This is so foreign to me too.

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what anyone is talking about in this thread. I am outside daily year round and do not notice an “outdoor smell” that attaches to my kids or me.

Me neither. This is totally foreign to me.

I have no idea what anyone is talking about in this thread. I am outside daily year round and do not notice an “outdoor smell” that attaches to my kids or me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have the same issue. I live in North Florida and can walk to my back yard and back and I smell but can go to Disney and walk for hours and do not have that smell. ???

Why is someone from NORTH FLORIDA on the DCUM boards?!!

Oh please. The internet extends beyond the beltway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I’ve noticed that has helped me is applying deodorant on the back of my neck and ears. Not a lot, you don’t want it to be visible. And for those who don’t know what that scent is it’s the smell kids have when you pick them up from school. I have a feeling there is a cultural difference between those who understand what that smell is and those who don’t but I’ll leave that alone, LOL!

A “cultural” difference? Sounds like a dog whistle to me, OP.

lol. "You smell like outside" is a Black mom favorite. Other noted hits include "fix your face" and "stay in or out, you're not goin' back and forth".

Anonymous wrote:I have the same issue. I live in North Florida and can walk to my back yard and back and I smell but can go to Disney and walk for hours and do not have that smell. ???

Why is someone from NORTH FLORIDA on the DCUM boards?!!

Is this for real? Do you spend your outdoors time mucking out stables or something and have no access to a shower when you are done? Or going camping with no reliable water? Wet wipes and deoderant will be your friend, and then shower asap.

Anonymous wrote:This is not ozone. Ozone smells like a peroxide/bleach. Look up

I know exactly what ozone smells like and it’s not like peroxide or bleach at all. It’s a very distinct odor. My dad used to sell those ozone air purifiers in the 90s and everything smelled it all the time.

That said, I’m not convinced the outside smell is ozone. Personally I think it’s something in skin chemistry reacting to UV. Maybe bacteria, or the acids on our skin. It’s like when I initially step outside after putting on my face sunscreen, the smell is ovetpowering even though it had no scent inside. It’s the chemicals reacting to the UV as intended to provide protection and the reaction produces a smell. The outside smell is similar to this, just not as strong.

This is not ozone. Ozone smells like a peroxide/bleach. Look up

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I’ve noticed that has helped me is applying deodorant on the back of my neck and ears. Not a lot, you don’t want it to be visible. And for those who don’t know what that scent is it’s the smell kids have when you pick them up from school. I have a feeling there is a cultural difference between those who understand what that smell is and those who don’t but I’ll leave that alone, LOL!

A “cultural” difference? Sounds like a dog whistle to me, OP.

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I’ve noticed that has helped me is applying deodorant on the back of my neck and ears. Not a lot, you don’t want it to be visible. And for those who don’t know what that scent is it’s the smell kids have when you pick them up from school. I have a feeling there is a cultural difference between those who understand what that smell is and those who don’t but I’ll leave that alone, LOL!

Nope, not what we're talking about.

Outside smells like a wet dog. I only smell it in this area.

The only thing I’ve noticed that has helped me is applying deodorant on the back of my neck and ears. Not a lot, you don’t want it to be visible. And for those who don’t know what that scent is it’s the smell kids have when you pick them up from school. I have a feeling there is a cultural difference between those who understand what that smell is and those who don’t but I’ll leave that alone, LOL!

I believe this smell results from specific bacteria on your skin/hair/clothes reacting with something outside -- either ozone, or UV rays, or geosmin, or something else. But only some people smell like this. The people who have said they smell it on a glass of water outside are smelling the bacteria from their mouth on the glass. That bacteria spreads to your skin. The people here who said their cats smell like this after being outside probably have that same bacteria on them from being pet. My best guess is that they only way to fix this is to change your microbiome to reduce whatever bacteria it is that causes this smell.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t get this thread all the times it’s popped up, but finally realized I’ve been smelling this on DH for years. I thought it was an inoffensive perspiration smell when he’d go for a run. Then a couple weeks ago I noticed it on the cat. We live a couple blocks from the beltway. It’s a fairly metallic smell, I don’t think it’s anything good.

Yea! My cat has it sometimes too! I have only smelled it on this one cat and have had many cats.

My cat likes to sleep on our screened porch and she has a distinct smell when she comes back inside. It is more pronounced when it's warm out (I always say she smells sweaty), but I've also noticed it on cooler days.

My kids too, every day they play outside at recess. I guess I always just thought this was sweat.

I'm the PP who didn't realize I'd been smelling this until I noticed it on the cat. We have since moved country, still live pretty close to a major roadway, so far I have not smelled it here. Will report back if I do, or the entire summer goes by without DH or the cat smelling metallic.