For what reason Are Some Smells So Hard to Get Rid Of?
You wake up the morning after a late-night party with friends who are smokers, and the pungent stench of their cigarettes or cigars is still in your hair. Or maybe you plop down on the couch and wrinkle your nose at the fragrance of wet dog, which is still detectable even though it's been days since your damp pooch rolled on the cushions.
Your nose and brain can detect a lot of smells — about a trillion of them, according to recent estimates. But while many smells come and go relatively quickly, others seem to take up long-term residence in fabric, clothing and hair.
Why do some smells linger longer than others do, and what makes these tenacious scents harder to banish for good? [Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell Funny?]
Our sense of smell activates when special sensory cells in our noses, called olfactory receptor neurons, react to certain molecules in the gas phase and generate a signal to the brain. Different receptors "recognize" different molecules based on the molecules' shapes and the configuration of atoms on their surfaces, said Christopher Cramer, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota.
Tobacco smoke is a complex brew, containing thousands of chemicals produced by the burning tobacco leaves and additives, according to the American Cancer Society. Chemicals that are left behind when the smoke dissipates can saturate clothing, textiles, carpets and furniture; the residue is sometimes referred to as "third-hand smoke," the Mayo Clinic reported.
Wet-dog smell stems from microorganisms that live on canine fur and skin. These microbes produce smelly compounds that are liberated from the dog when mixed with water, and are released into the air when the water evaporates, British chemistry teacher Andy Brunning wrote on his chemistry blog Compound Interest.
One of the most infamous and revolting odors in nature is skunk spray, which the animals release when they feel threatened. Chemicals in the spray known as thiols — similar to alcohol but with one sulfur atom — produce the prodigious stink, according to National Geographic. Compounds in the spray release slowly over time, and can make a sprayed animal or person smelly for days or even weeks, Willam Wood, an emeritus professor in organic chemistry and chemical ecology at Humboldt State University in California, wrote in 1992 in Peak Insight Journal.
Your nose and brain can detect a lot of smells — about a trillion of them, according to recent estimates. But while many smells come and go relatively quickly, others seem to take up long-term residence in fabric, clothing and hair.
Why do some smells linger longer than others do, and what makes these tenacious scents harder to banish for good? [Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell Funny?]
Our sense of smell activates when special sensory cells in our noses, called olfactory receptor neurons, react to certain molecules in the gas phase and generate a signal to the brain. Different receptors "recognize" different molecules based on the molecules' shapes and the configuration of atoms on their surfaces, said Christopher Cramer, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota.
Tobacco smoke is a complex brew, containing thousands of chemicals produced by the burning tobacco leaves and additives, according to the American Cancer Society. Chemicals that are left behind when the smoke dissipates can saturate clothing, textiles, carpets and furniture; the residue is sometimes referred to as "third-hand smoke," the Mayo Clinic reported.
Wet-dog smell stems from microorganisms that live on canine fur and skin. These microbes produce smelly compounds that are liberated from the dog when mixed with water, and are released into the air when the water evaporates, British chemistry teacher Andy Brunning wrote on his chemistry blog Compound Interest.
One of the most infamous and revolting odors in nature is skunk spray, which the animals release when they feel threatened. Chemicals in the spray known as thiols — similar to alcohol but with one sulfur atom — produce the prodigious stink, according to National Geographic. Compounds in the spray release slowly over time, and can make a sprayed animal or person smelly for days or even weeks, Willam Wood, an emeritus professor in organic chemistry and chemical ecology at Humboldt State University in California, wrote in 1992 in Peak Insight Journal.
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