'll stick for a year if left in a pile. You can also smell it from over a mile away.

2-cycle engine exhaust.. Reminds me of snomobiling when i was younger

rubber cement! and magic markers, the big black toxic kind, (I assume they are toxic) but i love the smell.

Nitromeathane I use it in pc planes and helis

the smell of a sinus infection...kinda like steak. i like steak.

I like the wet earthy smell of rotting vegetation in early spring in the forest. I also sort of enjoy the smell of nitrocellulose lacquer. I build stringed instruments (guitars, mandolins) and that nasty smell always means the end is in sight.
My sister is with alot of you on the smell of gasoline, but that one is really lost on me.

I like the smell of freshly paved roads.

pine sol
gasoline
my cats breath (gross eh)

I hate skunk, can't stand it hate hate hate!

But I do like Gas, 4 stroke exhaust(fourwheelers)

I like the smell of boat exhaust (Wakeboarding)

I like cow shit, I help on a farm and I've lived around them my whole life.

The smell of a hairy pussy.

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Gasoline.. and fireworks

The smell of weed when someone lights up....though I quit years ago, it still smells like a holiday with evergreens all around and fun! (Contact high? Perhaps!)
Danish Blue Cheese. Smelly...but delish.
Horses, stables and leather saddles.

Marijuana...

Gasoline.. in the morning!

Diesel exhaust - I love the smell of airports
Bleach - I like a clean pool, a clean counter, a clean . . . . everything.
Manure - reminds me of Grandma's farm when I was a little kid.
Chartpak ADmarkers - I love the smell of xylene in the morning!

The Mines around here used to spray tree sap on gravel roads to minimize the dust. I thought the stuff smelled good, but it was was pretty hard to get off the underside of the car.

Permanent marker, bleach, my fingernails right after I cut them (if that's not weird, I don't know what is) which would almost definitely be described as a "bad" smell by most. Ohh, and skunk. Mmmm skunky.

I love the smell of durians! I think Asians in general don't mind it, many even love it. But it seems that the rest of the world have an aversion to itl. Any of you guys love the smell too?

The usual, gas, cordite... as well as fresh tar, those old mimiograph sheets, all sorts of printer's inks, fallen leaves. Smells, both good and bad invoke feelings of nostangia. I can remember all sorts of times through my life through songs and smells.

gasoline's ok but I prefer kerosene.

Burnt Hair (don't know why).
Skunk is sometimes enjoyable...dont' know why on that either

I love the smell of gasoline. Asphalt, most people hate it. Also new mulch, my wife hates that smell. The smell of fall, it's kinda dank, but to me it signals cold weather and I can't stand the heat.

gasoline is my favorite I occasionaly crave it

Gasoline, I enjoyed Fishing trips with my grandfather in his old boat and all you could smell while the boats engine was running was gasoline. Now everytime I'm at a gas station I sniff as much of it in as I can. I don't know how good that is for me but I enjoy it nonetheless.

the smell of a hockey locker room.

Natural gas powered automobiles
 

I am from Florida originally and on every corner were boiled p-nut stands. They use natural gas to boil them and keep them warm. Now when a automobile running on natural gas revs in front of me, my mouth waters at the smell. Man do I miss boiled p-nuts...
RANSOM

Hey everyone.. :) Some of my fave 'bad' smells would need to include...

1) Skunk/Hash - How can either ever really smell 'bad' tho?
2) Tarmac - The smell of fresh tarmac is just simply special (I also heard once that the smell of bitumin is actually quite good for you.. Clears the lungs out or something.. Dunno if its true or not but anyway)...
3) Soggy Fish N' Chip Wrappers - They wreak! But in a sort of good way... Especially in your car when it's raining outside and your driving home...
4) Cold Balti or Kebab - The morning after a night on the pop....

Ok that's my tuppence worth... :)

O'kay, I expected things like gasoline, skunk, fresh tar (all of which I like), but was surprised at the person that stated "my cat's breath". I've always liked cat and dog's breath that others declare is "nasty!" and thought I was quite alone in this. :) Now here's one that no one's stated and may get a resounding ewww...I like the kind of butty smell that comes from cleaning out your belly button! Now, I admit it's weird, but how different is that from liking the smell of cow shit?!! Fine, it's different, but (pun intended)....oh forget any rationalizing, it is weird.

Ali

Vaccum cleaners. Ever since I was a kid. Old ones mainly, cuz newer ones don't smell.

Why is it that your own farts smell great but other people's smell vile?


It's one of life's little mysteries....

I thought of another...malt vinegar

Yep true that, I was packing that the other day at work and I went "woah thats strong.....and nice!"

Cow manure in the spring. When they start eating the fresh grass instead of the dry hay it gets all sweet smelling.

Dirt - Good black soil. Reminds me of the potting bench at Grandma's Floral shop. I played in that so often as a little kid. Had to stand on a 5 gallon bucket to reach.

Construction smells, paint, sheetrock, fresh 2x4's, etc. Worked with my Dad for years. Even when I was only 5 and 6 I helped sweep and pick up stuff at Construction sites.

Old Pineapple when it's started fermenting. - not sure why that one is.

I can't stand Diesel or fresh cut grass because I've quite allergic to them. Riding on the bus used to give me almost instant headaches cause of the diesel smell and grass, well just rolling in it will cause my eyes to tear up and me to start sneezing. If I mow the lawn and don't take something before I start then by the time I'm done my eyes are pouring like I'm weeping, they're almost swollen shut and my nose looks like I've got a miserable cold. I hate allergies.

Sorry 'bout the double post.

Hmm, hadn't thought of that one, I'll second it.

wow, i'm surprised to see so many people agreeing that gasoline smells good... cause it does :-D

Hehheh... You sound like a sailor at sea awaiting a fresh batch of jungle juice straight from the fermenting vessel ;-)

Gasoline is addicting.. the more you smell, the more you WANT to smell...

And, my sweaty feet smell good.

roofing tar. in small doses. oh, and durian fruit.

Spent a lot of time with my dad in a machine shop when I was a kid. I love to go in a auto mechanics shop and get that smell of motor oil and machine parts oil. Brings back good memories.

Gasoline, burnt sulphur (not a good combo), spent ammunition, exploded ordnance. Apparently, if I weren't in the military, I'd likely have a negative FBI profile.

Other not-so-terrible odors I really like a lot: Autumnal rainfall, mown grass, burning wood (campfire/fireplace) or leafpiles. Oh, and Nag Champa!

yuck gasoline is a terrible smell. i dunno how anybody likes it. the smell of burnt matches and tobacco on the otherhand...

Diesel fumes-nothing better than a nice thick, freshly belched cloud of effervescent combusted diesel fuel to clear the sinuses and start your day!!

A Forest-the moistness, the smell of the leaves...nothing better! I know some of you don't have moist forests, but in New England it's all we have.

New shoes-new leather, new rubber and the idea that you will now be able to run much faster?? Come on, who doesn't like that smell.

A mild skunk smell is strangely appealing. Almost I like the repulsion. Same with a Pasadena, Texas, anyone that has been through there knows it smells bad, but I like it for some reason.

i love the smell of gasoline too
cant be that bad then
and fireworks and matches are awsome ;)

mmmm... matches right after you strike them, fireworks, burning wood.
my own earwax.

hate the smell of gasoline though.

2 stroke engine exhaust, it reminds me of racing motorcross we I was a kid, in Australia. The smell certain plastics remind me of my childhood and the new plastic toys, I would get.

i like ... well....... i like ... oooom... sorry Ive forgotten..

oh yeh I like volcanic ash in my hair.. it smells so burny

Fireworks and uhh well, almost anything involving fire.

My wife is weird about smells. I watch her when she doesn't know that I am looking, and she sniffs everything. Sometimes she will smell something, make a horrible face and smell it again.
Other times, when she is with me, she will be cleaning out the refrigerator, say, and smell something and say, "Oh, this smells awful...smell it," and hold it out to me as if I'm going to take a whiff. I tell her that I trust her opinion and take a pass.

I have to hop on the gasoline bandwagon as well...I like the smell of cars; oil, exhaust My Dad and I used to work on our shitty cars all of the time

Have to agree on gas...weird eh maybe they should start regulatin' that shit better. Anyway, has anyone played soccer as a kid? I remember I used to like smelling my shinguards just to see how bad it was, it was really ammonia-like cuz those things just didn't breathe very well. Also, the "fart phenomenon" can partially be explained because we're just so goddarned used to our own farts, and attuned to our own scents. I mean I smell all of my odors all the time and they smell just dandy to me. Maybe it's more a guy thing buy I bet allyas get a perverse pleasure out of sniffing some pleasantly perspirated-on items of clothes. Even if it is just to check if it's clean. Lastly, there's this Chinese fried rice called Hom Nee Gai Lup Chow Fan or something like that, which is Fried Rice with Salted Fish and Chicken. A lot of people I know, including my gf, can't stand the smell of that salted fish. But that shit is gooood.

I have to go with JP4. Jet fuel baby!!!

I know what you are talking about KELLYC. Taste like heaven, smell like hell. We did Cobra Gold in Thailand. Those Thai people gave us several of those foul things. A few days after we ditched them, we find out the Japanese tourists would pay around $150 for them.

Well, skunk, because of it's association with weed. But the strange thing is, nowadays I can't stand to get high (real bad paranoia), but I still love the smell of a dead skunk on the side of the road as I drive by. Sharp and crisp!