Smelly people first thing in the morning making me cross

[Wherecanitbe]

I completely understand in the UK we are currently experiencing extremely high temperatures, however......

why is it so many people smell really strongly of B.O first thing in the morning? I was on the bus Saturday morning around 9am and their were one or two people who smelled really strongly, not just slightly. This morning I was in my local shop around 10am and the man in front of me smelled that strongly that when he left, the smell even lingered.

I can understand if it was towards the end of the day, then it would be more reasonable that people would have B.O. I am just really irritated how these people think it's acceptable that other people have to put up with their offensive smell.

Your body (whether you like it or not), loses 25 ml of fluid per hour. You might think you don’t sweat, but you do. I’m not suggesting everyone takes 2 showers a day but it’s the only way to stay truly clean if you insist on showering at night. I shower once a day in the morning.
It’s just factual.
If you don’t mind being a bit sweaty:smelly then you’re fine, but I would probably be able to tell. My parter thinks he doesn’t sweat and has a nighttime shower but I can tell.

It's because they don't wash. They probably boast about it on MN and tut at those who take a shower or bath daily.

Re smelly clothes: beyond laundry not being dried properly, I think many people overfill their washing machines as well. That doesn’t help.

In my experience it’s from a certain type of ‘people’. I can’t say anymore or I’ll get abuse just by stating my experience. I know every type of person can smell but I definitely find it more noticeable with certain types.

So you get into bed dirty? I actually couldn't, I don't think, but you do you.
I'm quite sure I don't smell. Mumsnet is crackers sometimes.

SPit it out. Do you mean white British people? Honestly say what you mean or not at all 🤦‍♀️

There are some people, especially men who think it is ok to wear the same underwater for a week too. I know several and needless to say I don't ask them round anymore.

I shower twice a day - morning and evening before bed - I thought most people did the same

Same

No not generally

OP, l agree 100%. I think all public transport should have a sign “No deodorant - no travel”.

That said, l think a lot of the problem is having a shower and then putting sweaty clothes back on; pointless!

I’m quite the opposite, if I use normal deodorant it usually leaves me feeling not fresh by end of the day. I started using fussy a couple of months back and it works so well.

See where I grew up, we generally shower at night. It's norm in quite a few countries.
I still do unless it's really hot even over night.
Unless you really end up sweating at night, shower and antiperspirant in the evening ate well enough for many.

Would you mind telling me which of the good old fashioned soaps you mean? I use pears and assumed they hadn’t changed formula. Thank you

Why would soap work better than shower gel?

Nesti Dante is still good
i also love these https://futureprimitivesoap.co.uk/collections/handmade-soap

I've noticed the shoppers in my local Aldi mostly stink but the ones in my local Sainsbury's don't lol. I was in Aldi a few weeks ago and overheard two of the staff talking about a smelly man they'd just been talking to, not very professional of them but they must get sick of it.

I understand you, however I do believe if we judge or discriminate, unless we actually go up to the person as they may not be aware/ dont care or they have a health issue, we cant stop them from living their lives.

i understand if they dont care about not wearing anything or showering, but we still dont know.
may as well let them know because if i saw someone who has period blood leaking etc, i would say. But of course we say in a calm respectable manner.

you're very very weird.

I think it’s fine to shower at night and not the morning however this is under the proviso that a strip wash occurs in the morning - pits, bits, face, neck, ears etc with soap and a flannel. Are some people maybe unaware that they’re meant to do this when they night wash?

Bar soaps are more alkaline which lifts grime better, they have a higher concentration of surfactant and don’t contain moisturisers or polymers that can leave a film on skin which gels often contain.

Soaps work because they’re fats with a hydrophilic head and a hydropobic tail. The tail buries itself in grease, dirt, bacteria etc that isn’t water (because it’s avoids water) and the head buries itself in water. So when the water runs off you the head drags the tail and it’s greasy attachments with it. More surfactant and no film? More grime pulled away with the water.

I’m in Australia so showers twice a day are pretty normal. I would say those who exercise during the day at lunch etc would be having a third. It’s very uncommon to hear people don’t shower at least daily as our weather is humid and we are generally pretty active population

In a hot country it's pretty much essential to shower twice a day. The discussion is UK based, so for most one shower a day is sufficient. The time of day that you decide to take a shower does vary from person to person depending on what you have been doing during the day. However, there is no stepping away from the fact that even someone who thinks they don't sweat, will lose up to half a pint of sweat a night. The key is to regularly wash your bedding and have a shower in the morning to remove the bacterias that cause BO. I can tell if someone has washed at night or they are freshly washed in the morning - you can smell it and see it, especially on men. https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250919-is-it-better-to-shower-in-the-morning-or-at-night Here is one article but there are many many others supporting this.

I also know of an elderly woman who smells terribly. She uses a walker and sticks her bum out, I think it's fairly clear that's because she has no other way of walking. She's clearly in a lot of pain all the time and also obese. Her personal hygiene has often made me wonder if I should be making enquiries (with whom though?? I don't know her name) to make sure she's getting some help and care at home. She has an adult son who's also extremely unkempt and I think is autistic. (we are ourselves an ASD household so I do have my sensors finely tuned!)

but my take-home from this is - the elderly lady I know about, and she sounds very much like 'your' woman too, can't help herself. She's disabled, old and I think has MH issues. I'm actually quite concerned for her, even at the same time as I deliberately evade her in the supermarket (you can smell the aisles she's been in long after she's left). So yes - makes us feel sick - but as more fortunate members of our communities, don't you think the onus is on those of us who are able, to try and help? Smelly old ladies who have obvious incontinence issues and lack capacity for self-care are a mile away from younger people who just can't be arsed to wash themselves or their clothes.

Have they tried fairy washing up liquid? This is not joke or making fun of the situation.