All Questions
Tagged with everyday-chemistry smell
40 questions
4
votes
2
answers
782
views
I left scented candles in a polypropylene container. How do I remove the smell?
I left scented candles in a polypropylene container, for many weeks.
How do I remove the smell?
I've tried:
Hand wash with Dish Soap (a few times)
Hand wipe with Isopropyl Alcohol (a few times)
...
- 73
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Smell produced in reaction of sodium hydroxide and aluminium
I was doing an experiment with $\ce{NaOH}$ dissolved in some $\ce{H2O}$ and aluminium. My textbook says that the following reaction takes place
$$\ce{2 NaOH + 2 H2O + 2 Al -> 2 NaAlO2 + 3 H2}$$
It ...
- 59
-3
votes
1
answer
44
views
Can aroma compounds travel through metal boards and glass? [closed]
A friend from customs said "if drugs have been in a glass jar for more than a day, the aroma compounds travel through the lid and the dog can detect it, especially after 2-3 days. They can travel ...
- 573
1
vote
0
answers
476
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Why does copper jewelry & wire smell bad - even when I'm not wearing it? [duplicate]
I make jewelry by weaving a frame from copper wire for a gemstone, then making copper coils or spirals, etc for further decoration. Even 'on the roll', the copper wire smells bad - and the smell ...
- 21
14
votes
3
answers
10k
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Does a smell imply particles or chemicals in the air? [duplicate]
(I know little science so please help me if I'm in the wrong place or if my question needs editing. I could use help with tagging, for example.)
If I can smell something then does that mean there are ...
- 363
43
votes
2
answers
13k
views
What causes the "rotting fish smell"?
Rotting fish seem to give off the same (very pungent) kind of smell, regardless of the kind (salmon, seabreen, tuna, etc).
What exactly is it that's responsible for this unique smell?
(Though I've ...
- 18.8k
3
votes
3
answers
11k
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What is responsible for the odor of gasoline?
Gasoline as we know it is a blend of combustible hydrocarbons and has a characteristic odor. The natural gas we use to heat our homes and (for some of us) cook our food has its own odor, except...
...
- 423
4
votes
1
answer
23k
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How to remove formaldehyde (smell) from clothes/jeans?
Bought several jeans, then to discover they have a really nauseating smell, that is not removed by washing. Reckon it's formaldehyde, from what I can read. Anyway, assuming you have jeans with ...
- 149
0
votes
2
answers
3k
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Rotten meat odor in plastic
I've been struggling for a few days with the cleaning of a fridge that was left off for a few weeks with raw chiken meat in the freezer compartment. When I found it, the meat had turned liquid with ...
- 103
2
votes
0
answers
410
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What is smell??How come 2 things have the same smell [closed]
I have been wondering how something smells.
How come something smells the same as other thing? What is similar in them?
Like what is the chemistry behind a particular smell of a substance?
For ...
- 129
11
votes
1
answer
2k
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What causes the smell of something being "musty"?
You know the smell that arises when you leave a wet sponge out for too long? Does anybody know the chemical structure of the molecule that causes that smell? Similarly, what chemical process might be ...
- 121
10
votes
1
answer
7k
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What chemical is responsible for the distinictive odor of Scotch tape?
Scotch Tape has a distinctive odor which is noticeable if you hold a piece close enough to smell. What chemical is responsible for this odor? The wikipedia page doesn't seem to mention composition.
...
- 223
6
votes
2
answers
2k
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What is the "smell" of solid sulfur
A solid piece of sulfur has a characteristic smell.
Is the smell of solid sulfur the result of the release of compounds like sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide from a reaction with air or moisture, ...
- 1,221
34
votes
4
answers
44k
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Why does burnt hair smell bad?
When I use hot stuff like hair straightener on my hair, my hair begins to smell bad, which is very different from smell produced from burning other things. So what's the gas produced that is ...
- 1,005
76
votes
5
answers
23k
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How do people know HCN smells like almonds?
I was told by my chemistry teacher that $\ce{HCN}$ smells like almonds. She then went on to tell a story about how some of her students tried to play a prank on her by pouring almond extract down the ...
- 857
8
votes
2
answers
16k
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Why is the smell of car exhaust much stronger in winter?
I noticed that in winter, the smell of cars (to be precise the smell of the exhaust gases) is much stronger in winter. I just can't figure out why. Has this got something to do with the air ...
- 183
15
votes
1
answer
789
views
Why does rain have that smell?
What chemical reactions in the soil cause that smell when it rains? In particular, what reactions in the soil causes the petrichor smell?
- 767
11
votes
1
answer
744
views
Urban air pollution and the smell of freshly cut lawn grass?
Recently, all the lawns in the apartment complex that I live in have had their lawns cut - giving that pleasant smell of freshly cut lawn.
Now, I am aware that the smell arises from a chemical ...
user15489
17
votes
2
answers
910
views
What causes the "white water" smell?
I can detect a distinct smell when I am near water going over a weir. I could tell that I was near "white water" if I was blindfold. Can anyone tell me what causes this odour?
- 171
0
votes
2
answers
616
views
What is the chemistry behind smell of human perspiration(sweat)? [closed]
What is the chemistry behind the bad smell of human perspiration? also what is its composition?
- 26.8k
83
votes
1
answer
4k
views
What causes the old book smell?
I have a collection of old books (all 80+ years old), recently, I received a British Chemistry text from 1903 (intro page below) - this being the oldest book of my collection (112 years old at the ...
user15489
24
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Why do socks stink?
What chemicals are responsible for the stench emanating from socks? If it's just sweat, why don't underwear or vests stink as much? Which gas am I inhaling when smelling socks to decide whether they ...
- 265
6
votes
1
answer
583
views
Chemicals in Urinal Odor Eaters
What chemicals are used in so-called urinal "odor eaters"? Do they actually destroy odors, or do they just mask them? Also, are these chemicals subject to any environmental laws or regulations?
- 9,402
2
votes
0
answers
736
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Mixing borax and shampoo [closed]
I use borax to clean everything. the other day I thought it would be a good idea to mix a little borax with my shampoo while showering. After lathering it on my scalp about 30 seconds it began to ...
- 21
14
votes
2
answers
28k
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What is the smell of a glass of water in contact with fresh air?
When you pour water into a clean glass in a small confined room with no or little fresh air circulation, the only smells you perceive are those of the glass and the water (or the impurities from both ...
- 249
21
votes
2
answers
86k
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What causes the really bad smell of rotten potatoes?
Rotten potatoes have a distinctive unpleasant odour, and I can't find any definitive answer as to what the chemical involved is. I was thinking it might be Butyric acid, from the fermentation of the ...
- 425
2
votes
1
answer
132
views
Can you eliminate cigarette smoke odor between walls?
If holes are made in dry walls is there a substance that can be sprayed in the walls to eliminate cigarette odor?
- 21
12
votes
4
answers
29k
views
Does water have a smell?
I was washing my cup with hot water (without soap) and upon it nearing my nose, there was some sort of 'smell' (I lack a better word)-
However the 'smell' was different compared to when I was ...
- 575
8
votes
2
answers
196
views
Standard list of odors?
Is there such a thing as a list of "standard" odors? In everyday context, there are various descriptions to odors such as "fruity" and "plastic-like". But are there more accurate and normalized ...
- 183
5
votes
1
answer
1k
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Is there any replacement for ethyl mercaptan in LPG?
Ethanethiol, commonly known as ethyl mercaptan, is a colorless gas added to LPG in order to detect its leakage.
Apart from ethyl mercaptan, is there any gas or liquid that may be used as a ...
- 562
26
votes
2
answers
37k
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Is sodium chloride really odourless? If yes, what do I smell?
I just had to read some general descriptions of sodium chloride and it was always classified as odourless (e.g., by Wikipedia). However, large amounts of table salts (around 1 kg) have a clearly ...
- 509
7
votes
3
answers
2k
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What chemicals cause the smell of a septic tank?
I am wondering what chemicals exactly contribute to the smell of a septic tank system. I read about $\ce{H2SO4}$, $\ce{NH3}$, but I am not sure. Is methane also a factor or is that odorless?
25
votes
2
answers
27k
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What is the smell of 'burning' metal?
When a pass a construction site where someone is welding two pieces of metal together there is a very distinct smell that I associate with 'burning' metal, although I am not quite sure it is burning ...
- 6,750
240
votes
1
answer
74k
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Why can we smell copper?
If I can smell an object, it means that molecules of it are getting separated from it, so they can reach my nose. As far as I know, metals don't sublimate, especially not in room temperature. However, ...
- 2,794
4
votes
1
answer
543
views
Toilet spray effect
When we want the bad smell in toilet to go away we use a toilet spray to clean the air.
But does it really cleans it, or just the elements in that spray have better effect on our smell sense. And we ...
- 143
8
votes
2
answers
48k
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Does an onion completely remove "fresh" paint VOCs and other chemicals emitted?
I have read that paint contains VOCs(Volatile Organic Compounds), and solvents generally, and I could wait for them to dissipate, but i've read there are ways to remove the smell of paint such as half ...
- 503
18
votes
2
answers
1k
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Why do chalcogens (Group VI) stink so badly?
For more fun with Dr. Derek Lowe, see this for a primer: Things I Won't Work With - Carbon Diselenide. The short of it is that we carbon-based life forms generally like oxygen. However, move just one ...
- 6,734
4
votes
1
answer
70k
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Deodorizing using baking powder instead of baking soda
I am an engineer and I understand the difference between baking power and baking soda as baking powder is baking soda (alkali) with tartaric acid (acidic) and an inert starch (why? Is this a catalyst ...
- 283
15
votes
1
answer
50k
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What's that tangy smell on cheap plastic?
Most cheap items (from China mostly) have a strong tangy odor to the plastics (or some resin, but I can mostly smell it on plastics). The smell is always consistent over a broad range or products and ...
- 253
25
votes
5
answers
2k
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Why are smoke odors persistent in fabrics?
Obviously smoke is very complex, but apparently phenol compounds are the main components of wood smoke that produce the characteristic odor. (One of more significant of these compounds seems to be ...
- 351