to ask my colleague if he washes his hands after using the toilet?

[FairhairedandFrustrated]

Because every time he moves I get the biggest whiff of poo!

He's in his forties, an intelligent man, but why oh bloody why can he either not a) wipe properly, or b) wash his hands?

I can't stand being near him and often the smell in the small office is enough to make me hurl!

There are 4 of us in the office and myself and our closest colleague smell it and have often remarked "did we stand in something".. trying to ask without hurting his feelings.

But now I don't care if his feelings are hurt... I can't stand the smell of shit he brings with him! Nor can I stand the smell he leaves in the bathroom on a Monday (rich pickings at weekends!) nor the poo that won't flush..

He often wears the same clothes 5 days in a row - so if it's skiddies in his pants then we're fucked.

How would you address it?

And would I be unreasonable to ask him every time he uses the bathroom "have you washed & flushed?"

Raise it with your manager. It's their job to address personal hygiene issues with staff.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to ask.

But it would take a yard of guts and I don't know if I'd have that kind of courage! :o If you do, good for you. Just be prepared that he might ask you, in detail, what you're talking about, and then get royally pissed off.

How I'd address it: I'd put a sign on the loo, saying "your mother doesn't work here, and the maid has the decade off. Please flush after you use the loo. and by the way, with the days of flu coming up, proper handwashing isn't a bad idea either."

That doesn't target anyone in particular (except the person who knows they're the offender) so you can cover your arse, so to speak. :o

Our manager works in a different office so that's not really going to work :(

The pooey handed one would be the senior one in the office which makes it harder.

No, I wouldn't have the balls to ask him but am sick with the small wafting across the desk! He works directly opposite me and I hate even touching his keyboard!

A sign in the toilet might be a good idea, thanks!!

In our uni they used to have instructions on how to flush a toilet:

"Press once for a quick flush" (presumably for a wee)
"Press down and hold for a full flush" (for a poo I guess)

That has been instilled in my brain since then. Maybe you should put up some instructions too?

As for the poo smell. I'm pretty sure they're skid marks causing the smell, because DD gets this when she doesn't wipe properly. Perhaps putting a box of andrex wet wipes in the toilet instead will help with that problem?

I would just have a word with him about hygiene on a night out when everyone is relaxed.

Oh Mrbloomsnursery.... can just see that...

Good night? Enjoying yourself? Can I get you a drink? How about a wet wipe... LOL

Good in theory - our next night out will be at Christmas

Last thing you want is a night out with him when he's 'relaxed'!

Xmas do is ideal opportunity tho'. Carefully peel open the crackers, insert wet-wipes & latex gloves into each. He can use them for one purpose, others can use them to wipe down/handle his keyboard. Job done! Har!

It might be his breath instead.

It doesn't matter that your manager works in a different office. This is still something that they have to deal with. It's a personnel issue. This person's line manager or someone from HR needs to deal with it and you need to demand it of them!

or you could always do what I did once.

Sitting on the sofa with one of the people I shared a house with. Another one came staggering in from what was clearly a really good night out and fell sat on the floor.

After a few minutes, I started to smell something. "What's that smell?" I said, wrinkling my nose.

"don't know, can't smell anything" said the one sitting on the sofa"

"You can't SMELL it?" I said. "Can't you smell it? What IS THAT?" [truly baffled]

"I. Don't. Know." Said Girl On Sofa.

Girl On Floor excused herself and went to her room

Girl On Sofa informed me that Girl On Floor had clearly pissed herself.

Girl On Floor took about 3 showers a day from that day on.

what if he has a bag or has a condition where he is slightly incontinent?

always a option?

I don't understand how people can cope with wiping badly enough to create skidders. Wouldn't it itch having all that poo lingering in your crack?!

That's what I thought ginger except if he's not changing his clothes it's probably more likely just a hygiene issue

I don't think it's up to you to say anything, I think you should talk to HR about it and let them deal with it, for all you know he might have a condition like ginger said.

That's why HR need to deal with it. Though the wearing same clothes indicates he has poor personal hygiene regardless of any health issue.

I think its probably his breath, is he a coffee drinker? Festering coffee breath smells like poo, ditto morning breath on some people.

If it was in his pants, there would have to be a full poo for you to get a whiff of it every time, you think if your dc's have pooed in their pants, you cant always smell it without getting a nose full [boak]

I would raise it with HR as i am a wimp you have to sit next to this guy and it may cause tension. Good luck!

Failing that get a gas mask and hand out mints... That'll learn him!

I would doubt that unwashed hands would cause such an offensive smell.

Ugh, I get a lot of buses and work with the public and periodically run into people that proper smell of POO. It's horrid.

I smelt it yesterday when we were all standing together waiting for home time... I said ugh, I keep smelling poo, we need to give this office a good clean!

A colleague said he smelt it too, but assumed it was Angus.. to which *Angus did a strangled laugh and shuffled off....

*Angus is colleague I am concerned smell of poo

**Angus clearly isn't his real name.

He said that in front of Angus? Dangerous territory, that's bullying in the workplace

He often wears the same clothes 5 days in a row

do you examine every item of clothing, to check the underwear is the same each day? Else how would you know

i have several items of identical clothing, maybe he has too

EricNorthmansMistress is right. Take it to HR,its their job. Too easy for colleagues to come across as bullying if they try to handle it.

I had the delightful job of taking a member of staff to one side and explaining that i had received complaints about her smell. She calmly said she was too large to fit in her bath and had no shower and sometimes her "folds and chuff got a bit whiffy" but it was no big deal I was soooooo glad when she got a different job.

He He this is making me chuckle!
sorry no poo advice buts he could just be a lazy wiper !!!

Mistress that's rank.

I don't think hands would cause that much smell.

Perhaps he has a colostomy/ileostomy bag.