Foo - How do you tell somebody they smell?

This is a touchy subject.
Theres a kid on the bus, now a freshmen. He is overweight a good amount, not a hippo but...

Anyways,
He likes to wear his hooded sweatshirts everyday, switching between a few. Obviously this is a security blanket for his size. The kid does shower everyday, but the fact is that he does NOT do laundry. Sweat gets on the hoodie, dries, and we are left with odor. He does not take into account how not doing launcry tickles everybodies olfacere nerves. Today he sat beside me on the bus ride home, it was like perfume.
I think that he could have a more positive social life if he cut down the odor a bit, not to mention it is courteous to others around you. I want to let him know because I don't think anybody else will. Well I also want to do that WITHOUT being offensive. Any ideas of how I can do this?

I'm chicken like that. I have someone else tell them. :o

let me know when you figure it out, my co worker has the worst breathe, i mean the worst! I have to hold my breathe when he speaks to me till i turn blue hoping he is almost done but yet, im very uncomfortable telling him. i bring mints at work and say, 'would you like one?" and hope to god he does.

let me know when you figure it out, my co worker has the worst breathe, i mean the worst! I have to hold my breathe when he speaks to me till i turn blue hoping he is almost done but yet, im very uncomfortable telling him. i bring mints at work and say, 'would you like one?" and hope to god he does.

I have a pretty basic rule, if someone offers me a mint I take it. For all I know there is a reason they are offering. Chances are they are just being polite but why risk it.

The bad breath reminds of the "Turtle" episode... heh, heh...

I don't have any problems telling people about their smell, "Dude, when was the last time you washed that sweatshirt? I think it smells like <insert favorite subject here>!!!".

"I" instead of "you" statements...

Yeah, I hate that....the thing that annoys me the most is "rectum breath"....that smell that reminds you of a mix of stale coffee and unflushed public toilet.

Why is it that some people's breath reeks of this so badly that it's practically a cologone? I mean seriously, formaldehyde is a far more pleasant and socially acceptable fragrance compared to the crappacino breath from hell.

He's a freshman. Just say, "Dude, you smell like ass. Do some laundry or we'll pants your fat ass in gym."

let me know when you figure it out, my co worker has the worst breathe, i mean the worst!
CAN'T be worse than a physics lab partner I had in college. He was a little Japanese guy who barely spoke english, and by his breath, I think he ate fish for every meal since he was born and NEVER brushed his teeth. His breath just smelled like rotting fish flesh.

I put up with it the whole sememster, but decided I had to make a statement on the final lab day. I took in:
Dentyne gum
Velamints
Chewels gum
Certs
Tic-Tacs
Big Red gum
and.... trial size bottle of Scope mouthwash

I proceeded to offer each to him....

Would you like some Dentyne?
No thank you.
Would you like some Certs?
No thank you.
Would you like some tic-tacs?
No thank you.
Etc....... and finally
WOULD YOU LIKE SOME MOUTHWASH?
No thank you.


He never got the hint. Glad that semester was over.

Oh....and for the actual stink thing.....some people have a natural bad body odor that they can't get rid of. Maybe it comes from lack of bathing in childhood, or maybe its genetic, I'm not sure. However, I have a cousin like that....it's horrible.

Yeah, I hate that....the thing that annoys me the most is "rectum breath"....that smell that reminds you of a mix of stale coffee and unflushed public toilet.

Why is it that some people's breath reeks of this so badly that it's practically a cologone? I mean seriously, formaldehyde is a far more pleasant and socially acceptable fragrance compared to the crappacino breath from hell.

At my dentist, they pass out little sample bottles of ACT *with breath freshener*. THese are fairly small bottles, good for only a few uses. They probably pay very little for them. Check ebay for a wholsale pack and offer em away :).

Oh....and for the actual stink thing.....some people have a natural bad body odor that they can't get rid of. Maybe it comes from lack of bathing in childhood, or maybe its genetic, I'm not sure. However, I have a cousin like that....it's horrible.
He was asked when he last washed that damn hoodie, it's been over a month. Now I understand the sweat will be trapped and dry under the folds of the skin due to fat, but a MONTH?!!!!!!

I'm fairly direct and honest with people. When you're just one on one with him, try telling him exactly what you told us. "Listen, I'm not trying to be mean, I want you to know that I think you're a decent guy, but your clothes have a smell to them that myself and some other people find it hard to deal with."

Maybe also add: "Is your washer broke?" or "Did your mom spend all the laundry money on crack cocaine and cigarettes this month? If so, here's five bucks...go wash those smelly ass clothes dude!"

Only kidding. :-)

Actually, I think it might work to make the fetid sweater the center of a public and collective joke. Don't make fun of the guy, but rather his sweater. Take bets and have a pool of all the bus riders as to when the sweater gets washed or whether the EPA declares it toxic to human health and life and hermetically seals it and buries it in the Nevadan desert. Throw in the occasional good-natured "dude, that's so rank!" and a laugh. Hopefully he gets the message then....

Oops -- I could have been that kid in 9th grade :o

Not laundry-related, but I refused to admit that I produced any body odour. It took my sister a lot of "you really should start wearing deodorant" comments to get me to realise how bad I could actually smell. That and I didn't feel the neeed to wash my hair more than occasionally. The oil in my hair made it easier to comb! It also had a unique fragrance about it.

Fortunately/unfortunately, no one in the computer lab seemed to care, and that's where I spent most of my time :D

Give the kid time, and a couple of non-mean-spirited comments -- or steal his sweatshirt, take it to a laundromat and clean it yourself!

Febreze. Spray on, freshness lovers, spray on.

I'd tell him politely that he smells. You could be extra nice about it, tell him as a friend that nothing against him, but he needs to work on his hygene. If it would make it easier, you could even be creative and do something like say that other people told you they were offended by his body odor but they were afraid to tell him, and that you don't care personaly but other people do. Regardless of how you do it, if your polite and sociable about it, it shouldn't be a big deal.

How about don't say anything, and stop riding the bus? Ride your bike...walk...get a ride with a friend. Just say no to the cheese wagon.

Just grab a bottle of Febreez, spritz his hoodie, then give him the bottle, maybe with a little bow tied to it.

He's a freshman, tie him to the bumper!

I guess ya gotta just tell him.

When I get around stinky people, I just start breathing through my mouth.

Walk onto the bus with a clothes pin on your nose.

Walk onto the bus with a clothes pin on your nose.

Nah, then they'll just send you to the short bus.

Straight up tell him he smells. No beatin around the bush.

Nah, then they'll just send you to the short bus.


I thought they already WERE on the short yellow bus! :eek:

PC2 on the short bus?!

Straight up tell him he smells. No beatin around the bush.

+1 .. i suppose someones got to do it..

PC2 on the short bus?!


oh. Forgot whose thread this was. Thought it was Russians. Sorry, Phantom! :o :D

+1 .. i suppose someones got to do it..


Melstar said she'd do it for ya!!

oh. Forgot whose thread this was. Thought it was Russians. Sorry, Phantom! :o :D

Maybe russiankdi IS the smelly kid! :p just kidding of course! :rolleyes:

patchouli?

just kiddin'; i have a hard time confronting people about the same subject. and nose pickers and crotch scratchers and butt pickers ...

Melstar said she'd do it for ya!!

Oh 'foo'sure Siu...

I do a lot of swing dancing and always keep some strong gum on me (Dentyne Ice Artic Chill). If someone's breathe is rank I'll take one and offer. Sometimes I get the sarcastic - "Do I need one?" and I'll tell them straight up "Yes." If they don't take one I'd usually say something like "You should really take one." Not in an embarrassing way but matter of factly. I'll keep peppermint oil on hand for those after garlic meals (which I don't do anymore since I started dancing!). Amazing what one drop will do!

Guys need blunt info. I'd pull hoodie off to the side and tell him that something stinks and he should do something about it before he really gets picked on.

I'm fairly direct and honest with people. When you're just one on one with him, try telling him exactly what you told us. "Listen, I'm not trying to be mean, I want you to know that I think you're a decent guy, but your clothes have a smell to them that myself and some other people find it hard to deal with."

This is an excellent approach, especially one guy to another. Not obnoxious but to the point. Now, I had to put it to one of my employees (female like me) a bit differently, but as direct as it's possible to be when one woman to another.

" Well, this is embarassing for me, and I know it is for you, too, but, well, more than one clinican on staff have mentioned to me that there's an issue with your hygeine, and I thought you should know because, well, I'd want to know if it were me."

Yes, this works when it's two women. The almost-stuttering is part of the effect. If it was my male employee, I'd have been more direct like cycle17.

I'm fairly direct and honest with people. When you're just one on one with him, try telling him exactly what you told us. "Listen, I'm not trying to be mean, I want you to know that I think you're a decent guy, but your clothes have a smell to them that myself and some other people find it hard to deal with."

This is an excellent approach, especially one guy to another. Not obnoxious but to the point. Now, I had to put it to one of my employees (female like me) a bit differently, but as direct as it's possible to be when one woman to another.

" Well, this is embarassing for me, and I know it is for you, too, but, well, more than one clinican on staff have mentioned to me that there's an issue with your hygeine, and I thought you should know because, well, I'd want to know if it were me."

Yes, this works when it's two women. The almost-stuttering is part of the effect. If it was my male employee, I'd have been more direct like cycle17.

I would say this: Not to be mean or anything but the hoodies you wear kind of have a odor, and i know you shower and your clean but before you come to school make sure your hoodies are washed/clean or lack odor.

Set the shirt on fire, problem solved.

This is a touchy subject.
Theres a kid on the bus, now a freshmen. He is overweight a good amount, not a hippo but...

Anyways,
He likes to wear his hooded sweatshirts everyday, switching between a few. Obviously this is a security blanket for his size. The kid does shower everyday, but the fact is that he does NOT do laundry. Sweat gets on the hoodie, dries, and we are left with odor. He does not take into account how not doing launcry tickles everybodies olfacere nerves. Today he sat beside me on the bus ride home, it was like perfume.
I think that he could have a more positive social life if he cut down the odor a bit, not to mention it is courteous to others around you. I want to let him know because I don't think anybody else will. Well I also want to do that WITHOUT being offensive. Any ideas of how I can do this?

I was just rereading this post and it seems you have a fat phobia. The problem you claim is that the kid never washes the sweater. What does his being overweight have ANYTHING to do with the issue? It's obvious you have some "problems" with overweight people. Why is that?

Crazy, most people here are suggesting a passive aggressive approach. That is very unhealthy interpersonal behavior. Go for a direct yet polite approach. Offer to help him out if for some reason he's unable to do it. Who knows, you might make a neat friend.

Walk over to them, pause, fart, and comment on how the air suddenly smells so much fresher.:D

Walk over to them, pause, fart, and comment on how the air suddenly smells so much fresher.:D
+1 :roflmao:

Guys need blunt info. I'd pull hoodie off to the side and tell him that something stinks and he should do something about it before he really gets picked on.

And by all means, stay upwind while telling him. :D

+1 :roflmao:

Very nice:), but i think the guy would be pissed off from that rude behavior.

what is it with some guys? I know women can stink, but guys have this thing about not washing clothes, like sweaters and jackets. No matter how clean you are, your clothes will make you stink. I sat next to this greasy guy on a train once, a student obviously, wearing this dirty jacket. A male friend of mine calls that 'single guy smell', that rank smell of unwashed sweaters, jackets, etc. There is just no excuse... we all have access to clean water, soap, etc. I also once worked at an office that I shared with a guy who was a porn addict/coke head who wore the same torn jeans and hoodie EVERY DAY. He reeked... sometimes i wish I didn't have such a sensitive sense of smell.

I worked with a guy that had really bad body odour, we suspected it was because he did not like to wash that often because the smell would get worse and worse as time went on. Finally another co-worker told him that he stank. Of course this just made him defensive and did nothing to change the situation. Someone then put a bar of soap and shampoo in his locker with a note that said, take a shower. This worked wonders, we never had to put up with his stink again, and it was not because he quit, because of embarrassment.

I think you people should step back and take a look at how you feel about this subject....even try some enlightened reading...http://hometown.aol.com/bodyodorrights/

When I get around stinky people, I just start breathing through my mouth.

Then the stink molecules get on your tounge. Smell is actually transmitted by small particles comming off of whatever is stiniking. Like a fart. It almost gags me for someone to do that. If I smell it, that means some of that poop in them has now landed in my nose, small yes, but still poop in my nose.

I think you people should step back and take a look at how you feel about this subject....even try some enlightened reading...http://hometown.aol.com/bodyodorrights/
I smell a parody site there. :)

Then the stink molecules get on your tounge. Smell is actually transmitted by small particles comming off of whatever is stiniking. Like a fart. It almost gags me for someone to do that. If I smell it, that means some of that poop in them has now landed in my nose, small yes, but still poop in my nose.No, you don't have sh|t on your tongue or in your nose! Smells are chemicals that are sent out by stuff like esters which is emitted by fruits. The smell of an orange isn't the same stuff as the orange itself.

There's a trick used in nonprofits where a lot of serivces are provided to the often unwashed homeless. We always have a jar of Vicks VaporRub at the front desk. Just dab a little around your nostrils and you barely notice the reek.

There's a trick used in nonprofits where a lot of serivces are provided to the often unwashed homeless. We always have a jar of Vicks VaporRub at the front desk. Just dab a little around your nostrils and you barely notice the reek.
Perhaps you could provide them with a place to shower and clean up while their clothes are being washed. They could agree to do this in order to receive services. They smell better, their clothes are clean, and those genuinely interested in rising above their conditon will have a better chance of doing so.