Should a smelly person be told about the smell?

Depends on my relationship with them – even when trying to be sensitive people can misread my actions, because I’m always blunt and don’t suffer from adding a million of pretencious things to say first…so I’d try to get a read on the person and I would probably let them know..

Depends on how well you know the person. Also, you could mention it to others or possibly someone that does know him/her well and maybe they could take care of it.

Also, how do some of these people not know that they smell? Are they just so use to it that they don’t notice?

@erichw1504 delegate :)

For the most part you can’t tell someone you just met. A good friend you should be able to say, hey, you got a little funk goin on there.

When you’ve just met someone, NO. But, if this is a co-worker, friend, etc…then it’s a big YES!

Maybe they just can’t smell themself, maybe they have a health issue, or (like me) maybe they’re a garlic eater ;)

He/She should either be told by a supervisor, or friend about the issue. If you feel more comfy being passive, leave a note with some soap/deodorant, or mouth wash/mints on their desk or at their stoop.

I would only tell someone I know. No need to risk getting punched in the face by some smelly stranger.

Depends on the person in question and your relation with him/her, and if you are sure he won’t get offended, insulted, hurt etc. Of course, you could try another method, asking him if he smells something stinky, something like that.

I have told several people their breath stinks, and one person that her feet stink and to please quit airing them out by removing her shoes.

What about if the smell is from too much perfume?

@gussnarp Yep, I think you should definitely yet politely tell the person. Even if it has to be done in a not so true way such as: So & so has bad allergies and can’t be around strong smells. I get migraines, and strong scents are triggers for me

I did that, I had to work in a confined space with a guy who wore too much cologne, so I told him I was allergic.

Put it this way: f I had an offensive odor in public, that would mean I couldn’t detect it. I would be grateful to be told, so I could go fix it. Like being told that your zipper is down, or you have cream cheese on you cheek. Please tell me, I don’t want to walk around all day stinking.

@pdworkin That makes sense, but you never know if the person you are telling will have that attitude or be offended, thus my requirement that you have to know them pretty well. It’s easy to lash out or get offended when you are embarrassed, and what’s more embarrassing than being told you stink?

I guess I would assume they are like me, and I would let them know in a quiet, kind, supportive way.

@pdworkin Thanks for letting me know ‘bout the spinach in my teeth. I hate having a green smile!

Always. Start off by offering a mint.

@ChazMaz very good idea
=P

This dude I know had to share a tent with someone who was a bit too casual about hygine, so in the end, because he wasn’t getting the hint, he locked him out with enough money for the shower and refused to let him in until he obliged…

Always have a spare butt plug on hand to give to the poor soul with terminal flatulence.

There’s a handy line from Silence of the Lambs that one can use when tact is in order: “I can smell your cunt.”

If they reek of cigarettes, I often mention it as a health care provider. I once had a young teenager, and I didn’t know if I should lecture him or the mom (it turned out to be her… he has chronic ear infections? Let him breathe some fresh air once in a while!!!)

If someone’s perfume aggravates my allergies, I might mention it.

I spent the day with a male friend of mine recently, and had to say, “You could have at least showered” because although he didn’t stink, I could tell that he hadn’t bathed since the day before.

But I don’t know how I would address it with someone I didn’t know as well…

I don’t know what I would do, I am still busy trying to imagine @pdworkin letting someone know that they stink “in a quiet, kind, supportive way.”

Just doesn’t seem to be your usual curmudgeon style, not that there’s anything wrong with that!

yeah, I’d probably say “get away from me, you stink.” But maybe I would smile

@ fathippo I shared a tent with someone who threw my socks out of the tent.

Sometimes, I wish I had the courage to do it.

@gussnarp: You just reminded me of the time I crashed in a friends dorm room and I made him go wash his feet!

It’s a difficult decision when that person is also “Most Likely to Flip Out and Return Fully Armed.” Based on one of Dane Cook’s bits, we all tried to be the guy that gave him a candy bar every day. This ruled out any of us telling him we couldn’t stand to be in the same room with him. It was a scene shop, too, so it was a huge space and the smells of lumber, glue, paint, adhesives, Styrofoam, burning plastic…all those smells were not enough to mask his funk. It was a touchy situation.

@gussnarp tents seem to be a recurring problem with this subject i think… =)