# Why does White Out smell so bad?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-white-out-smell-so-bad/628158>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 14, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-white-out-smell-so-bad/628158 "2012-07-14T00:02:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-white-out-smell-so-bad/628158/21 "2012-07-15T11:28:07Z")

</div>

> [@california\_jobcase](#):
>
> Pencils work well for notes that may be corrected.

Sure, but I wanted notes that would last for several years, and I had color coding. Why do you care how I took notes?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-white-out-smell-so-bad/628158/22 "2012-07-15T12:08:19Z")

</div>

> [@Anamorphic](#):
>
> I disagree with your premise. I like that smell!

Repeatedly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-white-out-smell-so-bad/628158/23 "2012-07-17T04:31:40Z")

</div>

> [@Antigen](#):
>
> I haven’t used the paint-on liquid version in ages. I’m used to the [correction tape](http://www.speedystationery.com.au/thumbs/bic-wite-out-correction-tape-roller-4.2mm-x-10.1m.jpg) now - no clumps, no stink. Even that stuff, though, I haven’t used since college. I do almost everything on the computer now.

I use it frequently in my accounting practice for several purposes, the biggest of which is to make corrections on coversheets for folders of original documents we receive from customers. I also occasionally use it for corrections on tax forms when there is a simple mistake, but I don’t want to reprint the whole thing.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-white-out-smell-so-bad/628158.md?page=1)