AIBU for not rewearing the same trousers after one wear?

[roofusdoofus]

As the subject title suggests, I don’t rewear the same trousers or jeans after one wear unless they’re washed. This means that I end up putting on a clothes wash twice a week and I wash my bedsheets and towels separately, totalling to three washes per week. I have a new housemate who thinks that this is excessive and could easily be reduced to two washes if I just “rewore” clothes between washes.

This may be TMI but my lady area is seemingly very sweaty and even if I wear a pair of trousers once, the private area of my trousers smells slightly like stale urine and it ends up being all I can smell and I end up becoming very self concious. This is really embarrassing to admit but my private area does smell “cheesy” after a working day so I wash my bits every day.

I have gone to see my GP who advises there’s no infections or any causes for concern and that it’s just my natural body odour. I was referred for pelvic floor physiotherapy and she said I have a great, strong pelvic floor and there’s no cause for concern. I have tried every kind of underwear and even trialled wearing panty liners but nothing stops the odour. I have tried pH balancing washes but nothing helps and I shower daily.

I’m embarrassed and self concious by it, but I am more aware of the smell of my trousers or jeans after one wear and can’t bring myself to rewear them unless they’re washed. The smell, to me, is really strong and I just feel dirty and become hyper aware other people can smell it.

AIBU to not rewear trousers or jeans after one wash? I feel my reasons are valid but my new housemates attitude has me feeling guilty.

YANBU not to wear clothing that smells. I wish more people didn't.

Yanbu. The week before my period I cannot possibly rewear trousers. Panty liners or femfresh be damned- it's smelly and I won't risk it coming through should i "rewear" a pair.

Nope YANBU at all. If it smells, why whould you rewear it?! Obviously it’s not something you’ll want to speak about with your housemate so I have no advice on that.

Are they worried that the energy bills are going to be more expensive because of how often you use the washing machine? If it’s nothing to do with that then they just need to mind their own biscuits!

I don’t like the smell of my work trousers (synthetic material) on me after one wear but jeans can easily wear 5 times with no issues.

I definitely sweat a lot in that area too-it’s just sweat, nothing untoward.

Switch to dresses is my advice. I mostly wear dresses with tights now. Clean tights daily but 2-3 wears from a dress if it is aired in between wears. Much less laundry!

*business🙄

YANBU but I wonder are you overstating it?

If the GP says all is fine, can it be as bad as you describe (which does sound quite grim)?

If it really smells that offensive, I think you need to follow up.

YANBU - if this is what you need to feel comfortable and clean then you do you.

I personally feel guilty about how often I re-wash clothes but that’s because they stretched and I like the fit of just washed clothes. That’s much less justifiable!

I usually only wear once, except hoodies, jeans unless I get hot or suit jackets. I have 4 in my house so probably do 6-8 washes per week

I do re-wear sometimes but not if something smells. YANBU with that reason. Are your housemate's reasons eco concerns or something else?
You might need to make sure you pay your fair share of the electric bill. If it's eco concerns you could make sure you use an eco laundry option, but green electricity, dry naturally (not in tumble dryer) etc?

As said I am really self conscious so I could be hyper aware of it, but I do find that my private area can smell quite foul and the crotch area of my trousers does smell of stale urine. I’m not overstating it at all.

My GP tried to reassure me that it’s completely natural, and a normal harmless odour as my body is releasing sweat and oils combing to cause that foul smell. She tried to reassure me only I could smell it but the stench can be so strong sometimes I wonder can others, and I’m not willing to ask anyone (friend or foe) can they smell my funky crotch area stank!

She tried to reassure me only I could smell it

In that case, I think you are overstating it. It really can't be a 'foul' smell.

Still of course fine if you want to wash your trousers after each wear

I try to limit my dryer use by using an electric clothes horse and airing them outside when the weather permits, but I bring my sheets and towels to a nearby industrial dryer!

Our dryer is quite small and useless. You have to empty the water every twenty minutes otherwise the clothes stay damp and it can take an insane time to dry clothes, and sometimes you’ve to split the wash into two to dry so it’s easier to use the industrial dryer.

My housemate (28F) takes her clothes home to mummy & daddy to be washed and dried but blasts the heat (all electric) 25/8 so I don’t know if she’s really eco concerned! No complaints here on the heat as the house does be cold

You know OP, if you are too obsessive with cleaning yourself and your clothes, you get hypersensitive to totally normal smells. It's like when you have a dishwasher you don't taste "dishwasher" flavour on everything in your house, but if you don't have a dishwasher and you visit someone who does, you can really taste that dishwasher flavour! We're animals; we're not supposed to smell like Sea Breeze or Pine Fresh.

I'd rather catch a whiff of normal human being smells and have an environment to live in when I'm 80 though from people not wasting energy running their washers/hot water boilers all the time and also filling the rivers with detergent.

For work I typically wear light Zara or Shein trousers that would be quite synthetic! If I wear jeans; it’s not as noticeable until day two or three. I find sometimes even after a wash that they can still smell so I’ve started putting my clothes on a hot wash and steeping them beforehand rubbing the crotch area with detergent.

My underarms also sweat and stain tops/dresses even with Driclor deodrant! I’d love to get botox to try make my armpit glands less active.

Nothing wrong with my thyroid. My GP said some people just sweat more than others!!!

I feel cursed

I'd research fem fresh more.. it can cause BV and make things worse.
I use panty liners but still have to have clean clothes every day.
My washing machine is on every other day.. there is always towels to wash ( yes l only use them once) . I change my bedding twice a week too. I just like the feeling of being fresh and clean. I couldn't put clothes back on from day before after my morning shower.
Same with nightwear.
Only thing l wear more without washing much is coats.. but winter coats go to the dry cleaners after winter .
Sometimes we ladies think we smell when we don't...and it can be a mind thing.. are you leaking any urine? Do you have ovulation discharge? Have you been checked for BV?
Try using aqueous cream on your lady bits.. it's natural .. no soap or chemicals and a big tub for a £1.
My gynecological specialist told me to use it when l used to get reassuring BV( the fishy smell) and I've been fine ever scince and it doesn't interfere with my natural PH like femfresh does.

I was pregnant last August-October but miscarried, my sense of smell really heightened with pregnancy (if someone is chewing gum near me, it can feel like I’m the one chewing the gum as my nose clears up with the minty scent!) and it hasn’t really gone back to normal since.

Totally right about the dishwasher logic!

Shine some natural yoghurt up there. So said my consultant

I think panty liners would help, changing every few hours if necessary. I completely get what you mean though! I once watched a clip of Sarah millican talking about “long day fanny” and it’s sooo true and sooo funny. Happens to the best of us, some more than others. Look at buying pure cotton undies and trousers that aren’t so tight too.

Tell your housemate to mind her own business. I wouldn't be taking advice from any 28 year old who is still taking her laundry home to her mummy.

I have had BV in the past from antibiotics but nothing like it lately. I think I must be leaking urine throughout the day because of the stale smell, but my underwear is always dry. I have used panty liners to try check but I think it just gets absorbed.

Yes, FemFresh is probably causing more harm than good - so my GP says! I haven’t used it in quite a long time but didn’t notice any difference when using it so I stopped. I’ll try the aqueous cream because I’m just desperate at this stage to try sort it

No vaginal discharge either, the smell is rather constant and not pre period or after sadly.

Stop wearing cheap synthetics

If you leave the offending trousers in your bedroom. Can you smell them when you walk back in the room. How close to them do you have to be to be able to smell them?

now ask yourself if it’s reasonable in public for people to be that close to your crotch area.

Do allow a little bit of extra leeway for your added super nose powers.

As an aside/over share - I’ve been wearing cotton knickers for the last two years as I’ve found I’m sweatier in my pubic region thanks to perimenopause - and was horrified to see my black knickers being bleached by my wonder juice. Apparently this is quite normal according to my GP and it’s just a natural PH level thing. id been bloody mortified and thought I’d developed acidic Fanny juice. Realised as I’ve previously worn polyester etc knickers it wasn’t obvious before.

please don’t use the awful femfresh etc it’s like opening the door for all manner of vagina issues.

I use wild deodorant and more natural deadorants now. I also use it under boob and inner thigh to stop chafing/sweating in random areas.

and massive squishes about your miscarriage @roofusdoofus

Wear only natural fibres - ditch the synthetic trousers. Carry and use moist toilet tissue, or rinse yourself with water after you’ve been to the loo.

Polyester/synthetic trousers definitely won't be helping. Also, are your knickers cotton?

The urine smell could be staying in your pubic hair after going to the loo during the day. If you don't think this is the case and think you are leaking urine I'd go back to the doctors.
Agree with others about cotton knickers and staying away from femfresh, but that's more for vaginal odours, not urine.