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A 'metallic' smell is just body odour

The pong from handling iron or copper comes from your own skin.

Why does metal smell? Chemists have found a surprising answer: it doesn't.

Read the story here.

Posted by Nicola Jones on October 25, 2006
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I wonder if this has anything to do with the reports that the garlic smell that stays on ones fingers after chopping the bulbs may be removed by rubbing the affected area with the side of a stainless steel knife? Perhaps the odorous components of the garlic react with components of the stainless steel to produce a less odorous product. Its almost the reverse of the phenomenon reported by Glindemann.

Posted by: Tony Verberne | October 26, 2006 01:47 AM

As per Tony Verberne, I was wondering the same. I have a teardrop-shaped lump of steel with a nail cleaner embedded at one end, designed for washing hands after handling garlic or fish for example. Would be keen to know how it works, and if it is related to the action discussed in the article.

Posted by: mike | October 26, 2006 01:09 PM

I wonder if the sensation of a metallic taste to thoracic mucus reported by patients with bronchitis-like symptoms is related to these findings. Might it indicate something about the nature of the disease?

Posted by: Lorna Parker | October 30, 2006 08:51 PM

And, of course, there's the 'chlorine smell'. The smell in a swimming pool is not a chlorine smell.
Do this experiment at home: pour some chlorine bleach into the toilet pan - that smell is related to chlorine, but it's not the swimming pool smell. Don't flush and pee into the pan. Now there's the swimming pool smell - related to chlor-amines. Sorry!

Posted by: Roger Macy | October 31, 2006 04:40 PM

Indeed a nice rationale why said metal bar should take away bad smell from hands. I have experienced the "iron smell/taste" strongest, when de-rusting some iron stuff in the garage. There could be an even bigger role of fine rust particles (oxidative power) in this process.

Posted by: Manfred Roesner | November 14, 2006 12:59 PM

Hi,
I have a particular problem with body odour. I have tried everything from fig leaves to dolce and gabbana! It is really getting me down as people I know have even been known to shout out 'smelly!' at me when I walk by!

Any tips guys?

Posted by: Drew Bradman | May 14, 2008 05:09 PM

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