To think many people in England don’t shower, apply deodorant, wash and dry their clothes properly

[Smellypeople]

Telling by the smell on public transport; also my kids tell me is the same in their schools and classrooms and teachers don’t open windows.

Have people lost the sense of smell?

I come from a developing country in the tropics and most people shower every day.

Historically, people changed their linen rather than washing themselves. Ruth Goodman has written extensively on the fact that people didn't smell as badly in the past (when nobody showered) as we think they did.

I'm Irish and some people are smelly here - unwashed hair smell as they walk past, morning death breath, stale bed smell, deep fried food smells on clothes, BO etc., but most people are clean. You might smell shower gel, perfume or aftershave or detergent and fabric conditioner. The really smelly tend to be homeless, addicts or have health problems.

I shower and change my clothes daily and wouldn't dream of wearing pjs for a week. As a child I was washed every day, even if it was standing in a basin in the bath. I've no problem with those who prefer to wash at the sink but it's too much hassle for me faffing about changing the water for different areas and then cleaning the sink and mopping up splashes, it's much easier to have a shower.

Many dermatologists recommended showering 2-3 times a week and washing feet, pits and genitals daily, especially if you have dry skin, eczema etc., the problem with some who don't shower daily is that they don't wash at all.

I don't meet English people on a daily basis but I've yet to encounter a smelly one. I think it's because our culture and diet is so alike, apparently we all smell like sour milk to some Eastern cultures who don't eat dairy. Cultures that eat very spicy food daily have a definite aroma but I don't find it offensive.

Many people don't wash their coats and they smell awful. This weather is the perfect opportunity to wash them and hang them outside.

I hate people drying clothes by draping them over radiators. They don't realise they are creating more condensation and mould. If you want to do this - make sure windows vents are open or on a crack. As my new neighbour said he had to treat most of the rooms and replace a couple of the radiators as previous neighbour dried clothes on radiators keeping windows closed.

I forgot coats! I hate seeing a coat collar covered in make-up, and I say that as someone who wears make-up every day. They pick up smells too and get dirty from seats, food etc.

Was it that Tudor book? That was fascinating. She measured her changing her linen against not showering. The whole book was so interesting.

I wash neither of these in a basin. Over one, but not in it. Clean running water. (I shower daily incidentally).

London has a large migrant population and a lot of population growth is in communities hailing from parts of the world where wearing deodorant or anti perspirants is not commonplace, India for one.

Sweat and body odour is also really influenced by:

• the foods you eat
• the clothing you wear (cheap man made fabrics are awful)
• The cosmetics & soaps you use

I don't think the UK is especially bad but public transport in summer is often over warm which doesn't help

But I do think washing your arse and genitalia at least once a day if possible is non negotiable. Just unpleasant for others if you don’t do that.

Do you expect people to go around sniffing your arse on the bus?

I think there are always people with OCD on these threads.
Most people in Britain wash themselves and their clothes regularly. If it is a very hot day, then some people will smell a bit sweaty by the end of the day whatever deodorant they wear.

😂

Since you mention underground, presumably you live in London. A city where about one third of the population is born outside Britain, and many more are of non-British origin.

So maybe all these folks assailing your sensitive nose with their odour aren't actually British, sorry, English? Would it be OK to make generalisations about how they smell, or is that only OK for 'the English'?

You don’t need for people to be sniffing your arse to notice that things smell bad. I’m sorry to lower the tone but people who don’t wash within reasonable proximity to having a shit will smell of shit.

They'd have to have neglected to wipe and change their underwear for some time before strangers start getting a whiff.

The idea that you're going to 'smell' if you don't shower daily is nonsense. If you change your clothes regularly and use deoderant, you could get away without showering for some time before folks on the bus start getting offended.

@IcedPurple

The idea that you're going to 'smell' if you don't shower daily is nonsense. If you change your clothes regularly and use deoderant, you could get away without showering for some time before folks on the bus start getting offended.

Have to agree to disagree on this. I think 24 hours after a shit without washing your arse people will start to notice.

Anyway why would you risk it?

Two points. One. Wow your fucking racist...what if I said as a white man all black people smell?

Two. For some reason we are being brainwashed into not washing clothes properly. "Works even at 20 degrees" no did doesn't . The detergent companies are selling products with stronger and stronger scent and even extra products to try to cover the fact that the clothes are not washed. What you are experiencing is what happened when the scent fades

Washing machines also use less water these days and that doesn't help either. Good for the bills , but not for the clothes especially on shorter cycles.

Please tell me the people on here saying they flannel wash are being facetious. Do you go to work like that? 🤢

Buses where I live have the bloody heating on all year round. Bus drivers say they can’t turn it off or lower it. Bullshit.

• A well presented French couple in their early sixties couple on a morning train from Paris to Montpelier who stank of stale booze and tobacco. It was like being face down in a pub carpet for four hours.

I’ve travelled quite a bit by train in France - Paris/Rouen/Bayeux/Le Havre and back and did notice people were pretty smelly.

Well, it was very hot and sunny in my part of England and I was somewhere very busy indeed. Nobody smelled at all, that I could tell!