Did you know that hydrogen sulfide is the same gas that makes hot springs smell like spoiled eggs? Yellowstone National Park’s iconic steam vents owe their pungent aroma to the exact same chemical. So, your faucet is essentially giving you a budget spa experience—just without the volcanic view.
In classic detective fiction, “the smell of gas” was often a red herring for a more sinister plot. In your case, the plot is simply a six-month-old aerator and a forgotten weekend trip. Not quite Raymond Chandler, but equally mysterious.
Fun fact: Hydrogen sulfide is actually heavier than air. That’s why the smell tends to linger low, around your sink basin, rather than rising up to your nostrils like a cartoon skunk. Bend down—you’ll get a stronger whiff of the science.
