Freshly cut grass, bread that has just been baked and sizzling bacon are among the north west’s favourite smells, a study has revealed.

Researchers polled 1,000 people and found the scent of grass that has just been cut is the most popular smell, closely followed by bread, fish and chips and a Sunday roast.

There were some more unusual items on the list though, with many claiming to love the whiff of rain, new books, matches and even petrol.

It also emerged that drains, off-putting body odour and bins are the north west’s most hated pongs.

Stuart Hobbs from decorating brand, Harris, which commissioned the survey, said: “Smells are all around us and with some particularly strong ones floating around, it’s no surprise we have our favourites – as well as a few we can’t stand.

“And it seems it’s the homely smells that are most popular with freshly cut grass, bread and bacon at the top of the list – all things that can help make a house more warm and welcoming.

“But as well as the ones almost everyone would be happy to say they love, there are a few on the list, which may divide some.

“Scents like petrol, barbecues and bonfires or cheese can be loved by some, but despised by others.

“Everyone wants to be surrounded by nice smells, particularly in their own home, and we go to all sorts of lengths to make sure this is the case.”

Freshly washed clothes and the smell of the seaside also feature high on the list while the aroma given off by a real Christmas tree completes the top ten.

Fresh flowers were voted into eleventh place, with roses, vanilla, lavender, scented candles and cinnamon following close behind.

Barbecues, chocolate, lemon, freshly washed hair, log fires, babies, the smell of a new car, a freshly cleaned house, rain, leather and aftershave completed the top 20.

Food and drink smells feature heavily with orange, coconut, Christmas cake, lime and doughnuts proving popular with the region. Cherry, marzipan, popcorn and wine also made the top 50.

Homely smells are extremely well-loved with the scent of a freshly cleaned house, fresh paint, new carpets and the fragrance of a newly-built house all among the best-loved.

But at the other end of the scale, body odour and drains were named the most disliked pongs, along with bins, sewage, vomit and rotten milk.

Rotting food, public toilets, nappies and garlic breath completed the top ten.

The worst smells also feature manure, sports changing rooms and fish.

Researchers found that six in ten believe there are certain smells that remind them of particular people or places, while another seven in ten associate a smell with a memory.

Nearly three quarters even have smells which make them feel nostalgic.

Eighty-three per cent also said they always like to make sure their home smells nice and fresh, with room sprays, by opening windows and making sure it’s cleaned regularly the most popular ways to keep a house smelling nice.

 

Top 50 best smells

1. Freshly cut grass

2. Freshly baked bread

3. Bacon

4. Coffee

5. Freshly washed clothes

6. Fish and chips

7. Sunday roast

8. Cakes baking in the oven

9. The seaside

10. A real Christmas tree

11. Fresh flowers

12. Roses

13. Lavender

14. Vanilla

15. Scented candles

16. Cinnamon

17. Barbecues

18. Chocolate

19. Lemon

20. Freshly washed hair

21. Log fires

22. Babies

23. Freshly cleaned house

24. New car

25. Aftershave

26. Leather

27. Rain

28. Coconut

29. Doughnuts

30. Orange

31. Fresh paint

32. Petrol

33. New books

34. Marzipan

35. Christmas cake

36. New carpets

37. Lime

38. Matches

39. Sun cream

40. Cherry

41. Bonfires

42. Cotton

43. Shampoo

44. Pipes and cigars

45. Popcorn

46. Musk

47. Wine

48. Marker pens

49. New house

50. Hairdressing salons

Northwich Guardian: BUSINESS: Threshers, Wine Rack and Local off-licence closures announced

And the worst smells...

1. Blocked drains
2. Body odour
3. Bins
4. Sewage
5. Vomit
6. Rotten milk
7. Rotting food
8. Public toilets
9. Nappies
10. Garlic breath
11. Morning breath
12. Plastic burning
13. Feet
14. Old trainers
15. Manure
16. Changing rooms
17. Exhaust fumes
18. Bleach
19. Fish
20. Gas 

Northwich Guardian: A Barbel fish