Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hey there, I have just a short question and was wondering if you can help,

What are some chemicals or compounds that can stick to fabric (such as a towel) that also smell?

In research a good question always leads to several more good questions. Before I can even try to answer this question I would need to know a little more about what you are trying to accomplish.

There are many compounds that will smell and the smell would linger for a certain amount of time. How long term do you want it to last? Do you want Most of the solvents evaporate and go away fairly fast. If you want the aroma to stay for a long time then you might want to investigate skunk's spray. The pepper spray that the police carry also is designed to be unpleasant for a long time. Most of the outdoor and hunting stores sell a spray that masks the human smell from animals and those linger for part of a day. I can tell you from experience that when I work around formaldehyde, the smell lingers for longer than I want it to. For a sweeter smell most perfumes are designed to last for a couple of hours. Most of these substances could be put on fabric and if left in an airtight jar could last for long periods. Fabrics treated with substances such as Scotch Guard will not hold smells as long as an untreated material such as cotton.

The question is what type of smell are you looking for and how long do you want it to last?