Does anyone else “smell” … funny?😳

[BruceLeTerror]

When I was a kid, the loo always smelled “funny” after my DMum had used it.

Fast forward 40 years, now I’m smelling that smell when I use the loo (or just on/about me in general)

I can’t describe it 😳

Am 48 - guess Mum would have been similar age at the time?

FWIW I shower every day and wash at other end of the day

tia 🙏

hadnt read this; thank goodness it’s not just me!

Sooo… The Smell could be:

Oniony
Biscuity
Marmitey
Fishy
Semeny
Sweet
Meaty
Like gravy(-y)
Fusty
Musky
”Full”

And may emanate from your wee, pits, bits, cleavage, hands or the backs of your ears.

Did I cover it???

I’ve been worried about a strange smell when I go to the loo for a couple of years now. It’s not pleasant, kind of reminds me of tramp (not the perfume), a dirty, acrid smell which I couldn’t explain as I shower daily and am scrupulous about wiping “down there “. I even mentioned it to the doctor who couldn’t have been any less interested. Anyway, I’ve noticed an improvement since I stopped eating evening meals (which often contained onion and or garlic) so I’m wondering if it was that…

That’s interesting. It’s the only time I have ever come across it.

Especially given that he passed away while I worked for him. I suspect it was a health issue as it never seemed like a lack of hygiene one. Although it always made me think of foundation rather than syrup.

Ah yes, the spunky Linden tree, also known as a Lime tree in the UK

In the days before charity shops washed everything, they had the 'old people smell'. I also remember it from back when we had charity jumble sales. My Mum is in her 90s and her bedroom has that smell.

If you're having trouble imagining the smell, think of a mixture of musty old books, mouldy bread, fish fingers and marzipan.

I'm also an old lady now so have just bought some persimmon body wash as this thread has freaked me out!

What an excellent thread @BruceLeTerror, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at some of the posts.

And as for buying soap for old lady smell - no, I just cannot do it!! Getting older is just so full of fun😂

Linden Tree

Because if they go in after I've been for a wee it smells different to after they wee or their dad does.

And it was a discussion because we were laughing about knowing who picked the asparagus at the pub lunch and who didn't, just by walking into the loo. Which led onto middle one saying he knows whether it was me or not me who last had a wee, and the others agreeing.

They're not wrong; I recognise myself that since mid to late forties my wee definitely smells like my gran's did.

My weird "new" smells...

Boobs - sour milk.
Neck - vinegar.
Apron belly (also fucking new) - onion.
Thigh/groin area - i call these curry crevices. So probably onion with a hint of spice. I'm really not a spice eater so it's so weird.

On the plus side (and let's face it, we take what we can at the moment!), my pits are now 99% dry and non smelling at all despite being one sweaty caaaw my entire life.

Every cloud and all that.

There are two of these outside my work. In the summer they smell like the Linden Tree candles from Yankee Candles, not like the trees are tommy tanking.

I had this for a while. It was really horrible. My skin smelt like musty house. Even if I had just had a bath and washed all over, if I sniffed my arm it would have a strong unpleasant scent. I couldn’t wash it off! It did go when I went on HRT.

If you're not sensitive to smell you might not even notice. It's a subtle change to your natural body odour. Subtle but not a pleasant change and something i associated with my grandmother. I think it must be hormonal. Anyway, the persimmon soap just restores everything to normal thank god. I've been using it a couple of years. It's one of the few beauty/health products that actually works .

To the pp with no amazon and only Temu. I would just order from Temu. I dont think there is an alternative to persimmon and ordering from Temu is really no big deal.

I've heard of persimmon soap for older people, but not seen any scientific tests to prove it works.

Might it be an old tale, like copper bangles for arthritis, or drops of purified water to cure disease?

Can I add 'yeasty' to the mix please? Palms of hands, boobs and armpits.

I'm 64 (just want to make sure ALL bases are covered). And I'm loving the honesty of this thread and obsessively sniffing myself now.

Maybe that's why behind the ears, nape of the neck and cleavage are places to traditionally spray your perfume? To disguise any smell.

@XiCi do you use the soap all over?

I also worry about things like some one going in toilet after me and take a bottle of impulse to give a little spray. If the smell is my urine though not sure how the soap will help. Willing to try anything though and will order.

My periods also smell awful since I have hit late forties!

A few years ago I used to wake up and smell like shredded wheat , it persisted for about a year then went away .

oh my god I’m so happy to see this thread because I have never been able to say this to ANYONE . I thought I was going crazy . I have an older colleague with this smell , it’s very strong and overpowering and takes over the whole room ( even though she is very clean , very nice , very groomed etc ). She has had it for years and I actually thought it was from a previous illness she had that affected her liver function . However I have since smelled the same smell from many strangers of the same age so now I am wondering if it’s noneal . Particularly when it’s warm. It’s kind of like a strong off putting musty sweet smell . Actually the v expensive perfume “ portrait of a lady “ smells like that to me too , so I was wondering if I was mixing it up . However my colleague has had this from way way before the perfume was out and popular .
i think it must be the noneal scent and I am absolutely paranoid I have it and can’t smell it . I am 51 , I think my mum at times also had this now that I think of it …. Particularly from stored winter clothes / coats and jumpers that aren’t washed v frequently…….
regarding the wee … I have to take antibiotics for chronic UTis and when I don’t take them my pee is absolutely vile . I would be mortified going to loo ahead of someone and carry sprays with me . It’s really crap ….

feck sake I don’t like this ageing business . So glad I have somewhere to talk about it though x

Your personal smell definitely changes with peri- menopause.
Mine improved a lot with HRT and a lot more with weight loss.

Ooh could I ask which probiotics please?! I have both gastritis and old lady smell 😂 killing two birds with one stone sounds ideal!

Omg this has been a hilarious start to the day, thank you everyone for the humour and information! I had no idea this happened, I used a different bathroom to my mum growing up, and DH lost his sense of smell with covid so I would have had no inkling this might be happening. DH definitely has stronger smells these days (61); I haven't noticed anything yet but will now be furtively sniffing and going equipped with soap and scented spray whenever I leave the house!

@mumuseli you were curious about the night sweats or hot flushes - flushes tend to rise up through my chest, night sweats are on my back
(Edited for typo)

thank god for mn.

they really should include info like this in a handbook for womaning.

I’ve just had my morning wee and it did smell strong. Kind of rich and creamy. Hard to describe. Maybe I do have the menopausal wee smell after all.