The human (and animal) nose is at its most sensitive outdoors in cool conditions especially when it’s damp and of course in clean air unpolluted by other molecules. As a motorcyclist I could often smell the perfume of the driver in the car in front coming out of the vents or when they were smoking. I have even wondered if in the future gas chromatography equipment mounted in Police cars could sample the air and detect ethanol fumes; it’s certainly sensitive enough right now but I reckon it would cost too much and get too many false readings from things like screenwash.
Quite a few fabric conditioner and detergent powder fragrances, especially the ones manufactured by the big players like Unilever, P&G etc, have raw materials that are also found in fine fragrances such as synthetic musks and amber to give substantivity on textiles so it’s just possible you are picking up some molecules that are familiar from personal care products. Synthetic musk (Galaxolide) is best described as “bright” and is most of the smell of Body Shop’s White Musk, Amber is a gorgeous tangy warm smell, it’s what you’ll smell on your clothes the day after using CK1 by Calvin Clien, a superb perfume. I know that sometimes people wearing polyester clothing that’s been washed can stink of fabric conditioner perfume, which is designed to be very substantive. Micro-encapsulated fragrances (similar to scratch ‘n sniff technology) are now making this even more likely.
It’s equally possible however that you are picking up a soap or shower gel or aftershave that has been used that morning. All you’ve got to do is identify it! Fancy a job in the fragrance industry?
