Haha, gym socks...been there. If the smell's too funky, try airing it out uncovered for a day or two—sometimes the weird odors mellow out naturally. Worst case, mix it into something stronger-smelling like citrus or lavender to mask it.
Had a similar issue once when I tried making peppermint oil at home. Thought it'd be easy, but ended up with something that smelled more like toothpaste gone wrong. Airing it out helped a bit, but honestly, mixing it into a batch of homemade soap was the best fix. The soap ingredients mellowed out the weirdness, and the scent actually turned out pretty decent after curing. If you're not into soap-making, maybe dilute it heavily with a neutral carrier oil—worked for me another time when I went overboard with rosemary. Either way, don't toss it yet...you might still salvage something useful.
I feel you on the rosemary thing—I once made lavender oil that smelled more like grandma's closet than a relaxing spa. Ended up diluting it with almond oil and using it as a nighttime foot rub...worked surprisingly well after mellowing out a bit. Definitely worth experimenting before giving up completely.
Totally relate to the lavender oil mishap—I had a similar experience with peppermint tincture. Thought it'd be refreshing and minty, but it ended up smelling like industrial-strength mouthwash. Diluting definitely helped, but I also found that letting it sit for a couple weeks mellowed out the harshness quite a bit. Time seems to smooth out those sharp edges.
Another thing I've noticed is that sometimes the extraction method itself can make a huge difference. I once tried making clove oil using heat extraction (basically simmering cloves in oil), and it turned out way too intense—like numbing-your-mouth intense. Switched to cold infusion next time around, just letting cloves sit in oil at room temp for a few weeks, and it was way more balanced and usable.
Also, blending strong-smelling oils with something citrusy or earthy can help mask weird smells. I had an overly pungent eucalyptus batch once—smelled medicinal rather than soothing—but mixing in some sweet orange essential oil made it much more pleasant. Ended up using it as a chest rub during cold season, and it worked great.
Honestly, trial and error seems to be part of the fun (and frustration) of DIY herbal stuff. Even when things go sideways, there's usually some creative workaround or unexpected use you stumble upon.
I've had similar issues with cinnamon oil—ended up tasting like red-hot candies, way too spicy. Diluting helped a bit, but mixing it with vanilla extract really mellowed it out nicely. Patience and experimenting seem key with these DIY projects...
