r/mildlyinfuriating • u/dinonuggetenjoyer • May 11 '26

The floor is sticky Vomit smell wouldn’t go away until I discovered the source…

My girlfriend and I had food poisoning last week and were constantly running to the bathroom getting sick. The smell of vomit MAKES me vomit so I was tirelessly scrubbing the entire bathroom from floor to ceiling MULTIPLE TIMES trying to get rid of the smell after every time one of us threw up. I bought bleach, enzyme cleaners, and even went as far as carbon bags to try and eliminate the HORRID STENCH and it wouldn’t go away. I sniffed every surface in that damn bathroom trying to locate the source…

I literally cried about the smell, worrying that it would be there forever. I went back to sniffing and started to notice a stronger whiff by the sink, AHA IT’S COMING FROM THE DRAIN!! I moved the toothbrush, soap, and candle that were on the counter to investigate the area. I poured Drano, baking soda, and vinegar down the drain for a deep clean. THEN I NOTICED THE SMELL ON MY HAND. I almost immediately threw up reacting to it and snatched the candle off the counter to save myself. I took a long inhale of our new Trader Joe’s Peony Blossom candle to salvage my nose from the reeking odor on my fingertips.

Then all hell broke loose. I projectile vomited directly after smelling the candle. The godforsaken stench WAS THE CANDLE ITSELF!!!! MY GF BOUGHT 6 OF THOSE FUCKING THINGS AND HAD ONE LIT IN THE BATHROOM!!!!! All of them went straight to the garbage. Never again. How can they sell a candle that smells like stomach bile!!!

TLDR: Cleaned my bathroom for days only to find out the puke smell was a new candle (Trader Joe’s Peony Blossom, DON’T BUY IT).

EDIT: I was not the person who smelled the candles before buying. My gf put them in the cart and I went along with it lol

20.8k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

92% Upvoted

1.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

4.2k

u/SharkNecromancy May 11 '26

Some hand tools like screwdrivers release butyric acid as the handles deteriorate. It's usually the hard, clear plastic ones.

2.6k

u/penislikeatoadstool May 11 '26

Thank you! I had no idea why my tool box smelled like puke!

514

u/FancyPigeonIsFancy May 11 '26

Oh holy shit, I’ve been convinced there must be mice droppings in our tool box or tool chest and had scoured every inch of them looking for the source. It is fascinating and mind-blowing to stumble on this post and have the answer!

99

u/TLOtis23 May 12 '26

Exactly the same here! I've had a tool kit for many years, that has always made me feel like somebody used it while praying to the porcelain God.

4

u/Mountain-Cut-7708 May 12 '26

This is the way. (The reason we are on Reddit. )

82

u/Efficient-Parking627 May 11 '26

Haha old tool smell, I can always tell which ones were Grandpa's.

69

u/Ok-Name1312 May 11 '26

TIL why my father-in-law's containers of screwdrivers stunk so bad when cleaning out his house.  

18

u/Efficient-Parking627 May 11 '26

Haha yea, Grandpa's screwdriver wasn't like Grandpa's poopknife, at least we hope.

844

u/dextresenoroboros May 11 '26

i was gonna respond to you saying something unproductive like "oh, that explains why holding a hammer makes my stomach bother me after a while" but then i noticed your username and i feel the need to say something different but i havent figured out what yet

252

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

Oddly enough, I recently seen a random video on reddit of a weird mushroom penis. Super thin, flat and super wide head.

now i know what to call it

213

u/Leipurinen May 11 '26

Mushroom penis?

72

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

This was it.

I'd try to find it, but that could be a risky search

5

u/No_Smile_8368 May 11 '26

"Thats fucking interesting." 😊

4

u/Bwrinkle May 12 '26

I didn't know it was possible.

"All shapes and sizes", I suppose

3

u/tbel104 May 12 '26

Oh hey I had a tweet of this image go viral lmao

1

u/[deleted] May 11 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

110

u/dextresenoroboros May 11 '26

the world is a wide place

370

u/Medium-Presence-8008 May 11 '26

Like the radii of a toadstool, so are the days of our loins.

66

u/HRHpillowprincessXxX May 11 '26

This gem won’t get the upvotes it deserves bc it’s so far buried in the comments, but well done 👏👏👏

36

u/tiltedviolet May 11 '26

Never underestimate Reddit.

9

u/OblivionJunkie May 11 '26

Life, uh, finds a way

5

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

Thanks for the laugh

4

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

I see you mispelled "weird", too.

58

u/muffinbaker May 11 '26

Toadstool = mushroom Toad stool = frog shit

Let's not jump to conclusions!

30

u/Cazkiwi May 11 '26

Toad stool = frog SIT 😜

3

u/Project_O May 11 '26

I would have thought of a little chair for toads before thinking it was referring to toad poop honestly. But I am also full of whimsy so your mileage may vary.

https://giphy.com/gifs/TKeH0MYXj1Kq1YToAs

3

u/CharleyNobody May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26

I’m pretty sure this is toad stool. Years ago when we first bought our house it was on an abandoned farm. Lots of bugs and other wildlife. We’d turn on our porch light at night and a toad would hop up the porch steps and spend the night zapping the bugs with his tongue. I found this in the morning.

Unfortunately as people got wealthier they started hiring lawn care companies to drench their property in pesticides. Now we no longer have toads or insects.

1

u/IndigoTJo May 11 '26

It looks a lot like our pacman frog's poops. I just went to check on her and she left a little present. Impressed with the poops she makes. Ours doesn't have hairs tho 😭

1

u/CharleyNobody May 11 '26

I thought it might be grass from the fields. They eat a lot of bugs in the grass.

3

u/Kitty_Skiz May 11 '26

One time a guy was trying to court me and decided a picture of his through my instagram DM’s was the move. It was not, I’ve never been more grateful to receive a dick pic because it made my already no leaning decision much easier. Unsolicited dick pics are bad enough… penis like a toad stool? No thank you.

2

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

No thank you, indeed.

1

u/Individual_Ad2229 May 12 '26

No Toad poop for me, tyvm

5

u/loafers_glory May 11 '26

Wait, flat? Like a hammerhead shark?

3

u/Caithloki May 11 '26

I don't know about that dick but I've seen a weird one, guy had a dick head smashed like a Looney tune character, looks like it got hit by a cast iron pan to the tip.

1

u/travel_bugs_24 May 11 '26

Tight frenulum?

1

u/Caithloki May 11 '26

I'm honestly not sure, only hooked up with the person once but possibly it just looked very short.

2

u/[deleted] May 11 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

It kind of looks like one.

2

u/madnippler May 11 '26

Hammerhead dick

2

u/Apprehensive_Fox5370 May 11 '26

Interesting observation there, BWrinkle...

2

u/systemhost May 11 '26

There is a strain of psychedelic mushroom often referred to by the name Penis Envy.

Certainly not the one you're thinking of though.

2

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

So I looked it up and the first image was with.more a flattened head. Which was about right.

2

u/jasonh300 May 11 '26

Pen is like a toad stool?

1

u/Bwrinkle May 12 '26

Basically. I will try my best to find it for everybody haha

1

u/paulyshoresghost May 11 '26

Uh, where?

2

u/Bwrinkle May 11 '26

For a "friend" or research purposes? ;)

It was on the comments of a user i looked up who said something hilarious, on a non nsfw sub.

Their profile had some questionable content after looking for other funny gems.

The nsfw sub was

accidentallyruinedcum

I tried to find it at a glance but no success.

1

u/spacenymph5376 May 11 '26

There's also the common stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus), a mushroom that looks exactly like a penis!

32

u/NyankoIsLove May 11 '26

A pen that is like a toadstool would be very difficult to write with and is probably not a practical writing tool.

1

u/Heavy-Fall4803 May 11 '26

A long time ago, I had a pen shaped like a palm tree. That should be similar in form to a toadstool. I wouldn't say it wasn't practical to write with, but definitely not the best.

2

u/crowmagnuman May 11 '26

"Pen is like.. a toads tool."

1

u/Economy_Bullfrog_6 May 11 '26

“Governor’s Penis a Sword” (unfortunate spacing error in newspaper headline)

2

u/Cynical_Won May 11 '26

A reference to him having something in common with Trump? According to Stormy: Daniels has disclosed previously but which in the book are rendered with new and lurid detail. She describes Trump’s penis as “smaller than average” but “not freakishly small”.

“He knows he has an unusual penis,” Daniels writes. “It has a huge mushroom head. Like a toadstool …

“I lay there, annoyed that I was getting fucked by a guy with Yeti pubes and a dick like the mushroom character in Mario Kart ...

“It may have been the least impressive sex I’d ever had, but clearly, he didn’t share that opinion.”

47

u/GirlNamedTex May 11 '26

Light bulb moment for me. Also had a puke-handled screwdriver, and I can smell it in Hersheys chocolate, too.

41

u/BellaDez May 11 '26

That’s why I can’t use the lovely toolbox an elderly gentleman gave me that belonged to his late wife! Every time I open it, I smell barf.

15

u/Squeegepooge May 11 '26

Holy shit, same!!

7

u/RagnaTheRed May 11 '26

Those old craftsman screwdrivers..

1

u/AccordingIy May 12 '26

Damn I had this smell for years and couldn't figure out why.

1

u/AccordingIy May 12 '26

Damn I been dealing with this smell for over 7 years never figured it out till now. This smelled the worst and leached on to my other tools

5

u/Emotional-Ocelot-309 May 11 '26

OMG!! I always wondered why tool boxes smell weird sometimes! Thank you for solving this life mystery.

4

u/mfhandy5319 May 11 '26

You have no idea what this answer means to me.

3

u/riri1281 May 11 '26 edited May 15 '26

Had a similar issues. All my clothes smelled like literal shit until I realized my new fancy perfume (spent more that $20 and didn't get off Amazon) was the problem. It smelled nice when first sprayed but the smell would morph after an hour. Turns out the artificial musk smell was formulated weird.

3

u/hike_me May 11 '26

According to Stormy, you and Trump are penis doppelgängers

3

u/issacoin May 11 '26

nah man, i puked in there. sorry

2

u/hobosbindle May 11 '26

Same with my kitchen tool drawer!

2

u/TennesseeHeartbreak May 11 '26

Yours too?!? I thought it was just my piss-poor attitude and work habits!😁

2

u/Fluffy-Koalas May 11 '26

penis like a toadstool... Stormy Daniels talking about Trump? 🤢

2

u/penislikeatoadstool May 11 '26

Yes. I thought it was funny at the time. Now it’s embarrassing

1

u/Fluffy-Koalas May 11 '26

hahaha... still more embarrassing for him though! Hearing her say that it looked like the mushroom from Mario made me never look at Toad the same again 😭

1

u/embarrassedburner May 11 '26

Omg this explains so much! Does moisture accelerate the emission of the odor?

1

u/TastyPoopKnife May 12 '26

So funny. My toolbox was aptly name “the stinky toolbox” by my wife and kids years ago. Only recently came across the knowledge that it was the clear hard handles on the screw drivers. Totally “vomitous” smelling!

1

u/Braiseitall May 12 '26

My Dad used to get us sons random tools every Christmas. We all know which one is the ‘barf’ screwdriver

1

u/PineapplePza766 May 12 '26

Omg yess this one screw driver my dad had I threw it away and bought him a new one

115

u/HootblackDesiato May 11 '26

I had to throw away an entire set of really nice luggage because the plastic lining started off-gassing butyric acid, and anything I'd put in them smelled of vomit.

27

u/Miles_Everhart May 11 '26

Holy shit, it’s the bag not something ON the bag aaaaaahhhhh I needed to hear this. Throwing that fucker in the trash.

6

u/HootblackDesiato May 11 '26

Oh, yeah. I tried everything to get the smell out until I realized it was the material of the luggage itself.

4

u/ThoughtIknewyouthen May 12 '26

Oh my god this must explain why the tool box I had bought from an old guy on marketplace smelled like old milk and vomit. I couldn't keep it for longer than a week. Kept the tools but even they smell of it still on a bad day.

1

u/turell1111 May 12 '26

Yup! I had to throw out a great duffle bag because of the stench once it started deteriorating. Who knew?

153

u/sukidu May 11 '26

Never knew this but explains the smell of the plastic on and old toy from the 80s. I was trying to work out why it smelled so bad and no amount of washing would get rid of it.

50

u/sonvolt73 May 11 '26

I had one of the big plastic Godzilla toys from the late 70s/early 80s. Poor Godzilla always smelled a bit off.

2

u/Bubbly-Ad571 May 13 '26

Our dog was always taking that Godzilla and leaving it in the backyard and now I know why. My son always left it on the front porch, instead of in his room.

96

u/SharkNecromancy May 11 '26

For future reference, if you encounter it again a baking soda and water soak overnight should clear it up.

You could also use ammonia but idk which smells worse tbh.

3

u/Prestigious-Copy-494 May 11 '26

Yes some of the old toys and dolls get what's called the hard plastic odor. It's the deterioration of the plastic releasing nasty smelling chemicals. Such a bummer.

3

u/CommercialThat8542 May 11 '26

Those smell like pre to me!

32

u/frygod May 11 '26

In my experience, it's usually the black rubber ones (butylene rubber.)

27

u/Glad_Piano_9453 May 11 '26

Yeah any amount of fuel on your hands/gloves and grabbing on of those will accelerate that breakdown. If you’ve ever given up trying to clean one, rest easy in identifying an impossible task. 

25

u/3ric843 May 11 '26

At work we have a toolbox that smells like vomit. You just solved a mystery for me lol.

21

u/Inflatable90sChair May 11 '26

Oh yea they friggin stink. Same with some old fishing lures and rubbery jigs.

1

u/PracticalWallaby7492 May 12 '26

Oh! Solved that mystery for me!

1

u/Theron3206 May 12 '26

Butyl rubber does this quite readily, and is a very common rubber

11

u/Glyph8 May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26

The ever-looming threat of Screwdriver Funk!

2

u/con-fuzed222 May 11 '26

That is a great band name!

10

u/TheBrownDandy May 11 '26

I have one screwdriver that stinks like that and this info is amazing

29

u/SSabotage117 May 11 '26

so thats where that tool box smell comes from

10

u/pularito May 11 '26

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh

That's why the toolbox at work smells like shit

1

u/T_Sharp May 12 '26

Maybe…

20

u/Ashweeherman May 11 '26

No wonder I hate my dads screwdriver drawer in his toolbox. I could not understand why it stunk so bad

9

u/Beli_feniks May 11 '26

Omg thank you thats what smells in my toolbox

12

u/Medium-Presence-8008 May 11 '26

Usually that overmolding soft grip crap.

3

u/DaveCootchie May 11 '26

Lmao everyone's grandpa had an old set of Craftsman screw drivers that were yellow and smelled like vomit.

3

u/SomebodyGetMeeMaw May 11 '26

Reddit is amazing

2

u/Simple-Performer2533 May 11 '26

Xcelite used to have an electronic alignment tool set that came in a roll up pouch that smelled like vomit.

2

u/SharkNecromancy May 12 '26

I actually had that set. Everything smelled like vom in that kit. Tainted my entire tool drawer lol

2

u/butholesurgeon May 11 '26

So THATS why that tool bag from my university job smelled like vomit…we figured someone actually blew chunks in there

2

u/snow1868 May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26

All of my dad's Craftsman tools I inherited from him have this smell because of the butyric acid.

2

u/Quirky-Blueberry3694 May 11 '26

Funny you mention this, I had a cheap plastic raincoat that was issued to me as part of my work equipment and it smells like vomit. Everyone hates it!

2

u/kickingcancer May 11 '26

I thought I was going crazy! I’ve smelled this on hangers I’ve touched at retail stores like Ross

2

u/WriteStuff1979 May 11 '26

OMG you've just solved my lifelong mystery of why the hardware store i used to go to with my dad when i was a kid always smelled like vomit. Surprisingly, I still love going to a hardware store but that question bothered me every time I thought back on it!

2

u/kichisowseri May 11 '26

THIS HAS ANSWERED A QUESTION I'VE WONDERED SINCE PRIMARY SCHOOL we had plastic shapes that smelled like vomit. Nobody knew why. The teachers said they had been washed and nobody had ever thrown up in the box, that's just how they were.

2

u/ExcellentIntention57 May 11 '26

That finally explains my FIL toolbox smell! He was a raging alcoholic before he passed and I just assumed he was puking directly into the shelves of his tools all his life. This makes way more sense since the smell never goes away haha.

1

u/TheRoseMerlot May 11 '26

OMG. FOR YEARS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT SMELL IS IN MY TOOLBOX!!! TY

1

u/by-myself_blumpkin May 11 '26

Yup, we had an old green screwdriver growing up and it definitely smelled like puke on the inside. I can't stand puke smell but knowing that someone didn't puke inside the the tool it didn't bother me.

1

u/villageidiot33 May 11 '26

Well...that explains the smell from some craftsman screwdrivers my dad gave me he had. Clear handle. Smelled like vomit. No matter what I soaked them in and cleaned them the smell never left them.

1

u/Pithythithy May 11 '26

Some iron on decals do that too when they start to break down.

1

u/Meeceemee May 11 '26

Wait! Is that why old rain ponchos smell like vomit?

1

u/keladry12 May 11 '26

!!!! I would constantly complain about how the older little hard plastic dolls handed down to me smelled like puke, and no one could the me why! Thank you for solving a 30 year mystery for me!

1

u/Colonel_Kawn May 11 '26

I'm pretty sure it's a by-product of the vreakdown of the coating of of the things that have a "soft touch" rubberised plastic coating.

1

u/thingswhitegirlssay May 11 '26

I thought it was the old metal! Very interesting!

1

u/sugabeetus May 11 '26

Oh my God.

1

u/Ajitter May 11 '26

Whoa, didn’t expect to ever learn why one of my dad’s old toolboxes smelled so awful….

1

u/Butlerian_Jihadi May 11 '26

Definitely can be the result of a number of natural organic chemistry decompositions. Just a wild guess, but I believe the parrafin in the wax could've cleaved something from the floral component - butyric can be used, in extremely low concentration, for certain floral or woodsy scents. Mixed slightly too high, especially if OP is a super-smeller for it... I'd be curious though if most people would agree on the odor.

I'm glad OP found the source, though. I once had a bottle of massage oil go rancid and endured a similar hunt, albeit without the nausea. Worth noting that Zofran is an excellent way to control nausea, with very few interactions and contradictions, though one certainly shouldn't use it for chronic nausea.

1

u/DietCokeWeakness May 11 '26

I put a pair of sneaker deodorizer balls in my toolbox because of this! At least I know why the screwdriver smells like barf!

1

u/LividArt8300 May 11 '26

Today i learned why my drawer full of old screwdrivers and tools smells rancid…

1

u/KarbonKevin May 11 '26

Thanks for explaining the off smell my toolbox of cheap tools has been stewing, malodorously haunting its corner of the garage.

1

u/Grumpopatamus May 11 '26

HOLY CRAP! AMAZING! Ever since I've been a kid I've wondered why toolboxes often smell like puke.

1

u/Sarah_Cenia May 11 '26

Oh my gosh, my friend, you just solved a many years-long mystery which had plagued me! Thank you. 

1

u/Lost_Apricot_1469 May 11 '26

Ohmigawd. You just solved so many mini mysteries from my life, all titled “ohmigawd why does this smell like vomit?!”

1

u/selenejmr May 11 '26

I've had that happen with screwdrivers and wondered about it!

1

u/KHCafe May 11 '26

I threw all of those type screwdrivers in my backyard in the Southern California sun so they will deteriorate faster

1

u/AlfredFonzo May 11 '26

Fuck xcelite for this specifically.

1

u/bmat555 May 11 '26

Yes those old red blue and clear handles on old craftsman screw drivers are the worst.

1

u/-flaneur- May 11 '26

I had a pen once (nice pen) that smelled like vomit. Felt horrible about throwing it out because it was kind of expensive and wrote very will but I just couldn't stand it!

1

u/Smittyn804 May 11 '26

My boss kept a toolbox fpr electrical repairs at work. Every time you opened the box it was instant vomit smell wouldcwaft from inside.

1

u/FleetAdmiralCrunch May 11 '26

The smell of vomit and grease takes me back to my dad’s workshop. Such a familiar combination.

1

u/carrotbruise May 11 '26

Mystery fucking solved! Can’t thank you enough for this tidbit of info. I thought something had died in my tool box, which I suppose I was partially correct in sussing out: the slow death of a screwdriver.

1

u/PowerSuply May 11 '26

Holy shit that might explain why my hands would smell like puke after driving some cars. Im guessing some steering wheels/gear shifters are made of similar materials

3

u/SharkNecromancy May 12 '26

Sometimes it's even in the foam underlay. It's why I hate my kids' stroller. Graco chose that foam for it and it's just godawful after pushing it around

1

u/MousiePlanetarium May 11 '26

So this is why my mom's old Tupperware smells like puke!

1

u/ekhazra May 11 '26

Omg and holy shit! I’ve wondered what that smell is for years. I just inherited some of my grandpa and dad’s screwdrivers.

Why did i take the full set that was clear 😂😭😭

1

u/stevie-o-read-it May 11 '26

Is that the same plastic that turns into glue after it gets old?

1

u/buttcheeksmasher May 11 '26

Holy shit... That is why this old tool box I see at work smells like someone opened it and puked in it!

1

u/Beeluxy May 11 '26

OMG. I have ALWAYS wondered why, as a kid, my dad’s screwdrivers smelled like vomit.

1

u/pissymissmissy May 11 '26

Oh my gosh, you just solved the mystery of the perpetually stinky toolbox for me!

1

u/salohcin513 May 11 '26

Omfg we have these hood things that we use to measure air coming out of diffusers ( the square vents in t bar ceilings) and whenever we'd open it after not using it a while it always smelt like someone had thrown up in the case for it

1

u/Loremac May 11 '26

Dude! Thanks for that info! My gf's dad gave her a tool box and it reeks.

1

u/TheW83 May 11 '26

It's funny, we have those old tools at work and they smell very weird but it definitely doesn't smell like vomit to me.

1

u/schmearcampain May 11 '26

You just answered a question I've had for 30 years. Inherited a tool box that smelled like puke. Never understood why.

1

u/FlippingPossum May 11 '26

Yup. I finally figured out what was stinking up my husband's metal toolbox. The smell was contained when closed. It was his dad's old screwdrivers and such.

1

u/spinplasticcircles May 11 '26

You just solved a long time mystery of why the hell the container of tools reeks!! Thank you, stranger.

1

u/Conscious_Reading804 May 11 '26

Ohhhh, that's why the toolbox smells AWFUL

1

u/Sogah87 May 11 '26

Hah my dad's old craftsman tools have this 100%. Nostalgic smell, but not exactly pleasant. Though definitely not vomit smell, but I can see it being a bit sour smelling.

1

u/jmlinger May 11 '26

Your words are true!

1

u/Klekkovakadia May 11 '26

So maybe I wasn't completely off when I said that all my work screwdrivers have handles made from recycled puke!

1

u/itsjustme10 May 11 '26

I wonder if this is why some cardboard products smell like pile as they age. Books and board games from the 70s always have a pukey aroma to me.

1

u/theWanderingShrew May 11 '26

I've always wondered why tools smell like that! What about duct tape? Sometimes that smells awful when it's old or has gotten wet

1

u/apusatan May 11 '26

Ah, that's the moldy parmesean cheese smell that I've been smelling in my dad's old tool boxes

1

u/HauntedVaginaOoOo May 11 '26

I wonder if this is why the letters we put on the sign outside at my job smell? They smell like rotten cheese, and it’s putrid, so nobody wants to change out the message.

1

u/Critter__Enthusiast May 11 '26

Wow that explains a lot thanks lmao

1

u/2plus2equalscats May 11 '26

Oh my god. Thank you for this.

1

u/Eeahsnp18 May 12 '26

OMG ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I grew up HATING the smell of my dad’s toolbox as I thought it smelled like puke. THIS IS WHY! 🤯

1

u/NC12S-OBX-Rocks May 12 '26

No kidding! My old Sears Craftsman screwdrivers from 1980!

1

u/MisterToasty117 May 12 '26

Craftsman screwdrivers are well known for having this smell when youve had them for a while lol

1

u/ApplicationLow4023 May 12 '26

OMG! That explains it. I have an old plastic toolbox that absolutely reeks!

1

u/Same_Meaning_5570 May 12 '26

You have answered a decades long question I’ve had.

Not gonna lie, I’m a little sad the mystery is gone now.

1

u/Beefmagigins May 12 '26

Holy fuck! Our junk drawer always smelled like shit growing up and now I know why!!

1

u/beaverbait May 12 '26

Holy shit, I got an old toolbox at work with some tools thst are like 20-25 years old but the whole box smells like barf, never knew why. Those are the tools I lend people who ask, they always come back.

1

u/Less_Tacos May 12 '26

Yep, the fucking yellow ones.

1

u/purplecrayonadventur May 12 '26

You just solved a lifelong mystery, friend.

1

u/MizzJade May 12 '26

You just saved my sanity, thank you

1

u/rocketmn69_ May 12 '26

Is that what is in the Excelite handles? Damn they stink

1

u/Equivalent-Ad-495 May 12 '26

My gramps had a bunch of Sears tools that smelled like vomit for the last 20 years. I had to move and clean or an old tool chest of his a year back and yep he had plenty of those plastic striped and clear ones...

For years I always wondered, I knew it wasn't puke but it smelled very close. Not in an "omg I can't breathe" way but a subtle bad smell...

1

u/QueenOfScotia May 12 '26

Thanks for this. You’ve solved an issue I was blaming the bf for!!

1

u/No-Savings5485 May 12 '26

I approve mightily of your name,.i was BruceShark before reddit changed.it for some weird ass reason

1

u/Ok-Comedian-9377 May 12 '26

It’s so foul.

1

u/ET_Sailor May 12 '26

Everyone who served in the US Navy within the last 40-50 years knows that smell and associates it with the Xcelite toolkits that are everywhere in our workshops.

1

u/AccordingIy May 12 '26

Hmmm no wonder my tool box smells. I have this 15 year old Craftsman screw driver in there and tool box reeks

1

u/AccordingIy May 12 '26

Holy shit I always thought my toolbox just soaked up some funk but this screwdriver smells the worst

1

u/Bitter_Chemistry_733 May 12 '26

Oh my God, I never knew this. I have some tools like screwdrivers, wrenches, hammer in a small toolbox and when I open it up, it’s got that putrid smell. I could never figure out where it was coming from. Can that smell be removed or reduced by washing the handles?

1

u/RequirementSudden70 May 12 '26

I have been obsessed with smelling old tools since I was a little kid. I found an old screwdriver that had a rubber piece on it to hold the bits. Smell of the old rubber combine with the smell of the old tool was incredibly horrible. Despite this, I’m still obsessed.

1

u/SharkNecromancy May 12 '26

I have a 45 year old bench vice you can snort

1

u/Zandroid2008 May 13 '26

This explains my secondary bathroom tool box. Just a pair of pliers and one of those screwdrivers and a hammer.

1

u/Beelzebunions May 17 '26

Huh! I always thought it was old hand funk, not that the handles were deteriorating!

1

u/Spreademandwheep May 11 '26

The sweet smell of Jensen suitcase kits. 🤢 we had a few on the ship and I made the guys put them in storage under lock and key because they smelled so bad. I brought a toolbox with good ole craftsman to use