Chlorine Stinks, and Other Familiar Swimming Smells

Chlorine Stinks, and Other Familiar Swimming Smells

Chlorine is the first thing that most people think of with a pool. The smell of chlorine has plagued swimmers for generations, wafting from dry skin to signal our entry before we are physically in a room. However, there are several more scents that swimmers know and maybe even secretly love. Here are a few underrated swimming smells that swimmers understand.

Sunscreen

Remember to put on your sunscreen! Okay, so this is not something that only swimmers know, but it is just as important as chlorine. Sunscreen has many scents, depending on the brand, but it still has a distinct smell. Even after hours in the pool, there is still a smell mixed with the chlorine. Sunscreen emulates memories of parents nagging you to put it on and summer swim meets with a layer of sunscreen glistening on the pool surface.

New Tech Suit

Yes, the smell is slightly rubbery, but it also feels sleek and expensive. A new tech suit brings excitement for new races. But an underrated factor of tech suit smell is dread. The newer it is, the harder it is to get on. Many minutes of pain getting the suit on is associated with the scent. Perhaps the scent also inspires memories of a suit ripping, or a time when it went on really fast.

Unpacked Swim Bag

After a long weekend of swimming, sometimes you are too tired to take care of that swim bag. As a result, the smells in there ferment into a unique odor when you finally get around to it. The overpowering smell is chlorine, but there are always some fun mystery smells in there. I would advise against keeping old bananas in there for too long!

New Cap

Ripping a cap can be heartbreaking if it has been one you had for a long time and wore during important races. It can also be stressful if the cap breaks right before a race. Alongside these stressful memories, new caps also have a clean feeling. Latex or silicone, all caps have similar scents when new. Even with the rubber smell, they still feel as fresh as the baby powder dusting new caps.

Hot Fins

Rubber is often used in swim equipment, but the smell of hot fins is a different level of rubber. Hot fins are a symptom of leaving your gear bag in the sun, and the consequence is definitely the smell. Think a cross between rubber tires and a strong chemical chlorine smell. This can quite literally stink up your entire car if they are left there during the day. It makes you feel like you are at the pool during all of your day’s activities, which may not always be the best way to spend seven hours in traffic.

What are some of your favorite swim smells? Let us know in the comments below!

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