I never realised how bad people smell.

[Nonplusultra]

I’ve had a weirdly sharp sense of smell for the last couple of days and when I’m out shopping, I can smell everyone around me and it’s surprising how few people smell nice or even clean.

I’m not talking about properly stinking - just that mild fug of cooking smells, pets, smoke, sweat, occasional halitosis.

I don’t normally notice, and of course, even now, I’m oblivious to my own pong. I’m not even getting up close to people; this is just the drift of air as you walk past someone who’s a couple of feet away.

Stayed at a premier Inn last night and walked into reception and this terrible smell of BO hit us. I think it was the guy on reception. It was really awful. I guess maybe some people can't wash regularly for whatever reason but really think people need to be conscious of personal hygiene when in a public facing role.

This, some people will be struggling to stay clean and maintain personal hygiene.
Washing their winter coat monthly or towels every time they use them won't even register.
I know if I ever fell on properly hard times some mumsnetters super sensitive nose would be the last thing I gave a shit about and I am a very clean person under normal circumstances.

I also wonder if having Covid has changed a lot of people's sense of smell, it has mine, and I've become a super-smeller, which is not a good thing.

Most people have had Covid and whilst it can block smell, it can also change smells so everything smells different, and viruses can also enhance smell. Perhaps we are just experiencing that!

Has anyone noticed that fleece dressing gowns and oldie type things smell of a weird vomit-like smell after a week or so of wearing? It annoys me how often they need washing for something that's not next to my skin and not worn outside or for cooking in or whatever.

I've always been a super smeller but have definitely noticed that personal hygiene has become less important to many. Visibly greasy hair on lots of people now and lots more last nights garlic extravaganza breath. The smell of weed is everywhere now too. The amount of vans that go past at 8.30am and 5pm with weed fug pouring out of them is disgusting. Some cars too but mainly vans. There's a local construction and roofing company where one of the vans passes me daily and the driver has got an obvious spliff in his hand.

The world seems to smell of disgustingly sweet vape fumes, BO, dogs and greasy hair these days. Revolting.

The steep hike in energy prices the last couple of years may mean people are bathing or showering less frequently. My sense of smell is pretty acute and I can't say I have noticed more people smelling though OP.

@AutisticLegoLover do you use fabric conditioner? I find that fabruc conditioner or some of the liquid detergent containing fabric conditioner can make synthetics smell odd. Powders don't seem to do this.

Yeah but not everyone is hard up. That's just the nature of the world.

The example I'm talking about was at a theatre where tickets were £70.

I have mental health issues and I've done a lot of work in the community sector so I fully understand people talking about lack of money and space etc. But we do all know that's not everyone. So while we shouldn't be vet judgemental because we can't know someone's situation we also shouldn't dismiss that some people just smell bad without good cause and it's unpleasant for other people.

I've had to wash in the winter with no heating or hot water too, I didn't remove clothes all at once, washing then drying each part of my body before moving onto the next.

Look - in a society which enables poverty, there are always going to be a few who are limited / prevented from maintaining personal hygiene.
Either through extreme poverty (not being able to afford soap, toothpaste, or get them from food banks, unable to heat water in a kettle) or through medical or physical limitations which prevent them from cleaning themselves without assistance, which they may not have access to; or because of crippling mental health conditions, or neuordiversity which makes the sensory experience unbearable.

I'm not shaming them.

The first bunch of posts in this thread implied that posters are finding poor hygiene among others so common that its like every second or third person they encounter smells. Even with the increase of the cost of living crisis and corresponding mental health conditions, it is unlikely that practically the whole of the UK population is unable to wash.

There are absolutely those that can't- and we need to fight to change our political landscape so that they can (or can be met with greater understanding) but there are also those who don't because they'd prefer not to be cold for a a little while, when feeling cold won't harm them and when they can still access warmth.

I was pointing out that for many people, it isn't a case of all-or-nothing, that's all.

My granny and her sister also wouldn't have had central heating and had ice on their windows (as did most of us growing up in the 70's!) but they didn't go dirty, the usual way was to boil a kettle and wash with that water, bits and pits daily. Hair once a week with the immersion on. They both did that, with the odd shower, til they died. Always smelt fragrant and lovely. You would have to be very poor or perhaps have MH problems before you couldn't wash with a kettle of water and I don't think most people in the UK couldn't boil a kettle of water for cost reasons (I'm sure there are some, but it's not likely to be most people).

Still reading the thread, but I agree with all you've said here. Thanks for writing it.

I have a pretty good nose - not as super-sensitive as many posting here, though - despite being a smoker and quite smelly myself By and large, I like people's olfactory individuality. I've met a few people with no scent at all that I could discern, and they freak me out badly. It almost feels like they aren't properly human.

I'm envious of those who can smell - and identify - illnesses. I once read an interview with a GP with this gift. She said she's learned not to tell colleagues about it, but what a professional advantage!

@Nonplusultra
The odour fumes of new plastic furnishing of brand car assault my nostrils and make me feel queezy sick too

like i am allergic to modern living time of plastic era's type of thing.

I've had to wash in the winter with no heating or hot water too, I didn't remove clothes all at once, washing then drying each part of my body before moving onto the next.

We didn't have central heating growing up nor did one set of grandparents. My other grandparents had central heating and I loved that though I would feel too hot as it was like a furnace.

We had a fire downstairs in the sitting room and I remember racing down there after baths to get warm. It is miserable though I remember how cold it was with frost on the inside of windows.

Though we always had a tumble dryer and tumble dryer sheets were used. My mother was meticulous about our clothes.

This is susprisly interesting 🤔 mumsnet thread,
than i thought it be at first glance...

@oakleaffy intriguing question! Maybe it’s not dogs’ sense of smell that’s important but their ability to tolerate human pong that makes them man’s best friend 😂

The thing that surprised me was that it was a definite majority of the people that I encountered smelled mildly unpleasant. Presumably most of them do have decent personal hygiene - but smoke, cooking and animal smells cling. I think it’s much harder to smell completely inoffensive to the olfactorily gifted than we realise.

My superpower seems to be on the wane now so I can go back to the delusion that I smell all fresh and breezy.

Even lying perfectly still in bed, you still accumulate sweat . FGS how long does it take to run a flannel over yourself before embarking on a plane journey! Have some empathy for the poor bugger sitting next to you that has to contend with the damp biscuit smell coming off you for the the few hours with no means of escape .

Would you strip off and run a flannel over yourself before getting on a flight at 9pm? You've been accumulating sweat and other smells all day.

That wet dog and damp smell is the worst

Erm... yes. Most people would shower first or I'd at least have a sink wash and maybe change if I'd been particularly active during the day.

Armpits on tops will smell regardless of how physical people are after one wear.
I always wash tops inside out and dry on the line as much as possible to keep them fresh

Nope this never happens to me. I’ve never had it. I hardly sweat. Never have done.

Fgs!

It’s fine to wear clothes more than once ( not underwear or socks). They aren’t designed to be washed after every wear, it knackers the fabric. I used to lecture in this. Obsessive and unecessary washing is damaging garments and the environment. Yes, even in a cold wash.

Wool and silk aren’t designed to be washed a lot. Viscose is crap and weak and rips easily. Linen can cope with it, and some cotton can, but it’s not that strong. This is why people post on here about t shirts getting weird holes. Knitted fabrics don’t wash well and pull really easily. Wash them as little as you can.

Polyrster or nylon is just plastic. However it does retain smells more than natural fabrics.

You think most people shower multiple times a day? Or you think that most people will find a way to have a strip wash in the middle of the day because they're getting on a plane?

If that's the level of cleanliness you're expecting from everyone, then I think you're always going to be disappointed. Most people are not going to shower at 3am when they're rushing for an early flight, or find the time and facilities to get undressed, do a sink wash, and have a full change of clothes on the evening of their last day on holiday.

If someone's washed within the last 24 hours, and put on clean clothes that morning, they're not going to smell that bad.

I'd class somebody complaining about the smell of that on the same level as one of those people who complain that the person next to them was breathing infuriatingly, or making unbearable swallowing noises every time they had a drink — basically, we're all human, we all make noises and smells, and there's only so far you can expect people to go to bring that down to a tolerable level for others. Wash and clean clothes every day, brush teeth twice a day, chew with your mouth closed, use headphones rather than a speaker.

Yeah, no way would l shower and wash my hair for an early flight.

Alarm goes off, get up, drag brush through hair and go to airport.

The person complaining about cooking smells and aren't people aware.. I live in a small flat and try to cook from scratch as much as possible. There's no way I can avoid clothing, especially coats etc picking up the smell. I can't constantly wash it all each day or re wash anything that happens to be drying at the time I cook . Sorry to those it offends 😬

I think eco washes don't help - people have had it drummed into them to wash at 30 and to not use tumble dryers; plus obviously with the COL a lot of people have no choice!

I have an eco wash on my dishwasher - after a few washes it stinks, washing needs HOT water. I don't care what the detergent manufacturers say - it's bollocks that eco washes are as effective as a hot wash. Same with the washing machine, too many 'eco' washes leaves mould in the drawer.

The eco wash on my washing machine default setting is 40° (it takes forever though). I've never washed anything at 30°c but I do wear some clothes more than once before washing, sometimes more than twice! Underwear and sports kit washed after every wear. I'm pretty sure our household doesn't smell unduly unpleasant, though
(I think I have a good sense of smell and I have re-washed clothes if they have sat in the machine for too long after washing or taken an age to dry, and smell damp, because its noticeable to me when wearing it. )