# New smell

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-smell/232140>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 2, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-smell/232140 "2004-03-02T18:09:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Jada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jada)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-smell/232140/1 "2004-03-02T18:09:31Z")

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Why do new things- like matresses- smell funny when you first open them?

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-smell/232140/2 "2004-03-02T18:41:19Z")

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The synthetic fibers in the mattress emit a faint gas, which accumulate to a smell-able level when enclosed in the protective bag for a while. Likewise new carpeting with synthetic fibers has a smell. A new office building was built here, and before it was occupied, the owners turned the heat up to 90 degrees or so for a couple of days to force the gases out from the synthetic fibers in the carpeting and furniture.

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-smell/232140/3 "2004-03-02T18:50:51Z")

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It’s called “outgassing” or “off-gassing”. Glues, sealants and chemical treatments will off-gas for a time. This is what causes “new car smell”, along with the sythetics.

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**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-smell/232140/4 "2004-03-02T22:01:13Z")

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I heard someplace that a new shower curtain will outgas _half its weight_ (as plasticizers) over the course of its useful life - and have noticed that there is indeed a considerable weight change.

FTR, IIRC the compound which gives new carpet its distinctive smell is para-cyclohexylphenol.