Spools

 

At our first auction in England, I bid on a 100-year-old piano, and I won. The “removers” I hired to deliver it commented on its musty, stale odor. “Smells like me nan’s house,” said one. “Worse,” added the other, “It smells like my nana.” A thorough cleaning and airing solved the immediate problem, but their remarks stayed with me. In fact, I find myself thinking about it more the older I get. Old people have a distinct odor, and so do the places where they live. As we age, our body chemistry changes. There’s a subtle difference in the way omega-7 unsaturated fatty acids on the skin degrade, resulting in the stale smell called “nonenal.” These fatty acids aren’t water-soluble, so showering and laundering clothes and linens have little effect. What does seem to help is increased exercise, clean eating, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and reducing stress. It’s also helpful to line-dry laundry and crack open windows.