To ask how for help in making me not smell!!! (Active nurse + Polyester uniform = total disaster)

[Flamingo1980]

I've just started my new job doing some very physically demanding nursing. They've provided me with an awful polyester uniform. I shower every morning, apply generous amounts of mitchem deodorant, and then put on a clean uniform every day.
My job is very labour intense and even though I'm not very sweaty I just get smelly so quickly. This doesn't happen in my normal clothes.
By midday I smell awful and I'm so self conscious of it. It's not even summer yet I'm terrified!!
What can I do...? Please give me all of your pearls of wisdom!!

[Doubledaff]

Cotton t shirt underneath, take a spare uniform and change mid day? Maybe try a different deodorant, I find sure the best. A

[Harrymetsally123]

Hey! I smell - not on purpose and people say they can't smell it but I can! I shower, I deodorise, my friend recommended Mitchum deodorant, it's changed my life! Worth a try?

[Harrymetsally123]

and I can't read I'm sorry you already use Mitchum I'm going to bed. Sorry I'm no help

[JuxtapositionRecords]

What Mitchum do you use? I find anything other than the non scented roll on one leaves me smelling. Their scented ones are not as good IMO.

[longdiling]

Perspirex worked for me when I was having a sweaty phase. It's strong stuff that you have to leave on over night but it really works.

[TattyDevine]

Polyester can make you whiff a bit after just a couple of hours. Horrible stuff.

Cotton t shirt is a great idea, if you won't get too hot or are allowed.

You could try a product called Perspirex, or Driclor. It's meant to be for excessive sweating, and whilst you may not be excessively sweating, you are sweating a bit to get the smell in the meantime (which is normal obviously)

Perspirex you put on at night, on clean dry armpits, and it really stops any type of sweating. You wash it off in the morning (or just leave it on if you are me!) and you can then put your normal deodorant on over it, though you might find you don't need to.

Don't use it immediately after shaving, as it will sting. Even if you haven't shaved, it may sting a bit the first few times you use it. This is normal. Unless you get a rash or peely skin, you should be able to tolerate it. Proceed with caution if you have sensitive skin generally.

If you were to add this to your routine a few times a week, you probably will find a vast reduction in the smell. In addition, you can use a more "fragrant" deodorant with it than Mitchum is, like an Impulse body spray or something that you like the smell of, which along with the Perspirex, should leave you smelling of that and not BO/sweat.

I can't wear polyester in a close fitting top - 3 hours and I stink, doesn't matter whether I showered and used Mitchum, or even whether I am particularly hot or cold. I can only get away with it with the Perspirex the night before (or sometimes that morning instead) if I forgot trick. So generally I avoid it but I get you have no choice!

Good luck

[SmellySourdough]

can you wash the uniform at 60 or higher (tbh I would expect a nurses uniform to be able to boil wash)?
underwear pure cotton and also hot washed.

[urterriblemuriel]

Buggar, saw thread title and was going to recommend mitchum but you already use it. What about having a small lightly scented body spray (like the ones you buy as a teenager - impulse) to hand in your bag and have a quick spritz every couple of hours? Also cotton underwear? Doedorizer insoles for your shoes?

[TattyDevine]

Just to summarise that:

Perspirex the night before work
Wash off and put Mitchum on, and a little spritz of a fragranced body spray if you fancy it.

Do it every night for a while if you can tolerate it (no major stinging or itching of skin) - if you can't, do it every second night for a while, the stinging or itching will stop after a few times, you get used to it. After a week or so, drop it back to about 3 times a week, or increase if that's not working.

[SleepyForest]

You can buy sportswear detergent to disinfect your washing if it can't go on a hot wash.

[TattyDevine]

I think her main problem is that she is the one smelling, not her uniform, but that the uniform is making her smell.

[TattyDevine]

And whilst Mitchum is a great product, I find the most effective one of the range is the Male one called Ice Fresh. Works twice as well as the apple green coloured female range.

(Ok, I am the Queen of Stink)

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Change midday.
That's a horrid combination, surely everyone would sweat and smell with that

[Wardrobespierre]

I'd wager the uniform is a big part of the problem. I've got a couple of tops which seem fecking clean but if I wear them for more than an hour, the pits reek. Doesn't happen with 98% of my clothes.

[TattyDevine]

The whole Mitchum claim "48 hours of protection" - pffft.

Perspirex, however, definitely!

[SusanAndBinkyRideForth]

Maybe not feasible, but could you see nice buttonhole finished vent holes in eg the underarm area of your uniform? The main problem is probably just lack of airflow surely?

[TattyDevine]

And I'm about to go off on a rant here, but if someone comes along and goes "oh don't do that, so unnatural, you'll get breast cancer" I will blow, because every single thread on here where someone is moaning about a colleague who stinks at work people pile on saying that it's selfish and if they shower every morning they wouldn't smell and all that malarky.

Sorry, as you were

[blobbityblob]

I worked as a Care Assistant. We all smell after 5 or 6 hours. Always wash on hot to kill the bacteria. Take a flannel and body wash in to have a freshen up on your break. You could take a 2nd top in to change into. I find shower gel seems to remove more odour than soap. Mitchem deodorant is the strongest you can get. Not much more you can do but the others you work with will be exactly the same because it's hard, physical work in heat. Nobody I worked with was judgemental in this respect.

[WhatTheFuckIsMyOldUsername]

Another vote for an overnight antiperspirant here - I use triple dry and it really works. Apply to clean armpits at night and wash off in the shower in the morning (or just leave on). Stings a bit at first and after a while you can drop from daily to using about 3 times a week. I use a scented deodorant too in the morning.

Also found that even after washing some of the armpits of my clothes didn't smell great . So I now use a bit of settling laundry stuff or even some vanish spray before putting in the machine, made a big difference especially with delicate fabrics that can't be hot washed.

[wheresthetea]

Polyester has the same effect on me - had a horrible cheap school uniform that actually made me smell of wet dog! Can you get one which is more loose fitting so your skin has more room to breathe? Or as others have suggested wear a cotton or other natural fibre undershirt? I would avoid perfumes and body sprays as well as strongly perfumed soaps as sometimes they can contribute to irritating your skin and sweat glands. I found I smelt better when I just used neutral unscented shower gel and a good deodorant and nothing else.

[YoniMitchell]

I found Driclor is great, put it on at night like with Perspirex and it should make a real difference.

[MunchyMunchkin]

I found the sure or dove maximum protection deodorant much better than Mitchum when I had to wear a similar uniform and was in a hot as hell ward. It's about £5 a pop but lasts for ages. Now buy in bulk whenever it's on offer. Made me feel so much better about myself.

[JsOtherHalf]

Try spraying the armpits of your uniform with white vinegar before washing at 60.

[hiddenhome2]

I use Dettol Laundry Cleanser for my uniform. I don't use antiperspirant, but a natural deodorant and I manage okay.

[SimonLeBonOnAndOn]

What about wet wipes to freshen up?
A looser size top might help?