# What causes "old person smell"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263 "2005-03-12T23:24:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/1 "2005-03-12T23:24:59Z")
Ok, I know this question probably sounds offensive (I know the majority of old people don’t smell bad), but what’s the explanation for why certain old people seem to have a certain smell? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/2 "2005-03-12T23:37:23Z")
In the case of some older people I know, it’s the smell of Ben-Gay. ---
**Author:** ![Eggerhaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@Eggerhaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eggerhaus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/3 "2005-03-12T23:56:29Z")
What’s 40 feet long and smells like urine? A conga line at a nursing home. ba-da-boom 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/4 "2005-03-13T00:20:35Z")
What kind of smell is it? There could be many different types of smells based on their living enviroment. Types of foods that are cooked, are they smokers, Ben-Gay, etc… ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/5 "2005-03-13T00:26:42Z")
I know exactly the smell being referred to. My wife mentioned it yesterday after visiting someone at a senior center. We had a lengthy discussion on what might cause it and I even mentioned that I might post the question here. For a minute, I thought she’d hacked into my account 🙂 It’s nothing like Ben-Gay or urine. I wonder if it’s caused by some medication or supplement that a lot of people over 65 take. Not all old people smell like it, but it’s pretty widespread. It’s always the same smell. Every time I’ve ever been into a nursing home I’ve noticed it on certain residents. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/6 "2005-03-13T00:27:34Z")
OK, IANAD, and this is a WAG, but I think it has to do with hormones, or lack thereof. I noticed that kids don’t smell musky, either. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/7 "2005-03-13T02:45:20Z")
Could it simply be a matter of not bathing frequently? I know many elderly people worry about slipping in the bathtub or shower, and so bathe much less frequently than younger people. Homeless people who don’t bathe also tend to all have much the same smell. I lived in a homeless shelter for a while, so I’m quite familiar with that smell. When I go into the bathroom at work, I can immediately tell when a homeless man was in there before me. So it may be the same thing with old people, though probably a slightly different smell. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/8 "2005-03-13T03:17:28Z")
Old people. (It had to be said.) ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/9 "2005-03-13T04:25:27Z")
Could it be that some of their clothing is old? I work in a museum, and some of our clothing/furniture items that certain “elderly musk” usually associated with old people. (It’s a combination of soil, old mold/must, natural fiber breakdown, etc.) Perhaps their clothes have picked up the “old stuff” scent from their homes if the clothes themselves are not old. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/10 "2005-03-13T16:49:43Z")
> [@Lissa](#): > > Could it be that some of their clothing is old? I work in a museum, and some of our clothing/furniture items that certain “elderly musk” usually associated with old people. (It’s a combination of soil, old mold/must, natural fiber breakdown, etc.) > > Perhaps their clothes have picked up the “old stuff” scent from their homes if the clothes themselves are not old. I find the same thing if I leave a lot of clothing in a trunk for a long time. It’s a similar smell to, say, my grandpa. ---
**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 13, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/11 "2005-03-13T19:15:31Z")
Not bathing, losing one’s sense of smell, and not giving a shit! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/12 "2005-03-13T20:59:56Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Ok, I know this question probably sounds offensive (I know the majority of old people don’t smell bad), but what’s the explanation for why certain old people seem to have a certain smell? Not linaments, urine, nor lack of bathing resulting in BO but a musty like old smell. Perhaps immagination or a aura of being in close contact with old clothing etc. most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/13 "2005-03-13T21:21:34Z")
> [@Speaker for the Dead](#): > > I find the same thing if I leave a lot of clothing in a trunk for a long time. It’s a similar smell to, say, my grandpa. I have to agree with this. I’ve known older people who did not have this smell, and they were always immaculate dressers that still bought new cloths regularly. I have known other elderly folks that are still wearing cloths they bought in the 70s that have this smell… ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/14 "2005-03-14T01:52:32Z")
Mothballs? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/15 "2005-03-14T02:16:05Z")
Ok, here’s the dope; It’s hemorroids. Them suckers are hard as hell to wipe clean because of all the nooks and crannies (enjoy those english muffins, kiddies). Basides that, they prevent a good seal, causing leaks. More like a seepage, actually. A kind of pale, brownish, liquidy stuff. And when you get old, your butt cheeks get skinny and fail to close over the offending area. Peace, mangeorge (vergeing on old age himself) (60) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/16 "2005-03-14T02:57:43Z")
Old fart. Self-explanatory. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/17 "2005-03-14T16:17:25Z")
There is a smell associated with old people’s medicine cabinets (bathroom cabinets) that I have noticed. Not at all sure what the causal substance is though. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/18 "2005-03-14T16:27:54Z")
An old [News of the Weird column](http://www.uexpress.com/newsoftheweird/?uc_full_date=20000813) from 2000 contained this story: > [@](#): > > And cosmetics firms’ sales of products to reduce or mask the odor of “noneal” are booming, according to a March New York Times report; noneal is a chemical released in greater quantity as people age and in super-hygienic Japan creates the unpopular “old man’s smell.” Not sure exactly what “noneal” is. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/19 "2005-03-14T23:48:18Z")
Welll… It’s a chemical released in greater quantity as people age and in super-hygienic Japan creates the unpopular "old man’s smell, **Motorgirl**. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263/20 "2005-03-15T04:08:31Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > Not bathing, losing one’s sense of smell, and not giving a shit! 🆒 I wasn’t aware that constipation caused you to smell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-old-person-smell/294263.md?page=2)