Top 10 Worst Smells on Earth

Man’s best friend can harvest some of man’s worst smells. Your canine companion may have a musty smell about it at first, but get your pet wet and that musk’ll turn funky really fast. Where does this stench come from? It turns out that dogs’ coats are full of yeast and bacteria that, when moistened, release a nasty odor. One method to prevent this rancid aroma is to have your furry friend bathe regularly and dry it up as much as you can. Sadly, no matter how many baths you give your dog, you can’t permanently eliminate the smell from its living environment; but hey, water’s not the WORST thing your dog can roll around in, right?

We WISH we were talking about the alternative rock band, but nope – we’re talking about pure and stinky trash. Yep, any and all the waste people throw away – rotten food, dirty diapers, hazardous materials, really anything you can toss in a garbage can. If you think all that junk reeks now, imagine their collective odors crammed together in one dumpster or filling up landfills. There are a select few who can stand the foul fragrance, but many others aren’t as brave.

If you have halitosis, you might want to keep your mouth shut. Some of the most disgusting smells can come from your mouth due to any of the following: bad oral hygiene, which results in tooth decay or gum disease, food particles stuck in your teeth that cause a musty odor, or even dry mouth. It can get worse if you eat stinky foods like onions or garlic, as the stench will follow you all day. And even if you can’t smell it, everyone else probably can. So do the public a favor and take care of your mouth: keep brushing your teeth day and night, floss and watch what you eat, because nobody wants a kiss from someone with bad breath.

Besides his flirtatious nature, there was a reason so many Looney Tunes were afraid of Pepé Le Pew. If a skunk feels threatened, it will spray its “attacker” with a rancid-smelling liquid from one of its anal glands that’ll burn your nostrils right off. This is mostly a defensive technique to ward off predators, but sometimes people get caught in the stinky line of fire. If you end up getting skunked, you can kiss your social life goodbye until you can get rid of the smell. Thankfully, all you need is a nice scrub down, a tomato paste bath, and to avoid all skunks. Although they look cute and cuddly, it’s not worth getting skunked.

After going too long without proper hygiene, you’ll find yourself in a cloud of “BO.” You’d be amazed at the repugnant odors that can waft off the human body, from un-deodorized armpits, smelly feet, and filthy clothes that could stand up on their own. You may be immune to your own oozing stink, but the people around you aren’t as fortunate. If you reach the point where even YOU can smell how strong your stench is, then it is DEFINITELY time to fix that. Thankfully, it’s an easy fix – shower, use soap or gel to make yourself squeaky clean, put on deodorant after a sweaty workout, spray your feet if you have to, and pay attention to those hygiene videos in school. Spare all of our noses, please!

You ever wonder what becomes of the wastewater in your home? It travels down the drain and flows through the underground highway known as the sewers. All the filth we wash off from the showers and everything we flush down the toilet – and we mean EVERYTHING – mixes together into stinky sewage. Since just a hint of this smell is likely to make you seasick, it really makes you wonder how the Ninja Turtles can stand living in the sewers. Thankfully, that sewage flows all the way to the Sewage Treatment Plant where it’s cleaned and made environmentally friendly… but sometimes, the sewage accidentally gets into freshwater ecosystems and causes pollution. When that happens… just hold your nose and don’t drink the water… because that WILL end badly.

Unless you’re lactose intolerant, milk does the body good… as long as the milk itself is good. If milk is left out too long or sits in your fridge far past the expiration date, it’ll start to turn sour and will eventually spoil into a chunky curdled mess. If you think it looks bad, just wait until you smell it – one whiff and you’ll be dry heaving in an instant. SOUR milk can still be used in other ways, such as in cooking and baking, but it’s the curdled stuff that you should toss out immediately – it tastes repulsive and can make you incredibly sick! Don’t be like those dummies who drink it on a dare.

For the record, we’re not talking about already smelly foods like onions or garlic; we’re referring to food that was once good and has now gone horribly bad. Like spoiled milk, if certain foods are left out in the open for too long or are left uneaten way past the expiration date, bacteria can cause them to rot from the inside out. Rotten eggs, moldy cheese, and spoiled meat all develop a pungent smell guaranteed to churn your stomach and burn your nostrils. We don’t even think we need to tell you not to eat this stuff, because the smell and look of it should be enough to kill your appetite. Only one thing left to do with this decaying meal – do away with it before it does YOU in.

If you’ve made it this far and feel the need to throw up, DON’T do it. Vomiting will leave an even WORSE stench. Having the contents of your stomach expelled is bad enough, but the stink of it is putrid and it leaves a nasty taste in your mouth. There are several things that can cause barfing – ingesting something gross or hazardous, overeating, dizziness, motion sickness, and even watching other people vomit can set off a chain reaction. The one silver lining is that it helps cleanse your stomach. If you do puke, keep yourself hydrated and hold your nose, unless you want to smell food chunks mixed with stomach acid.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable, or in this case dishonorable, mentions:
- Cigarette Smoke
- Compost
- Cat Urine

The buttocks are a breeding ground for horrible smells – whether it’s a gaseous fart, or the worst smell of all… feces – also known as poop, among its many names. The foods and beverages that go into the stomach can ultimately affect the fragrance – and the texture – of bodily waste. The stench of fecal matter is unbearable, and unavoidable; everyone poops (there’s even a book about it) – people do it, animals do it, babies especially do it. You can try to cover up the odor with cheap bathroom sprays, but you can’t avoid what builds up in your bowels or the nauseating scent that comes with it.

Do you agree with our list? What odor makes you wish you didn’t have a nose? For more nauseating Top 10s posted every day, be sure to tune into WatchMojo.com… now if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to go lie down.