What does human decomp smell like?

Question

I've always been curious after seeing shows like CSI where a badly decomposed and liquified remains of a human body are found. The detectives often have to fight the gag reflex, and apparently the stench absorbs into clothing and hair, and is hard to get rid of.

But how would you describe the smell?

Answer 1

It's very disgusting... once you smell it you will know that something has died. It's kind a choking smell, strong and musty.

Answer 2

between 2 day road kill and pig guts.

Answer 3

like a cesspool combined with a sickly sweet smell

it is absolutely awful whatever you are wearing will be ruined it does not wash out

and once you smell it you NEVER forget it.

I literally shivered as I thought of the answer to your question...

Answer 4

I can't even begin to describe the smell. However it is so distinct there is no mistaking it. I've dealt with more than a couple over the years and each time, especially a few days into decomp, I'm once again shocked at how powerful it is.  

Answer 5

If you can get next to a communist zombie like obama, kennedy, or pelosi, you'd smell it.  It smells rotten and infected, similar to a dead animal thats been lying on the road dead for several days.

Answer 6

One time, in the heat of the summer (105F) in a closed room, a victim smelled like boiled pork. Not bad. The corpse had only been in there for one day.

Every other time, it was just nasty.

Answer 7

Like 7-day old rotten meat that is stuck in your nostrils.

Answer 8

very difficult to explain.....maybe a dog that has been roting in the heat for a week....times 10 !

Answer 9

Kind of a sweetish rotting smell - really hard to describe.

But once you've smelled it, you'll NEVER forget it.

Been there ........

Calif Deputy

Answer 10

Natasha description is good.  Rubbing Vics onto the edge of your nostrils help a little bit.  Downside of that is it makes it hard to ever use Vics again as it was intended.    

Answer 11

Well, you'll know when you smell it. Hopefully you will never have to.

It's like a dead animal smell, if you ever been around a dead animal...