S/O: speaking of Kohl's... What is that smell at Kohl's, Walmart, Macy's?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like the smell; reminds me of back to school shopping. Although back then real leather was one of the smells too.

Yes it does!

It's not plastic off-gassing That has a specific smell that makes it difficult to breath. I know that smell from a few specific dollar stores (not Dollar Tree) throughout the area.

[Anonymous]

I called my local Macy's store and the woman in the admin office claims they don't pump a signature fragrance throughout the store. I bought a large lot of clothing on one trip - every single thing came home with the same fragrance on it. Items ordered from Macy's online still had the odor but to a lesser degree. The worst in-store item was a women's shirt from JM Collection made in Indonesia. Goodness knows what they are making these clothes with and spraying them with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The blood, sweat and tears of sweatshop workers

+100 all the China crap off gassing.

[Anonymous]

In all seriousness, as a former retail employee at a department store, I would guess it’s a combination of: the clothes themselves, smells they picked up from the factories or from shopping. However those usually dissipate pretty quickly once the bags and boxes they are shipped in are opened and the items put out for customers. But I experienced some foul smelling textiles for sure.

Plastics have a certain scent especially a lot of them in a small area, like the toy section. The escalators always had a certain plasticky smell too.

The cleaning products used in the store by employees and janitorial crews (who are on contract and not store employees), which are always the cheapest things they can find. Carpet cleaners are especially smelly.

Perfumes - everyone sprays them and then the smell just permeates the whole store.

If you’re in a mall you get mall smell too, which is all of the above + food court.

Most stores don’t have great ventilation - no open windows, no fans to circulate air, there’s the doors to outside in department stores but that will only help if you’re right by the exits - so the scents just kind of sit and linger.

[Anonymous]

I assume off gassing or something they treat clothing with to eliminate bedbugs.

[Anonymous]

Moth balls 🤮

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s the middle class.

This made me chuckle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Old people, couponers and bad credit.

This made me chuckle too !

[Anonymous]

I would assume it's actually whatever they clean the floor with. Many of these stores (without carpet) have companies that come in and clean the floors. I wouldn't doubt they all use the same/similar chemicals.

[Anonymous]

Deodorizers, carpet cleaners and disinfectants. There is not adequate ventilation with closed doors so the smell doesn't dissipate.

[Anonymous]

Chemical off gassing stores and malls have terrible air quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a distinct smell, and I tend to feel ill after a few minutes, so I no longer set foot in these stores. Is it the smell of whatever chemical is fumigated in their storage or holding facilities? The smell of cheap clothing dyes? The Walmart clothing section and Macy's are the worst.

I don't smell this at similar bargain shopping places, like Nordstrom Rack.

I don't know if it's still used but formaldehyde was used in manufacturing fabrics. I used to make some of my clothes and I washed fabric before cutting pattern because the smell was so bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a distinct smell, and I tend to feel ill after a few minutes, so I no longer set foot in these stores. Is it the smell of whatever chemical is fumigated in their storage or holding facilities? The smell of cheap clothing dyes? The Walmart clothing section and Macy's are the worst.

I don't smell this at similar bargain shopping places, like Nordstrom Rack.

I don't know if it's still used but formaldehyde was used in manufacturing fabrics. I used to make some of my clothes and I washed fabric before cutting pattern because the smell was so bad.

Does formaldehyde wash out of clothes?
Washing new clothes before wearing them can remove up to 60% of formaldehyde. The process only requires a regular detergent to be effective.
I
Do all clothes have formaldehyde?
Not all clothes have formaldehyde, and the use of formaldehyde in clothing has decreased since the 1980s. The most common fabric to contain formaldehyde is cotton.

Is formaldehyde toxic in clothing?
Formaldehyde in clothing is not considered toxic. The levels of formaldehyde in clothing are too low to be considered dangerous. Furthermore, the more dangerous exposure to formaldehyde is inhalation, rather than contact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Deodorizers, carpet cleaners and disinfectants. There is not adequate ventilation with closed doors so the smell doesn't dissipate.

It's this. The clothing area usually has some thin carpet that gets vacuumed and scrubbed with disinfectant. The tile gets waxed and mopped with similar. If you've worked in one of these stores you know.

[Anonymous]

OP, you have an issue. Your claim could possibly hold true at Walmart and Kohl's but not whateverr is left of Macy's (higher end). I do think it is in your head.