# Why is the smell generated by flatulence seemingly amplified by water? Poss TMI. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 25, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908 "2005-02-25T17:45:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/1 "2005-02-25T17:45:57Z")
This may drift into TMI territory: I came across a number of people on another board who have seemingly noticed this phenomenon. Whilst sitting in the bath, any wind that is passed is seemingly a lot smellier than normal. Obviously, this could be a fluke, as it’s impossible to examine the stench generated without it passing through water, but has anybody else noticed this? Is there a reason why this should be the case? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/2 "2005-02-25T19:37:39Z")
Bath bong! Sorry, just thought it sounded funny. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/3 "2005-02-25T19:46:38Z")
Maybe because it doesn’t get mixed with air immediately, and has gathered momentum toward your nose as it bubbles up from the water? [anecdote] Once I was standing in water up to my upper lip. I farted into my bathing suit, but the nylon trapped it inside. I mashed it out but it went between my legs and bubbled up the front, directly into my nose. I almost drowned. [/anecdote] ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/4 "2005-02-25T19:51:54Z")
Same stink, the difference being that when you’re in the tub the release is captured in a few noxious fart bubbles rather than being dissipated through clothing and air. It’s in a more tidy package when the bubble pops and the subsequent bouquet rises through the stillness of the bathroom air. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/5 "2005-02-25T20:03:43Z")
I’d like to believe that the water removes all of the impuritites, leaving only the quintessential fart for you to ponder in the tub. But that’s probably not the case. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/6 "2005-02-25T20:13:06Z")
Wouldn’t removing the impurities make it smell _better_? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/7 "2005-02-25T20:19:05Z")
Well, normally yes. But with the nature of farts being what they are, we’re really on an inverse scale here. Very bizarro-ish. WE’RE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, PEOPLE! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/8 "2005-02-25T20:24:58Z")
Well, the air in the bath (it’s also pretty bad in the shower) is warm and humid. You smell things better when they’re in warm and humid air, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/9 "2005-02-25T20:50:15Z")
> [@smoke](#): > > I’d like to believe that the water removes all of the impuritites, My bathtub farts smell exactly the same as my farts that are aged to perfection and distilled in beechwood casks, so you may be on to something. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/10 "2005-02-25T20:54:08Z")
Now we need someone to experiment with passing farts through activated charcoal… ---
**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:** [February 25, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/11 "2005-02-25T21:18:31Z")
I think **mack** might have touched on it. Wouldn’t the pressure of the water condense the fart into a denser state? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/12 "2005-02-25T23:24:47Z")
> [@smoke](#): > > Now we need someone to experiment with passing farts through activated charcoal… Stuff some in your bum and get back to us. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/13 "2005-02-25T23:29:33Z")
> [@smoke](#): > > Now we need someone to experiment with passing farts through activated charcoal… [If you order RIGHT NOW they might throw in a Billy Bass or something they found laying around the Ronco warehouse.](http://www.gasbgon.com/home.htm) ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/14 "2005-02-26T02:06:15Z")
ooh ooh, I got a link too! [fartless underwear](http://www.under-tec.com/index.php) ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-smell-generated-by-flatulence-seemingly-amplified-by-water-poss-tmi/291908/15 "2005-02-26T02:23:25Z")
You folks need to work more cumin into your diets. 😃 Seriously, it really does decrease the F factor.