Pet odors, gym gear among top smell disputes in shared homes

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

‘SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY,’ LITERALLY. 

NEW RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT SIX IN 10 AMERICANS SAY A RECURRING SMELLS DUE TO EVERYTHING FROM TRASH TO FISHING GEAR IN THEIR HOME HAS CAUSED ARGUMENTS AND AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS.

THE SURVEY FROM LYSOL AIR SANITIZER FOUND THAT OTHER ODORS LIKE POST-GYM STINK, PET ODORS AND EVEN STINKY PASSIONS LIKE HOBBY-RELATED FUMES HAVE LED TO DISAGREEMENTS AT HOME.

TWO IN FIVE OF THOSE IN RELATIONSHIPS SAY THEY HAVE DIRECTLY CALLED OUT THEIR PARTNERS’ SMELLS, THOUGH 59 PERCENT ADMIT THEY SECRETLY CLEAN OR DEAL WITH IT BEHIND THE OTHER PERSON’S BACK, RATHER THAN BRINGING UP THE STINK DIRECTLY.

CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH, THE SURVEY ALSO REVEALED THAT NEARLY HALF OF THOSE POLLED (48%) HAVE GONE SO FAR AS TO AVOID USING CERTAIN ROOMS DUE TO BAD SMELLS.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU EMBRACING THE STINK OR SECRETLY COMBATTING IT?

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 people who live with a partner, roommate or family member; the survey was commissioned by Lysol and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sept. 8 - Sept. 15, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.