What makes a smelly person

[pootlingalong5]

Bit of a random one. I’ve been out all day with dd at a NT place, in the woods, paddling in water etc. Didn’t bother showering before we went as I knew I’d be getting dirty and sweaty. Got home and knew I smelt a bit, probably not so someone walking past would notice me but I could tell I wasn’t fresh, as many of us probably are not in this weather.

I’ve had a bath and feel much better now but it made me wonder about people who really do smell. I encounter them a lot in shops and on buses and have been unfortunate enough to work with a few. That’s like a constant smell that you can detect a mile off and that lingers even when they leave the room. Would it be caused by them simply not washing for days on end? Or maybe I was one of them today and just didn’t realise.

Poor hygiene
medical reasons
hormones

If you don’t wash, it easy to escalate to not changing clothes every day, not changing bedding weekly, not washing hair, not airing your home, and things like shoes that you don’t wash anyway get smelly, things like coats, hats etc don’t get washed, then they do get washed maybe but by then it needs a boil wash but doesn’t get one, everywhere you sit gets smelly eg sofa, dining chair, it all just cascades.

I work with a gentleman who is heavily overweight, I believe that contributes to his body odour. Especially given our job is very manual labour intensive. People sweat, some more than others whether that’s due to genetics, medication, medical conditions or personal hygiene practices.

Another man at work is Middle Eastern and often smells strongly of Middle Eastern foods, not a bad odour exactly, just strong and can be a bit offensive on the senses. I believe he’s just constantly sweating out spices.

Unless it become a major issue affecting others or you’re concerned regarding the persons wellbeing, I don’t think it should be mentioned.
Many who have strong BO are already aware of it and are trying different approaches to reduce it. I wouldn’t want to make someone feel awful by bringing it up unless absolutely necessary

A combination of diet and denial. People who are insistent that they don't smell are in some kind of fantasy land or genuinely don't care how they affect others.

Well even though I’m a Brit, I seem to carry the ABCC 11 gene. I’ve never produced smelly underarm sweat and I have very dry ear wax. I honestly could not shower for two weeks and my under arms would not smell ! Other part of my body would though! I did used to wonder about it and then I read an article in a newspaper about the gene about 20 years ago…. it was also on the television show Embarrassing Bodies.

As well as things previously mentioned, I find that unclean towels are a culprit. I get a real ick about towels. Sometimes my DH is really lazy with towel hygiene and I can smell a dirty towel on him even straight after he’s showered. It’s grim 🤢

And a friend to run alongside throwing the bucket continuously

Poverty, ill health, fragile housing situation, sensory issues, lack of access to washing facilities, inability to buy laundry supplies, allergies to toiletries and ingredients, hard physical work, mental health issues and motivation. Energy costs..no money on fuel top up cards. Hoarding and no access. Broken shower...only cold water. Assaults if you get undressed ..and more

I've worked with people experiencing all of these.

The privilege of enjoying a nice shower, bath, clean clothes ..nice toiletries...is a big privilege for some.

I can smell I washed hair a mile off.

Spraying deodorant on top means you’ll smell of sweat and deodorant. Nothing worse than OTT deodorant in the gym.

I put sweaty smelling clothes in the washing machine, chuck in a cup of vinegar, let it run for a few minutes on a cold cycle until the clothes are well soaked and leave overnight then wash as normal. Or soak them in a bucket in vinegar solution then wash with biological detergent.

When people properly smell it's usually because they have very bad hygeine, not just "skipped a shower this morning". It's usually mental health or learning disabilities related or poor housing situation.

People don't wash their clothes for weeks, they don't wash their hair for weeks. They never brush their teeth, their homes are pretty unclean, perhaps hoarding situations. Lots of pets, smoking. Essentially unable to care for themselves for whatever reason. I think you have to live a pretty sheltered life to think that people smell because they skipped one hair wash, or use a towel a day too long.

What PP said.
Also inexperience. As a student my DBro didn't use any laundry detergent, he didn't see the need.
He stank and eventually saw sense.

Absolute bs have you ever done this. A washcloth that's been hanging around wet and soapy in your rucksack all day? You'll stink of wet dog

Walking around the woods slightly sweaty is not a major hygeine issue. It does not require intense prepping and the carrying around of damp flannels all day

The smells come from three main areas I found firstly it is the armpits. Classic BO smell. Then the private parts some people don’t clean themselves after going to the toilet. Thirdly it is the breath , garlic cavity breath being the worst kind.

i worked with someone who was smelly. A combination of strong bad breath and body odour.

in this particular case I put it down to mental health - and potentially a dental issue.

She Wasn’t wearing fresh clothes so I do think the BO smell was largely in her clothes.

its a very sensitive issue - and one that needs to be handled delicately

I'm sure you didn't. I think there is a huge variation in how much people sweat and how often they wash. If I go to a gym class inside early morning I don't shower but I do a ten second wash of my armpits and add some deodorant. Not everyone does and some other people should. Sports clothes are awful for getting BO of their own. Soaking in bicarbonate of soda is like magic.

I think how long you go from sweat inducing activities is key. I can go for a run, have a coffee, get some shopping on the way home but if I hadn't showered 3 hours later, that wouldn't be good. Also if you are in the sea/river it might be worth taking a deodorant to apply when you exit as yours won't be doing the job. Clean clothes can help. DH puts a clean t shirt on after running if he's having coffee/doing other things afterwards and he always smells fine.

Alcohol, in my experience. My husband does like to wind down some evenings with strong cider and I can't stand the smell that comes out of his pores the day after. He can have showered that morning but its there within hours- I hate it.

Potent ponger 🤣🤣 love that!

My BO doesn’t smell unless I’m on my period, it’s still not that bad.

My old boss who was an awful human being clearly onlt washed on a Sunday. As the week went on it got worse and worse. He had health conditions which added to it and a limited wardrobe because of his size. I don’t think he would have cared if anyone told him, he would have used it against them as bullying. Sometimes people put a half days holiday in to get away from the smell.

I have been in Tesco where one the young male shop workers BO was so bad my eyeballs was about to bleed. There is zero chance he had used any deodorant. Extremely unpleasant. I had my hand over my mouth so I can't belive he has never noticed people recoiling or gagging.

My young dd sometimes smells of wee. I have told her it's my duty to point it out. She just gets offended. My sons took BO conversations on board. Others seems to think it's my problem pointing it out. If I can't tell her what chance does a non relative have? On that basis, some smelly don't realise or care

Obviously there's health reasons, but the vast majority of people who stink are those who know full well they haven't showered or used deodorant but are convinced that nobody else can smell them.

We can.

IMHO bathing doesn't get you as fresh as showering does 🤷🏻‍♀️

I've told 2 people they smell. Both was a simple lack of personal hygiene.

First was my mother; teenage me was very blunt, she burst into tears but then started bathing daily & using deodorant.
Second was my first husband. When I suggested he used a deodorant , he said that only "probably not allowed on MN, but certain men) used them.
He capitulated when I shut up shop.

It’s their clothes rather than their bodies. Smelly people tend to wear the same clothes many times and think washing it in between wears is enough. It isn’t. It needs replacing.

Being blunt....the pre soaked washclothes are rank. I'd personally bring along a portable shower (very easy to keep in back of the car) and give myself a hose down before and after activity. Then set fire to the sweaty clothes, don't want the sweat fumes penetrating the fabric of my car upholstery. Heaven forbid!