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Original poster

Why people smell bad

324 replies

Curiouscat101 · 01/09/2023 14:08

I was in town and the smell of BO from the couple standing in front of me in a queue was unreal. I then went into another store and the exact same thing with another person.

These people didn’t appear as ‘down and out’ types. I know you can never tell with people, but surely in this day and age most people apart from the homeless have access to running water to shower or at least wash themselves.

It isn’t a hot day and these people smelled like they hadn’t washed in a week

Why are there people not washing or concerned with how they smell 🤢

OP posts:
ArabeIIaScott · 01/09/2023 17:10

needtofatoff · 01/09/2023 17:09

Its usually depression op. I hate all this stuff about can't afford to wash. Its BS. But people can be depressed about their financial circumstamces and stop taking care of themselves as a result.

I take it you've never been poor, then.

TripleDaisySummer · 01/09/2023 17:12

AInightingale · 01/09/2023 17:08

Yes that's called nonenal odour - it can occur in old people and is a chemical reaction on the skin. An odd smell, and I suppose the difficulties some old people have with bathing/ showering etc in an unsuitable bathroom mean it isn't washed away often.

Show quote history

Interesting - just read about it - does sound about right.

LakieLady · 01/09/2023 17:13

jakesmommy · 01/09/2023 15:52

I have a condition called hyperhydrosis which causes excessive sweating, this is unpleasant as I am aware of it which make me anxious and makes me sweat more, I can shower everyday and still sweat bad enough that I can notice it at the end of the day, they only thing that works is either mitchum or a prescription roll on.
That being said there are people who pong to high heaven and who dont seem to realise they do.

My DSS had this. He had botox injections for it, and hardly sweats at all now. He certainly doesn't smell, even after a hard day's grafting in hot weather. (He's a tree surgeon, so does a very physical job.)

drearydear · 01/09/2023 17:14

TripleDaisySummer · 01/09/2023 17:09

I've noticed that it's getting harder and harder to buy bio washing powder that actually works. I always used to use Persil bio powder but then my clothes started to smell, so I added in Dettol laundry disinfectant. Then Persil got so bad that I was rewashing clothing so I've switched to Ariel Powder and am adding extra enzyme powder and the Dettol disinfectant. Clothes no longer smell.

Due to eczema we have to use no bio but I get told on here that even low temp washes should mean clothes smell clean - well sometimes the teen stuff come out still smelling which is apparently impossible - and gets put on again at a hotter wash.

So perhaps poorer washing powder and lower temp washes and more cheap synthetic clothing is having an effect.

I've always used Fairy but I was having to do a lot of rewashing. Someone recommended the Aldi bio (coconut) powder and it's been much better even at lower temps.

Thepeopleversuswork · 01/09/2023 17:15

The thing is that you can wash without using heaps of water and expensive products. Get a bucket of warm water and soap - job done. I have done this so many times when I didn’t have a bathroom or working boiler for weeks at a time.

Agree, there's usually a way to wash yourself, but washing clothes isn't always as straightforward if you live a very chaotic or semi-nomadic existence. A lot of that damp, fusty smell is people who are unable to properly dry clothes.

I found last winter hard because I don't have a tumble dryer so the only way to dry clothes effectively was either a heated drying rack or to put clothes on radiators with the heating on. My fuel bill was astronomical.

If you were living on the breadline that could be a dealbreaker.

ErniesGhostlyGoldTops · 01/09/2023 17:18

I haven't RTFT but I'm convinced a lot of people smell because they are washing their clothes in cold water or at least not a hot enough wash and the organic material remains.

TripleDaisySummer · 01/09/2023 17:19

I've always used Fairy but I was having to do a lot of rewashing. Someone recommended the Aldi bio (coconut) powder and it's been much better even at lower temps.

That a good tip but we dare not change washing powders - both DMum and MIL react to many powders/liquids and it's been a huge struggle to find DS eczema triggers so we've always stuck to one he seems to be fine with.

35965a · 01/09/2023 17:20

As many have said there are many reasons but I think the main ones are that people don’t wash properly/regularly enough. Shower gel does not clean properly, bar soap and water is what you need but some people don’t realise this.

Washing clothes on low temperatures means clothes get pongy quickly as some things just won’t get properly clean on a 30 degree wash. Then if people cannot get them dry quickly they’ll not smell great.

YouJustDoYou · 01/09/2023 17:24

My friend smells because she only washes once a week due to worries about the environment.

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 01/09/2023 17:25

This reply has been withdrawn

Post withdrawn at author's request

StillOrSparklingMadam · 01/09/2023 17:25

TripleDaisySummer · 01/09/2023 17:19

I've always used Fairy but I was having to do a lot of rewashing. Someone recommended the Aldi bio (coconut) powder and it's been much better even at lower temps.

That a good tip but we dare not change washing powders - both DMum and MIL react to many powders/liquids and it's been a huge struggle to find DS eczema triggers so we've always stuck to one he seems to be fine with.

I read something about persimmon soap being helpful for this, it might be worth looking into.

Dramatic · 01/09/2023 17:27

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 01/09/2023 14:25

Some poor souls are naturally whiffier. My DC two is a proper sweaty Betty, and finds it much harder to stay fresh than I do. Obviously we don't let her go out stinking, but sometimes she starts to pong at the end of the day despite a shower and decent antiperspirant. I can sometimes wear a top for two days, whereas she sometimes needs to change during the day.

She maybe needs that super strong antiperspirant that you only put on once every 2 weeks or so

Gh12345 · 01/09/2023 17:28

I think normal sweat can be a little smelly. But to smell that bad requires bad hygiene and also not washing clothes so the sweat sticks to clothing. I hate it

PoshPineapple · 01/09/2023 17:31

I vividly recall being sooo sensitive to body odour smells when I was pregnant!

I'll leave you with that 😂

Screamingabdabz · 01/09/2023 17:33

ErniesGhostlyGoldTops · 01/09/2023 17:18

I haven't RTFT but I'm convinced a lot of people smell because they are washing their clothes in cold water or at least not a hot enough wash and the organic material remains.

This is it exactly. Especially man made fibres. Add in poor drying and it’s minging.

Gorgeouscombes · 01/09/2023 17:35

I have at least as much difficulty with people who wear strong perfume and aftershaves. It makes me retch. The musk gets down my throat and makes me I’ll for the rest of the day

PoshPineapple · 01/09/2023 17:35

ErniesGhostlyGoldTops · 01/09/2023 17:18

I haven't RTFT but I'm convinced a lot of people smell because they are washing their clothes in cold water or at least not a hot enough wash and the organic material remains.

Yup, I think you're spot on there. I've noticed that if I don't wash bedding and towels at at least 50, they smell 'off' and less fresh much sooner than otherwise.

I do care about the environment, but to be honest I care about not stinking to high heaven and offending people around me just that bit more.

AzureBlue99 · 01/09/2023 17:35

I used to work with a guy who didn't believe in deodorants, thought they were toxic. So he started off the day smelling ok, come the afternoon it wasn't pleasant. I am not sure he changed his trousers in all the time I knew him. The seat was so shiny I am surprised he didn't slide off his chair.

Ashamedandhumiliated · 01/09/2023 17:37

marblesthecat · 01/09/2023 16:43

Ah you have nothing to be ashamed of. You were just a child and it wasn't your fault ❤

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This made me well up. Thank you ❤

AzureBlue99 · 01/09/2023 17:39

Women's clothing is mostly all man made now, in the shops that are left that is. That ups the sweat factor. Men can still buy natural fabrics in mainstream shops.

Morethanthis71 · 01/09/2023 17:40

Hibiscrub is absolutely the answer.

Mummykins54 · 01/09/2023 17:41

hylian · 01/09/2023 14:21

There are lots of reasons for this and I would try not to judge. There are a lot of people around who are really on the breadline and trying to save money - this likely affects buying cleaning products, clothes washing and energy for hot water. If you have a choice between eating and washing you will choose to eat.

I work for a local food bank and some of these people cannot feed their children never mind afford a bar of soap. You may have access to water but can you afford to put the water on for an hour?

girlfriend44 · 01/09/2023 17:42

Nobody's mentioned how the smokers stink of fans. They can help that. Its vile.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 01/09/2023 17:44

It is likely to be the proliferation of man made materials and people maybe trying to be environmentally conscious by washing at 30 degrees. People may well have bathed less often in the old days but yes, they washed their pits and bits regularly (with soap, not moisturising shower creams) and they probably wore cotton and other natural fibres which can stand much higher temperatures. If they washed clothing by hand they probably boiled water to get it really hot.

I started to use laundry disinfectant in some of my washing loads because DS1 went through a stage of just smelling a bit wierd (not BO) during his teenage years. It did help. I wash towels and flannels on 60 degrees now too. And bedding.

And I'm going to say it, and sorry if it offends anyone. But I do sometimes notice smells on older larger people. An, er, unwashed, um, crevice kind of smell. I guess it might be hard to reach folds etc if you get less mobile as you get older and you may have been brought up not to have a daily shower because you grew up wearing natural fibres.

wellandtruly · 01/09/2023 17:47

lunar1 · 01/09/2023 14:23

Maybe just be glad you or your loved ones have never had physical or mental health problems that cause the perceived level of hygiene you are talking about.

One of the loveliest patients I ever nursed would fall into this category. She had a massive exposed tumour. She was so self conscious at the end of her short life.

This.

If you’ve known anyone suffer with a fungating tumour, you wouldn’t assume it was something they could or should manage, with the best treatment in the world.