Where does the phrase "These clothes smell like Grandma's" come from? Or what does it mean, if anything?

Question

Where does the phrase "These clothes smell like Grandma's" come from? Or what does it mean, if anything?

Answer 1

i think.....

the phrase came from the fact it was widely popular to stick moth balls in drawers and such long ago. and that smell sticks. Thus the older generation who where use to doing that would smell fainty of mothballs. and thus eww these clothes smell like grandma's.

It could allso be from the famous BenGay spell, since its an ointment to help sore muslces and sadly older people have alot of those. and if you have never smelled that before it is certainly detectable.

Answer 2

i agree, it may be the mothballs, or another thing: in older homes, ones that have not been renovated, you get that musty smell, usually from the crawlspace and moisture leaking into the house. also, may sound slightly stereotypical, but alot of the older folk that got started smoking early on before its health risks were well known had tendencies to become chain smokers, so ive heard of clothes or items that smell heavily of cigarette smoke referred to as "smelling like grandma"

Answer 3

i have never heard that phrase