Yes the rubber smells bad .....( Don't buy these ) [SEP] These seem to be a cheaper version of a design that's been around for awhile, and apparently with made with som inferior rubber because a previous brush I purchased didn't have that strong chemical odor that other reviewers have also mentioned.<br /><br />Update 10/06/16<br /><br />I've tried everything to get rid of the petroleum odor to no avail.  I threw both brushes in the trash without ever using them