Can You Handle Reading These 9 Stories About the Worst Smells That People Have Ever Experienced?

Japanese girl closes the nose with her hands. Unpleasant smell or stink

In the realm of sensory experiences, few things are as memorable as the sense of smell. It has the power to evoke nostalgia, stir appetites, and, in some cases, leave an indelible mark on our memories. We delved into a social media thread where users shared their stories of the absolute worst smells they’ve ever encountered, and the tales that emerged will make your nose twitch in sympathy and your stomach turn in horror.

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#1. The Lingering Odor Of Death

Side view of senior disabled old man sitting in wheelchair on street
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“I used to volunteer with my church by delivering food and other supplies to shut-ins once a week. I developed a decent relationship with one of them, and she left me a key since she had mobility issues.

You will never forget the smell of a human body that’s been [rotting] there for a few summer days.”

#2. The Close Talker’s Cloud of Doom

Friends talking in bus
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“Had a coworker that walked 8 kilometers to work and back home every day because he didn’t drive. He always wore the same jacket, zipped up and buttoned around the neck.

He never showered, and 90F summers didn’t change that. He smoked, never changed his clothes, and was so incredibly dirty that his teeth looked like they started to mold.

He was a close talker. That was the worst smell I’ve ever smelled.”

#3. A Shrimp Boat Nightmare

Fried king prawns on iron pan
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“I worked on a shrimp boat. We had a trip where everything seemed to go wrong, so we offloaded, and we all raced off the boat and went to our homes. A week later (this was sometime during August when we get our hottest weather), we arrived at the boat and realized we didn’t clean inside the hatch after the offload.

There were a few hundred pounds of rotten shrimp stuck to the walls, ceiling, and floor of our fish hold. When we pulled the hatch cover, I immediately started throwing up all over. I swear I could see stink lines like in cartoons.”

#4. The Revenge of the Rotting Potato

Various raw potatoes in brown bag on natural stone background. Healthy eating. Organic agriculture background.
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“A rotting potato. It had rolled to the back of the cupboard and started to decay. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what the odor was or its location. Did a massive cleanup hoping to get rid of the smell, but somehow missed the source. A few days later, I saw it, reached in, and put my fingers through it, unleashing wafting torrents of putridness, leaving me gagging on my hands and knees. As the gelatinous mess, set free from the bonds of the potato skin, oozed forth, it seeped further into the wood of the cupboard but also down my arm.”

#5. The Nauseating Side of Chemo

Asian senior elderly old lady woman patient open toilet bathroom by hand in nursing hospital ward, healthy strong medical concept.
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“Chemo s****. I’ve lived with people and pets undergoing chemo, and being around after they [defecated] would make me nauseous to the point of having to go outside for fresh air.

I would actually hallucinate the smell randomly during the day.”

#6. A Haunting Stench

Young businesswoman in medical mask showing stop / no gesture
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“Gangrene. It will haunt you for 1000s of years.”

Gangrene is a serious medical condition that occurs when a part of the body, typically a limb or organ, loses its blood supply and begins to decay.

#7. The Elevator Eruption

Closeup on business woman hand holding elevator door
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“One time I farted in a crowded elevator, and it smelled so bad it made a pregnant lady throw up.”

#8. The Legendary Brotherly Stench

3d rendering of the bathroom interior
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“When my brother was about 12, he took a dump that made me wretch for three days, and I can still smell it if I think about it today.”

#9. Sun-Baked Elk Blood

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“45-gallon drum filled with elk blood, it was in the sun. It was being used by scientists in a study of grizzly bears. It was bad.”

Source: Reddit.

“10 Things That Will Fade Away as the Baby Boomer Generation Bows Out”

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The winds of change are upon us, and as the baby boomer generation slowly makes its way into their senior years, many users agree that there are certain aspects of life that will inevitably fade into the past. The generational shift is bound to bring about transformations that might leave us both nostalgic and relieved.

10 Things That Will Fade Away as the Baby Boomer Generation Bows Out

“18 Things Millennials Do That Annoy Boomers”

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Millennials, also known as Generation Y, are the demographic cohort born between 1981 and 1996. They have grown up in a world that is vastly different from that of their parents and grandparents, the Baby Boomers. As a result, there are certain behaviors and attitudes that Millennials exhibit that can be perceived as annoying by Boomers.

18 Things Millennials Do That Annoy Boomers

“13 Things That Were Once Highly Respected But Is Now a Complete Joke”

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We scoured social media threads to bring you the most candid and honest responses from real people. From the mundane to the shocking, we have compiled a comprehensive list of the things that were once highly respected but is now a complete and utter joke.

13 Things That Were Once Highly Respected But Is Now a Complete Joke

“11 Old-School Etiquette Rules You Don’t Need To Follow Anymore (And 3 You Do)”

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In a rapidly changing world, social norms and etiquette have evolved significantly over the years. What was once considered proper and polite may now seem outdated and unnecessary. While some old-school etiquette rules still hold value today, others have become obsolete.

11 Old-School Etiquette Rules You Don’t Need To Follow Anymore (And 3 You Do)

“22 Things Non-Boomers Share That Makes Them a Complete Boomer”

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A social media post asked folks to share what makes them feel like total “boomers” even as they embrace the digital age. Their responses were both amusing and relatable, proving that no matter how advanced we become, some things will always have us shaking our heads.

22 Things Non-Boomers Share That Makes Them a Complete Boomer

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Pri Kingston

Ash & Pri are the Founders of AshandPri.com and have spent the last decade building their way towards financial freedom and a lifetime of memories. Having successfully achieved their early retirement goal in under 10 years, they look forward to sharing their financial sense with like-minded people. Read more about Ash & Pri in the 'About Us' section.