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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate it when people stink at the gym

56 replies

PolkaDotMankini · 28/12/2022 16:44

It was so busy at the gym today that people were queuing for machines. There were so many people who smelled of old BO. I understand it's more convenient to just have a shower after your workout, but it's inconsiderate of everyone around you.

OP posts:
Daysoffarethebest · 28/12/2022 17:49

Would be interesting to see if the people saying YABU have actually been in a gym and understand what you’re saying.
I can tell when there is a certain man in my gym when I go in as it’s his smell, as if his clothes have never seen washing powder for months. There’s absolutely no need to be such a scruff!

AutumnIsMyFavouriteSeason · 28/12/2022 17:55

Absolutely different when people smell of fresh sweat versus unwashed sweaty gym wear. The latter induces nausea and I have to move away. Call me sexist but the women never stink like this. Only a few unwashed men. Yuck!

bibbif · 28/12/2022 17:58

Would be interesting to see if the people saying YABU have actually been in a gym and understand what you’re saying.

tbf they could be the stinky ones 😁

NotSorry · 28/12/2022 18:01

I agree with you OP and those not agreeing are being deliberately obtuse - old b.o. is disgusting and I work in a gym, so notice it most days. Sweat from clean people who are working out is different.

KM91 · 28/12/2022 18:02

YANBU 100% agree there is a difference between fresh sweat and grot. There’s a guy in my spin class who I’ve nicknamed ‘onion man’. It is offensive. even the instructor tries to point a fan at them as discreetly as possible. There’s actually a few in the gym, all I can think of is that the sweaty kit gets thrown in a gym bag and worn again over a few days. it’s foul!

SirMingeALot · 28/12/2022 18:15

Fresh sweat and old sweat smell different!

gamerchick · 28/12/2022 18:22

They're probably wearing dirty gym clothes. It's grim.

Againstmachine · 28/12/2022 18:25

I don't wear dirty gym clothes, however if I'm going in morning I do roll out of bed and go, I'm not showering as I will shower at gym, I shower every day, I'm not showering at home before gym, I shower at gym to save money also.

abcdefghijkml · 28/12/2022 18:26

PolkaDotMankini · 28/12/2022 16:48

Obviously I don't expect people not to sweat at the gym Grin But there's a difference between fresh-sweat smell and old BO/unwashed clothes smell of the type you can taste.

Completely agree. There's a definite difference. You can tell the people wearing fresh clothes and those wearing kit from a week ago. Gross

Daysoffarethebest · 28/12/2022 18:26

So you will not be one of the stinky ones OP is speaking about.
It’s more than just not showering before.

MaryBeardsShoes · 28/12/2022 18:33

Tbh I find it worse when they come in stinking of aftershave or perfume.

Stellaris22 · 28/12/2022 18:36

BO doesn't bother me at the gym. It's the people getting up after using a machine or bench and don't clean that bothers me. Or people who don't put weights back.

BogRollBOGOF · 28/12/2022 18:41

I've got some sleeved sports tops that collect odour very easily. Washing them along with my usual gear isn't enough to refesh them and they need a pre-wash and disinfecting to remove the stubborn bacteria that causes the odour and doesn't wash out easily with standard washing. I do most of my exercise outdoors so don't need to go through the additional palaver every time I've worn them as I'm rarely close enough to someone to offend their olfactory system.

An old sweaty smell doesn't necessarily mean that the person or the kit aren't recently washed, although an upgrade of washing methods wouldn't go amiss.

stealthninjamum · 28/12/2022 18:50

I agree op, perhaps I don’t work out as hard as a big bloke but I am perfectly able to put a deodorant on and clean clothes and do a workout without smelling afterwards.

Maybe it’s lazy people who don’t wash their clothes after each session. Exh wasn’t smelly but if he puts a top on for a couple of hours he’ll wear it again another day so maybe that’s what these smelly gym goers do.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 28/12/2022 18:55

Fresh sweat I dont mind - unwashed clothes and old BO is something quite different.

FictionalCharacter · 28/12/2022 19:12

PolkaDotMankini · 28/12/2022 16:48

Obviously I don't expect people not to sweat at the gym Grin But there's a difference between fresh-sweat smell and old BO/unwashed clothes smell of the type you can taste.

Exactly. Fresh sweat doesn’t smell. These people are either turning up unwashed and stinky, or putting on unwashed stinky clothes to work out in. Which is revolting.

Buildingthefuture · 28/12/2022 19:13

YANBU. If you have showered and are wearing clean clothes, you should not smell at the gym. Fresh sweat and old BO are entirely different things. Personally, I would always shower before the gym and I would always wear clean clothes. But, other people definitely don’t. It’s minging and one of the many reasons I now work out at home!
Having said that, some people do smell more than others - my DH literally NEVER smells or has BO (he could wear his gym gear for 24 hrs after - would still smell fresh as a daisy! No idea why and I am absolutely not like that!) And, if gym gear isn’t washed on the correct cycle, it can still stink after washing…..

Phenolet · 28/12/2022 19:58

YANBU fresh sweat doesn't smell bad. Stale BO is clearly from people who haven't showered or washed their gym clothes in a while

Shitfather · 30/12/2022 20:05

MaryBeardsShoes · 28/12/2022 18:33

Tbh I find it worse when they come in stinking of aftershave or perfume.

Oh I love when people smell of perfume! I was complimented on mine.

Shesasuperfreak · 30/12/2022 20:06

Yanbu, people can use deodorant and hard perfume

Travis1 · 30/12/2022 20:09

I can’t say I’ve ever really noticed in the gym. Sure you weren’t smelling yourself?

Shitfather · 30/12/2022 20:10

I practice hot yoga next to a very hot man who I’m crushing on. One of the reasons I like him is because he NEVER smells despite us showering in our own sweat for 75 mins. He must wear clean clothes and wash his feet every single time.

I can now identify bad personal smells before setting eyes on the person from whom they emanate.

Shitfather · 30/12/2022 20:11

Buildingthefuture · 28/12/2022 19:13

YANBU. If you have showered and are wearing clean clothes, you should not smell at the gym. Fresh sweat and old BO are entirely different things. Personally, I would always shower before the gym and I would always wear clean clothes. But, other people definitely don’t. It’s minging and one of the many reasons I now work out at home!
Having said that, some people do smell more than others - my DH literally NEVER smells or has BO (he could wear his gym gear for 24 hrs after - would still smell fresh as a daisy! No idea why and I am absolutely not like that!) And, if gym gear isn’t washed on the correct cycle, it can still stink after washing…..

He’s a keeper Grin

Shortkiwi · 30/12/2022 20:12

Totally agree. Can’t stand horrible B O. I can go to the gym and sweat and not smell because I have had a shower that day, used anti perspirant/deodorant and put on clean gym clothes. Absolutely no need for B O. I have to move far away from any offenders and hate going to a machine that has a lingering B O smell left behind from the previous user.

megletthesecond · 30/12/2022 20:14

Yanbu. Fresh sweat, deodorant and clean clothes don't smell for an hour in the gym.
Unwashed clothes and people smell. Re-worn t-shirts even stink at parkrun.