# Is it just me or does Lever 2000 smell like bug spray? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834 "2013-03-13T17:07:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grey\_area](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Grey\_area](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey_area)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/1 "2013-03-13T17:07:20Z")
Please say it’s just me, because Lever 2000 is what I’m gonna be smelling like for the next few months until I run out. Not terribly sensitive about smell, I usually buy whatever liquid body wash that’s on sale and yesterday it happened to be Lever 2000 (original). So I got a bottle and when I took a shower I thought it kinda smelled like bug spray. I thought maybe I’m tired and my sense of smell was off but again this morning, bug spray. It’s not necessarily an unpleasant smell but not a pleasant one either and I don’t want to smell like I’ve spent a day battling a roach problem with the windows closed. I’m also questioning my smell since I feel a brand of soap couldn’t get so prevalent smelling like insecticide. So what say you dopers? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/2 "2013-03-13T17:57:25Z")
I use the regular bar soap and it’s ok with me. Haven’t tried the body wash but it’s not a bad idea to smell stuff like that before buying it. ---
**Author:** ![Jammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@Jammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammer)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/3 "2013-03-13T18:10:38Z")
It’s our favorite soap. Definitely doesn’t smell anything like bug spray to us. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/4 "2013-03-13T19:31:50Z")
We got a sample of it in the mail one time (probably about 20 years ago). We were glad that we just got one bar, because we hated the scent also. I don’t remember what it smelled like exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/5 "2013-03-13T19:43:10Z")
I haven’t used it in years, but it was my favorite soap before we found the Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint. It was definitely pleasant, with no bug spray scent at all. ---
**Author:** ![Pacific420](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Pacific420](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pacific420)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/6 "2013-03-14T02:54:52Z")
I use the body wash at the pool, I used to just use my hands but the wash would splatter around like semi-melted jell-o so I use a face cloth, anything but Irish Spring ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/7 "2013-03-14T02:59:13Z")
My hair product smells just like tick repellant I used to use when I was into my caving and rock climbing phase. It always brings me back when I use it. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/8 "2013-03-15T00:16:39Z")
> [@Grey\_area](#): > > Please say it’s just me, because Lever 2000 is what I’m gonna be smelling like for the next few months until I run out. > > Not terribly sensitive about smell, I usually buy whatever liquid body wash that’s on sale and yesterday it happened to be Lever 2000 (original). So I got a bottle and when I took a shower I thought it kinda smelled like bug spray. I thought maybe I’m tired and my sense of smell was off but again this morning, bug spray. > > It’s not necessarily an unpleasant smell but not a pleasant one either and I don’t want to smell like I’ve spent a day battling a roach problem with the windows closed. I’m also questioning my smell since I feel a brand of soap couldn’t get so prevalent smelling like insecticide. > > So what say you dopers? so it keeps bugs away? Is that a problem?😕 ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/9 "2013-03-15T01:50:18Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > so it keeps bugs away? Is that a problem?😕 Just because she thinks the smell is reminiscent of bug spray doesn’t mean that it actually acts as one. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/10 "2013-03-15T23:18:56Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > We got a sample of it in the mail one time (probably about 20 years ago). We were glad that we just got one bar, because we hated the scent also. I don’t remember what it smelled like exactly. Why didn’t you just toss it then? I mean, it’s not like you HAD to use it – it was free. Even if they gave you a whole bunch, you can just pitch it. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/11 "2013-03-16T05:57:58Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Why didn’t you just toss it then? I mean, it’s not like you HAD to use it – it was free. Even if they gave you a whole bunch, you can just pitch it. But… but… free shit! It kinda smells, but it’s free! ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/12 "2013-03-17T06:44:42Z")
I remember disliking it, but I can’t remember why. I also detest Lifebouy soap. Degree deodorant made me itchy and nothing made the itching stop but re-applying it. (Not showers and washing it off, etc) When I finally had a few days off I stopped using it and toughed it out for about three days until the itching stopped. I won’t even touch an unopened stick of it in the drug store, and one year when my parents put a stick of that in my Christmas stocking it was put in a bag for donations of toiletries before noon on Christmas day. ---
**Author:** ![Vireo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5a626/32.png) [@Vireo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vireo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/13 "2021-08-15T21:32:29Z")
Googled this and found this question…my Lever bar soap smelled strongly of insecticide this morning!! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2021, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/14 "2021-08-17T22:49:59Z")
All this time and no one has definitely concluded that Lever 2000 works better on fleas and ticks than chewable ivermectin? ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-me-or-does-lever-2000-smell-like-bug-spray/652834/15 "2021-08-19T15:08:13Z")
It’s funny, I’ve used Lever 2000 for years and recently a close friend was sniffing freshly showered me and asking me if I had on bug spray. So there must be something about L2000 that is reminding people of bug spray. Hopefully the secret ingredient isn’t bug spray.