They say a skunk can't smell its own stink. The true test will be when you are around people who aren't around you most of the time. But I've read that your ex

They say a skunk can't smell its own stink. The true test will be when you are around people who aren't around you most of the time. But I've read that your experience is essentially correct - mostly the stink comes from the subsequent bacterial battle over the newly "disinfected" territory. Left to their own device, the bacteria that your body has learned are beneficial eventually win out over the ones your body has learned are hostile again. Likewise they also say over-reliance on mouthwash leads to halitosis for exactly the same reason - displaced beneficial bacteria colonies. We even use this knowledge in its reverse: probiotics are beneficial, and purposely supplementing them in our gut (instead of just wiping them out over and over again) theoretically displaces harmful bacteria and fungi.