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Original poster

Humiliated by work colleague about smelly toilet

85 replies

JadeyGreen · 01/04/2025 14:17

My workplace has a shared toilet - it’s outside the office in a corridor so people can’t see the comings and goings.

Anyway, I noticed this smelt really foul when I went in this morning (no big deal, it’s a toilet after all). As I walked out and opened the door, my colleague was waiting to go in.

A couple of minutes after, my colleague walked back into the office and announced ‘JadeyGreen, what on earth did you have for breakfast? it absolutely stinks in there’

I obviously protested my innocence -
but it was really humiliating in front of the c.15 colleagues who were in work today. We have quite serious roles and this isn’t the sort of comment people usually make.

AIBU to feel offended?

OP posts:
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SummerDaysOnTheWay · 26/04/2025 03:38

Shmee1988 · 01/04/2025 20:34

It's childish and would annoy me for all of 30 seconds before I forgot all about it. I read some of these posts and genuinely marvel at some of the things people are so wounded by. It's no wonder the word is the way it is now. Let it go OP, know that it wasn't you and rest assured your colleague looked a bit silly.

This.

RickiRaccoon · 26/04/2025 03:38

That's not on. I'd approach quietly let her know it was actually quite unprofessional but she should think before saying things like that because, aside from the fact she was wrong, someone more sensitive might have felt a need to go to HR.

I assumed you said shared toilet because it tends to be men who are stinkier in their toileting and were implying it was likely a male.

AgileLilacScroller · 26/04/2025 03:09

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

LoftyLemonCat · 26/04/2025 03:08

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Ilikeadrink14 · 25/04/2025 17:28

My godfathers! I am SO glad I’m retired! I had completely forgotten about good old office comments. People can be so cruel and nasty these days.
My daughter had IBS and suffered with thoughtless and unkind comments. It really hurt her, to the point that she was terrified to go to the toilet at work, and had a lot of sick days because of it.
Why must people be so cruel?

ConnieHeart · 25/04/2025 16:45

I'd have said something like 'so you think yours smells of roses do you?' And tell her to get her facts right before making loud accusations. Rude cow!

LittleBitofBread · 25/04/2025 16:29

HR. That's completely inappropriate at work.

LeaveALittleNote · 25/04/2025 15:49

I’d wait a while then do it back to them. Go in the loo after them, then come out and say there was a floater bobbing around, and pubes on the toilet seat. But I’m childish, so it’s probably best to not take advice from me.

ACR7 · 25/04/2025 15:42

.

BobbyBiscuits · 03/04/2025 11:44

MemorableTrenchcoat · 03/04/2025 10:51

It wasn’t a man, as OP explained in an update.

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Fair enough! Thank you.

MemorableTrenchcoat · 03/04/2025 10:51

BobbyBiscuits · 03/04/2025 10:34

Did they not? Ok well if it wasn't one then ignore that part. If it was one I stand by what I say. But you can clearly see my post in meant in humour right?

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It wasn’t a man, as OP explained in an update.

BobbyBiscuits · 03/04/2025 10:34

slimshady18 · 01/04/2025 15:05

What do you mean especially coming from a man? Op didn’t mention whether their colleague was male or female.

Show quote history

Did they not? Ok well if it wasn't one then ignore that part. If it was one I stand by what I say. But you can clearly see my post in meant in humour right?

UnNiddeRides · 01/04/2025 21:24

I do wonder if the OP was deliberately ambiguous about the sex of the colleague to see what conclusions would be jumped to. It would’ve been much quicker & easier to type ‘she came back into the office’ rather than ‘my colleague came back into the office’.

WheresWeirdo · 01/04/2025 21:19

NoTouch · 01/04/2025 17:37

We had a young woman in our workplace who was horrified when she went into the loos and they were a bit whiffy.

Came out exclaiming to the whole department how shocking it was someone had done a poo in a work toilet and that they should only be done at home 🙈🤣

I bet she was a mumsnetter. The number of MNs who are horrified at the thought that a tradesperson might need to do a jobby in their porcelain throne! 😁😂😂

Shmee1988 · 01/04/2025 20:34

It's childish and would annoy me for all of 30 seconds before I forgot all about it. I read some of these posts and genuinely marvel at some of the things people are so wounded by. It's no wonder the word is the way it is now. Let it go OP, know that it wasn't you and rest assured your colleague looked a bit silly.

tuvamoodyson · 01/04/2025 20:08

Thebloodynine · 01/04/2025 16:03

4 posters before me all replied saying “he” and “him.” I posted a possible reason for the assumption when it was questioned why people were assuming.

Why are you singling out my post? There are 4 others.

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Then you and 4 others immediately leapt to the conclusion it was a man…mumsnet at its finest!

MaySea · 01/04/2025 19:07

Bbq1 · 01/04/2025 17:09

Op said it was a woman.

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I missed that, I thought op explained it was a shared toilet because it was a man...

My comment still stands. Complain to HR and suggest the bullying woman finds a good probiotic and maybe some food allergy tests.

Init4thecatz · 01/04/2025 19:03

JadeyGreen · 01/04/2025 15:59

To clarify, it was a woman colleague.

Awww, you ruined the vendetta crowds day!

Loub1987 · 01/04/2025 18:58

Totally inappropriate OP! Bullying and idiotic ‘banter’. They will have embarrassed themselves with it though!

Not the point of the thread, but why does it matter if it’s a man or woman? Still an awful person.

loropianalover · 01/04/2025 18:45

My tolerance for any kind of toilet talk is an absolute zero. I’m surprised no one else in the office pulled her up on being disgustingly bad mannered, I would have.

Whaleandsnail6 · 01/04/2025 18:43

Yanbu.

I hate it when people try to shame others for normal bodily functions.

Everyone in a workplace is a grown adult and she needs to grow up and accept that sometimes toilets smell.

knor · 01/04/2025 18:39

Definitely speak to HR. So unprofessional. Hate people who try to embarrass others

JudgeJ · 01/04/2025 18:24

notacooldad · 01/04/2025 15:58

That's a standard banter in my work place!
The person on the receiving end gives back as good as they get.
I know our work place isn't for everyone!

It's probably usual in most workplaces, it's only on MN where every little perceived slight has to be reported to HR etc. I recall the caretaker complaining in the school staff room at the amount of toilet roll he had to put into the ladies' loo, 'I don't know what you're doing with it!', so we told him, in great detail

FidosMum84 · 01/04/2025 18:15

Everyone has a different tolerance to poo talk.
And it depends on the relationship you have with the person as to whether they were being serious and criticising or just commenting on the clearly obvious smell.

Your colleagues will have forgotten this already, or maybe weren’t even listening.

We’ve had complaints about the smell at work and the suggestion that we move to single gender bathrooms. As apparently Women’s poo doesn’t smell as bad!

Ask for some air freshener in the toilets instead of emailing HR.

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 01/04/2025 17:56

It's mumsnet, of course it HAD to be a MAN😂😂

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