Why Everything Smells Worse During a Louisiana Summer

As the summer months drag on, temperatures in Louisiana continue to rise. Louisiana's heat not only makes us uncomfortable outside for more than five minutes, but it also makes life's smelly things stink even more.

Let's face it; it's the time of year when humidity and heat have become our daily companions in Louisiana. While we do get lucky each night as temperatures cool off, they usually don't dip below 75, which can make for some interesting smells.

Things that are stinky always stink even more when temperatures go up. Anyone with a nose can tell you this, and science has plenty of research on this issue.

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Why Heat Makes Everything in Louisiana Smell Worse

In checking various sources, ecosorbindustrial.com explains that when temperatures rise, it's like adding gasoline to a fire. The nasty bacteria that live in things that are already stinky are more than happy that they get to thrive in the heat and humidity.

Let this sink in, it's much better off for us to smell something stinking in the winter than in the summer,

"According to Dr. Pamela Dalton from the Monell Chemical Senses Center, cold reduces people’s ability to detect smells."

It's Not Our Imagination: Things That Smell Get More Pungent in Summer

We are not just imagining things! If your kid's shoes are stinky, they'll smell even worse in the summertime. You might have to put two sets of the sneaker ball sneaker freshners in their shoes. Click here for a simple hack to keep your sneakers from stinking.

So, imagine putting a bag of garbage in your big trash can outside before the weekly garbage service. It's not crazy to think the garbage we put in our outside bins seems more intense as temperatures rise. It's just the way things work. EWE!

Could Your Chimney Be Making Your House Stink in the Summer?

No one thinks about their chimney as the source of the weird smell in their home. You need to ask yourself, "Is your chimney causing the room it is in to stink?"

According to industry professionals at familyhandyman.com, one of the biggest complaints about fireplaces actually occurs����in the summer. Why? All that heat and humidity can actually make your fireplace give off some pretty stinky odors!

If you haven't thoroughly cleaned out the fireplace and chimney, you're likely to get smells from the creosote and ash that have built up.

Tony DeBella writes,

If a chimney is open or poorly sealed (a loose-fitting damper or glass doors), every time you turn on the dryer or bathroom fan it creates negative pressure that sucks the smelly air down through the chimney and right into the living area.

You can check out this clip on how to prevent the smell from happening.

READ MORE: LOUISIANA, THESE 4 COLORS COULD BE MAKING YOU A MOSQUITO MAGNET

Stink Bugs Do Stink Worse in Louisiana's Hotter Temperatures

If you have seen any stink bugs around recently. You have probably run in the other direction. I know I do because during the summer months, when the temperatures are blazing, if you accidentally step on one of your shoes, your surroundings are going to stink for quite some time.

Entomologytoday.org says it is true that stink bugs are even stinkier as temperatures continue to rise.

As temperatures warm up, there will be more stink bugs, even in areas where they are not naturally found. In addition, the smell is more intense in hotter temperatures.

In addition to sealing up cracks around your house, there are other things you can do to prevent stink bugs from getting into and around your home.

Your Armpits Will Smell Worse During a Louisiana Summer!

Apocrine Glands, which sound like the name of a band but are not, are the parts of our bodies responsible for the smell we emit when we sweat. When sweat comes out of these glands in our armpits and groin area, they encounter bacteria on our bodies, and yes, we stink!

Your body produces sweat to cool itself. The Press of Atlantic City ran a great article on sweating and how different factors affect your "stink level".

If you sweat more in hot weather, you're more likely to encounter stinky bacteria on your body. You might also sweat more when you are nervous or if you have certain medical conditions.

And here is a quote from the article that will likely blow your mind:

You don't smell body odor in young children because apocrine glands don't start working until puberty.

The Louisiana Heat Brings Stronger Stink in Your Sink; Here's What to Do

EWE! Yep. The old bacteria deal, and in the summer, they do tend to stink more, according to expressdrainagesurveys.co. The bacteria on the food you dump down your drain to go into the garbage disposal just keep growing if it sits there.

If yours is like mine, the water at the tap this time of year is warm or hot, so it's best to always run the water and the garbage disposal whenever you put even the smallest amount of food in it.

If you are not sure why things smell even worse in your drains, it is ALWAYS a good idea to consult a plumber before you try to fix it yourself.

Stinky Tennis Shoes Can Knock You Over When It's Summer in Louisiana

Okay, I know you smell someone's tennis shoes when they take them off in the summer, and you wonder how something could smell so bad in the world.

Bacteria, again, are the culprit. Self.com suggests putting each shoe in a plastic Ziploc bag and storing them overnight to eliminate the smell! Those cold temperatures can kill some of the bacteria!

You Can't Wear Your Socks More Than One Day

I know one thing: I have seen people do that, and it blows my mind. They will wear the same socks for a couple of days. It would seem to me you are just putting more bacteria into your shoes.

A fresh pair of socks each day, I am sure, will help keep bacteria down and keep the smell more in check.

Nike.com also has several great ideas, including using baking soda and the power of the sun.