Bad Odors that Turn Men On

Turned on by a bad odor? It's not as strange as you think.

It might seem strange to find bad odors arousing, but there's actually science behind this trigger. Pheromones (airborne sex hormones) play a part in sexual arousal and the reason humans choose their mates. Apart from chemical stimulators, odorous aphrodisiacs are known to heighten libido, like oysters and garlic. Fetishes can develop by associating an aroma with an arousing experience. Similarly, you can be drawn to a bad odor simply because it reminds you of a pleasant memory. Convinced yet? Check out which bad odors made this list. 

1. Sweat

It’s no surprise so many advertisements entice customers with an image of a hot model dripping head to toe in sweat. Also known as the “sweaty man” fetish, this bad odor is normally associated with an attractive athletic person that just finished a hard session at the gym. Men turned on by this bad odor are known to sniff out worn shirts, armpits, feet, and even used jockstraps. Despite pheromones playing a large part in this, we have to admit there is something inexplicably sexy about a person soaked in sweat.

2. Tobacco

For as long as cigars and cigarettes have been around, some men have been drawn to the strong scent of tobacco. Smoking is commonly associated with the rebels and free spirits of society that could care less about what people think of them. It’s not unusual for men to associate a Virginia Slim with the “bad boy/girl” that wears leather jackets and drives around on a motorcycle. You don’t necessarily have to be a heavy smoker to be turned on by tobacco either. Some men simply get off from the combination of tobacco and mint on someone’s breath. And then there are some men that like to rub cigarette ash on their chests…

3.   Dirty Laundry

You may have experienced that moment your partner leaves for a business trip and you find yourself smothering your nose in their shirt because you miss them. Similarly, men that are turned on by dirty clothes are most likely attaching some kind of sentimental feelings to aromas. From unwashed jeans to used underwear, certain items of clothing can trigger intense arousal. If you ever find your partner sniffing your undies, take it as a compliment that he probably enjoys your natural body odor.

4. Weed

Similar to the tobacco fetish, these sexpots can’t get enough of Mary Jane. Known for its distinct “skunky” scent, recent stats from Pornhub reveal weed is one of the most common searches. With its rising popularity as a recreational drug, it’s almost expected that cannabis users alike should be turned on by this scent as much as the high it gives them. 

5. Feet

There are guys that enjoy getting a foot massage and there are guys that prefer to be the foot massager. Freud argued that foot fetishes stemmed back since the era of Chinese dynasties when foot binding was commonly practiced. Feet sniffers have admitted to leaving their socks on for weeks just to achieve a gratifying stink. Many men that get turned on by the bad odor of feet don’t actually know the reason for this. Some have compared this infatuation similar to why some men are infatuated with breasts – they just are.