Strange and Bizarre Odors That Some People Love
by There’s no accounting for taste, or smell, in this case. Here are six intriguing, strange odors that some people love.
Everyone has their own unique smell preferences, some of which are stranger than others. Why do some people seem to prefer odors that others find to be strange or downright offensive? Some of these odor preferences are based on memories or experiences from childhood.
Here are some strange and unusual smells that some people appear to love:
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The Odor of Horse Manure
While this odor would be offensive to most, there are people who find this smell to be quite pleasant. Here’s an interesting quote, “I love it. The rich smell of horse poop, there’s nothing like it anywhere.” This quote is from the book Kentucky Rich by Fern Michaels. Could this person have had a very positive experience with horses that helped him to form this particular preference?
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Gasoline Smell
This is actually a fairly common odor preference. What makes this interesting is that the ingredients in gasoline are actually toxic in high doses which makes this a very maladaptive smell association. Most likely this positive smell association stems from a pleasant car trip taken in the past.
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Skunk Odor
This one is so common that there’s even a website devoted to the love of skunk odors. This is one of a variety of places where closet skunk odor lovers can share their love of skunk smells. Strangely enough, there are even entrepreneurs marketing skunk colognes and perfumes.
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Mildew Odor
This is another strange odor preference, although not as common as the love of skunk or gasoline smells. Fortunately, as of yet, there’s no one marketing a cologne called “Eau de Mildew”.
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Pipe Smoke
This is another rather common smell preference. Many people who have a fascination with this odor had a grandfather or father who smoked a pipe and have positive memories of the experience. Pipe smoke might be a comfort idea, somewhat similar to a comfort food.
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Body Odor
Why should this be an odor preference? No one knows for sure, but persons who have a strong body odor are likely sweat profusely because they are hard workers and good bread winners. This may make this scent attractive to the opposite sex who sees this as a positive attribute. Which raises the question as to why the antiperspirant and deodorant industry is so lucrative?
Now you know six strange and unique smells that some people love. There’s no accounting for taste or smell, in this case.
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Post CommentGarbanzo
On October 2, 2007 at 3:44 pm
An old Sioux woman told me that skunk smell is good medicine. I thought she was crazy. Then I took up smoking weed, and now when I smell a skunk I think to myself that it smells like some good medicine.
sam
On October 2, 2007 at 3:44 pm
What about the smell of bleach
smellz
On October 2, 2007 at 3:45 pm
what about a love for the smell of vacuum cleaner exhaust or car air conditioners starting up after a winter of hibernation?
Elsinore Weaved
On October 2, 2007 at 3:53 pm
The smell of just lit matches! Mmm.
David
On October 2, 2007 at 3:59 pm
You really should add bleach and chlorine.
Steve from OU
On October 2, 2007 at 4:01 pm
I love the smell of my own brand..i think its weird but my flatulences smell good to me…Am I weird or does this happen to you guys?
Rilk
On October 2, 2007 at 4:07 pm
I’m with ya steve, your farts smell amazing.
ChrisC
On October 2, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Not to mention Durian fruit. If you’ve ever smelled one you’ll know it. Personally, it smells disgusting. But there’s whole cultures that like their fruit to smell like dead animal.
smellygirl
On October 2, 2007 at 4:09 pm
what about the smell of ass? specifically your partner’s. but maybe that is too common to be on this list?
simon
On October 2, 2007 at 4:28 pm
I love the smell of cocaine
Wayne
On October 2, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Just WHAT movie is that pic from #6 Body Oder from? Looks funny!
supbra
On October 2, 2007 at 4:45 pm
The weirdest thing ive heard of is the smell of burnt popcorn.
green-o
On October 2, 2007 at 4:55 pm
now, how about the smell of some good ol’ homegrown weed? That’s a fantastic smell to me, but I guess it would be rather disgusting to most people. Although – as mentioned in the article – this is probably a product of association ^_^
other nice smells include fresh magazines (some smells better than others), new gadgets & electronics, human hair, horse (ya, r’ly!), burning wood and female genitalia. Preferably not burning.
Curlystache
On October 2, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I love the smell of yeast
Waynehelper
On October 2, 2007 at 4:58 pm
I believe that screen cap is from Flirting with Disaster.
Mechanic Chick
On October 2, 2007 at 5:03 pm
WD40!
larry the designer
On October 2, 2007 at 5:08 pm
NCR paper, those carbonless copy forms you fill out. i just love the smell of them.
Wayne
On October 2, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Hmmm… well, certainly doesn’t look like Ben Stiller…
Went to IMDB.com, and I can’t identify either of the folks in the screen cap with relation to Flirting with Disaster (1996)
some loner
On October 2, 2007 at 5:21 pm
that’s definately patricia arquette. i have a feeling it might be “holy matrimony” cause it kinda looks like joseph gordon-levitt.
Oct 2
On October 2, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I love the smell of the library when I fist walk in and the smell of a new book.
Naughty Bob
On October 2, 2007 at 5:36 pm
@ JoeyJoJo
There’s a name for your fave, Petrichor!
~M
On October 2, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Freshly cut grass
A quick summer rain evaporating off hot asphalt
gretchen
On October 2, 2007 at 5:50 pm
my favorites are chlorine and sunscreen
Smelly
On October 2, 2007 at 6:01 pm
The movie is Flirting with disaster. That’s Patricia Arquette and I can’t place the guy. But that’s it fo sho.
eatn tha cat
On October 2, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Vag…mos def.
sneakr
On October 2, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Shoe smell.
Master PInk
On October 2, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Feet….
Jaylenblahblah.
On October 2, 2007 at 7:17 pm
The carbon smell after shooting my AR-15 and the smell of a car tire store.
braindead
On October 2, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Coal, carbonettes, coal dust…love it.
tbone
On October 2, 2007 at 8:16 pm
The guy in the flick with Patricia is the same guy who played on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and also the series Bones. Can;t recall the name.
slim
On October 2, 2007 at 8:44 pm
dogs paws, burnt rubber and sewer farts
The Dude
On October 2, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Obviously ChrisC never smelled a DURIAN fruit before. It DEFINITELY does NOT smell like a dead animal. Yes, for those untrained noses, the Durian fruit can be categorized as a foul stench, but for the people in Asia where the fruit are in abundance, It’s an ultimate delicacy where even a whiff of the odor will make anyone salivating for a taste. You can even get Durians in the US. Just check out your neighborhood asian supermarket. Although frozen, they’re still good.
Did you know that the Durian is also one of an elephant’s favorite food? They can swallow it whole and then extract it whole. The durian fruit that came out from an elephant is said to be more delicious than normal ones.
ultra
On October 2, 2007 at 9:31 pm
The original Pampers scent was heavenly! I wish P&G would bring it back. Or bottle it as perfume!
brak
On October 2, 2007 at 10:07 pm
Great Smells:
-female sweat
-corn right before harvest
-lawn clippings
-burning 2-stroke motor fuel (from a lawn mower…see above)
-burnt bacon
-decaying leaves from oak or maple trees
Nasty Smells:
-pig poo
-diesel exhaust
-mushroom farms
-dog breath
frozen
On October 3, 2007 at 12:08 am
The smell of the frosty air in super market freezers. Especially
the long open top type freezers. Stick your head down in the misty
air and see if you don’t agree.
Dani
On October 3, 2007 at 12:23 am
Dude… Is that guy licking that chick’s underarm???
felman
On October 3, 2007 at 12:54 am
Crayola Crayons?
Play Doh?
Paper Money?
Blue Mimeograph ink?
Pencil shavings in a pencil sharpener?
WD-40?
sandy
On October 3, 2007 at 2:08 am
inside the foreskin of an uncut bloke who hasn’t showered in days.
lolie
On October 3, 2007 at 6:08 am
my armpit after licking it
nirvana
On October 3, 2007 at 8:39 am
What about the smell of teen spirit?
Iwan
On October 3, 2007 at 11:17 am
I can’t help it, but I love the smell of my girlfriend’s fresh urine.
Wendy
On October 3, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I have a few favorite smells that are really weird… sulphur, burning hair, match smoke, sewage. I can’t explain it, but I find these smells totally appealing.
emm
On October 3, 2007 at 2:22 pm
The actors name is Josh Brolin
Stone Heart
On October 3, 2007 at 3:22 pm
#6 pix…-eww?? yuck!!??? gross…
rach
On October 3, 2007 at 3:44 pm
permanent markers
The Non-Returner
On October 15, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Ahhh Pipe Smoke. Am I the only one who thinks it smells like vanilla?
sasabee242
On October 29, 2007 at 11:45 pm
new plastic gloves or something plastic you have to blow up
nstygrl14
On November 7, 2007 at 8:55 pm
the smelly foral scent of my hand after licking it
cryonix
On January 9, 2008 at 12:32 am
I love the smell from those cheap pool air mattresses, it’s like vinyl or plastic, but it just a different smell about.
sohni001
On February 8, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Okay, so we all have these addictions to strange smelling things but what I want to know is WHY are there some people like this? Why can I go crazy just sitting and blowing up balloons all day long and also smelling those permenant markers? I almost feel like I want to eat these smells!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
abe
On June 7, 2008 at 2:24 pm
any one like the smell of new baseballs?
Dominick G.
On June 9, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I didn’t live very far from the Maxwell House Coffee plant in Hoboken, NJ. And I always remember the smell of the coffee when a skunk is near, not yet up on it, but close by, to me it smells just like coffee?
Jane Smith
On July 1, 2008 at 11:16 am
Uh, just so you know, Fern Michaels is a woman, not a man…she, not he, loves the smell of manure…
JadeLuv28
On August 24, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I have to agree with Mechanic Chick, I love the smell of WD40, I think it has to do with fond memories of my dad when we would work on cars and stuff together.
mikalator
On August 27, 2008 at 6:45 pm
A smell associated from my camping out years as a kid- insect repellent!
Skunk odor
On September 24, 2008 at 1:16 am
I can’t say I actually like it, but after two skunks got ran over right in front of the house I was staying at the time, and the disgusting sensation and the constant feeling of wanting to vomit was just unbelievable.
But today, 10 years later, whenever i smell skunk it just doesn’t bother me.
Dieter Hentz
On November 11, 2008 at 1:24 pm
funy
TLT
On November 14, 2008 at 9:29 pm
okay, some of you blokes are just border-line sick. But perhaps you just can’t help that. Anyway, the only one on here I can actually say 100% i like, is gasoline smell – and yes, diesel fuel is a disgusting odor. go figure.
Durza
On December 2, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Please view all my articles
complexbanana
On February 24, 2009 at 9:48 pm
ok…umm just eww
but nice article
Bodyodor110%
On March 15, 2009 at 6:52 pm
My body odor day to day while going an entire summer with out showering and wearing sleevless shirts..believe me its better than 110%
Raghavan
On March 31, 2009 at 4:17 am
I like the smell of raw fish. The only condition is that I should be in a condition of perfect health without headache.
Smelly
On April 28, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I love the smell of the pus when you pop a pimple.
erika
On May 20, 2009 at 10:52 am
my damp bath towel hanging in my bathroom closet
Shoe stores
the smell of a damp mildewy building or room
hotel rooms
car air conditioning
chlorine smell of an indoor pool
Wayne
On June 6, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Happy odors I enjoy: Yummies baking in the oven like bread, roasts, and pies. I love the delicious odors of folks barbequing as I ride my bike through the neighborhood.
Sad smells: Jet and diesel fuel. It reminds me of leaving my mom and dad to go to boarding school. I attended schools for the blind.
Erotic scents I love: Semen, fresh urine or urine dried on clothing. But not urine when it has the ammonia smell.
Noke
On July 9, 2009 at 11:48 pm
I love the smell of sharpies, and libraries or books, wood mills, insect repellent (to an extent) , erasers right after you use them, nail polish remover, envelopes, and the plastic for blow up beds. Mmmmmmmmm. They’re such good smells, and because of that anyplace that has a combination of them, is like heaven. I love the smell of the paper the best. So I find any excuse to go to the post office. The one in my town has been open for decades. So it has a strong warm scent of paper and ink and old wood mixed together. I’m going to school for art, and I love to do things with my hands, so I can make the connection. I go in there or the library and I feel relaxed and nostalgic. I constantly buy stamps, just as an excuse to be in there. lol
alan
On October 1, 2009 at 2:57 am
Panties from the dirty laundry basket.
Jo
On November 26, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Ok I’m not sure why but I absolutely love the smell of pus. Specifically that green pus that occurs from certain skin infection. When it breaks I just smell it and smell it and smell it. Maybe I’m a freak, but maybe not.
I also love the smell of the oil from the side creases of the nose and ass sweat as well.
Horrible smells include: wet cat food, vomit, mildew, poop.
Jo
On November 26, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Another weird one is the smell of cigarette smoke outside. I don’t smoke anymore but I just love that smell. On the other hand, the smell of cigarette smoke inside is absolutely dreadful. Strange.
Ben Johns
On April 26, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Nice Warm Dick, Thats what I love the smell of. I suck dick all the time in granite bay california. I’m a cocksucker!
Rob
On August 31, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Horse manure is an easy one, for me. I grew up in the country and always hated driving by farms where such a smell would pervade. However, after years of living in the city and suburbs, I went to church one day and they had just fertilized the lawn. All of a sudden, memories of my youth came wafting back to me, and I found it quite pleasant. Nothing to do with positive experiences with horses, just memories of innocent years.
amy
On January 19, 2011 at 8:56 pm
i love the smell of nail polish gasoline and wd-40 so good but all bad for u how do i stop
duckletshut
On April 19, 2011 at 10:26 pm
interesting ! I had heard about the body odor smell — women like the armpit smell of her man – something biological
James
On September 4, 2011 at 6:56 pm
Someone may have made this comment, but I didnt want to read through all of them to find out. There actually is a Mildew scented cologne made by Demeter.