I’ll usually first notice it sometime in the afternoon, a stale, rubbery, maybe sour smell on my hands, especially the fingertips. Like a weak version of the smell that develops after wearing rubber gloves, even though I hadn’t touched gloves all day. Quite annoying and makes me want to grit my teeth. Washes off with soap and water 9 times out of 10, but I’m also not bothered enough to do anything about it until I bundle it with a trip to the restrooms. I’ve never been able to trace down the source and it’s been that way through school, work, and since at least 10 years ago in general. Anyone else experience this or know what might cause it?
Go around and smell everything that you touch; doorknobs, your phone, mouse, keyboard, tools, refrigerator door handle, pets, etc. something you routinely touch is foul. Some thermoplastics smell really awful when they start to degrade. I hope you find it.
Spot on, I finally went around and found way too many degrading thermoplastics and rubberized surfaces causing this. The umbrella handle, office chair armrest padding, a pen grip, zipper grips, plasti-dipped tool handles (which then mixes with the smell of WD-40 and skin oil on metal). Ugh. At least it makes me mindful of how nasty plastics can get and how much crud sticks to unwashed hands.
Do you use a mouse pad? If so is it old? Asking because I was smelling something like that but not on me. Just at my desk. Then I figured it out. Mine is dirty ass.
See if something is getting onto your fingertips when you touch other parts of your skin, like on your face.
I don’t know, but maybe fungal infection under fingernails? There are treatments for that.
For years I had an infection under my toenail that smelled similar. Did not harm me except create interesting odors
I get smells on my hands from food I eat, any chance it’s a food ingredient like garlic or something?
