Curiosity Make Monkey Crazy... 'Fresh Linen Scent'

Kind of like "new car" smell.

Now that is funny... partly because that smell doesn't tickle my curiosity. I at least have a rudimentary understanding of the origin of 'New Car Smell', it is based on the smell of the stuff they use to make cars, including leather, wood, epoxy, solvents, paint, polishing compounds, rubber, vinyl.... a probably toxic melange that no man can resist...

Linen only really smells fresh when hung outside to dry. I've always assumed that it was bird farts.

I'd always been taught birds can't fart (the reason alka-seltzer + seagulls is such a popular diversion among bad little boys)... but I am very much aware that not all I was taught in school is truth... Your bird flatulence theory intrigues me. I shall see if I can get a flock to sit down for a nice chili dinner to test his idea...

Fresh linen off the clothesline definitely has a unique smell, so what is in the wind that is not in the air in your house? _{other than bird farts.} I always thought it was something to do with ozone, but I have no rational basis for thinking that, other than the notion that ozone smells something like fresh linen.

When I was a wee lad, the sheets at my grandma's house always had that scent. I know that she always bleached them and always ironed them.

That is probably the most notatable scent from my early childhood.

I can even now remember that exact smell _{(though I can't remember what all I did a week ago)}

Perhaps a combination of the detergent, the residual bleach, and the reaction with the cotton as heat was applied with the iron?

As far as moder artificial commercial scents? I don't have a clue! Sorry

linens are notorious for wrinkling. ask someone that still does laundry. good luck.