How do you say it?

smithy87 · Post by **smithy87** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:12 am

I need some advice.............in my office there is a bloke who has a hygiene problem. He smells of stale body odour.

I want to be tactful and sensitive, because he obviously doesn't know he smells, but everyone else does. I'd be mortified if I smelt and no-one told me. I think he trains with football at night and maybe doesn't shower. I've heard the other lads rib him about it, but he obviously doesn't take them serious.

What's my opening line gonna be.....................?

pink princess · Post by **pink princess** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:22 am

ooh i remember this happened at school and me and friends told the girl, we felt so bad!! she said she knew but apparently her mum wouldnt let her buy body sprays etc we were like 12/13 for whatsits sake!!!

anyway, i dunno i think you just have to kinda say it, as nicely as possible, just sorta say

'look i really dont want to upset you or offend you but.........'

its hard to know what you should say really tho coz you know what the guys like and how hell take it etc

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 7:46 am

Try "Any chance of you cleaning up you smelly soap dodger"

smithy87 · Post by **smithy87** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:27 am

Bothwell wrote: Try "Any chance of you cleaning up you smelly soap dodger"

LOL :yh_laugh

greydeadhead · Post by **greydeadhead** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:30 am

well.. just tell him.. he smells.. he doesn't know it because he can't smell himself..unless he is really bad.. take him aside and ask him if he has a body odor problem... overactive sweat glans or something and suggest he use some deoderant or soap...or showere in the morning before work....

pink princess · Post by **pink princess** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 8:35 am

or suggest botox

apparently you can injet it in the sweat glands and it stops them being active..... or sooo active

dont fancy it myself tho!

you just kinda have to be blunt though, theres no nice way to do it, i have to say it wasnt nearly as bad when we actually told her, we imagined it far worse

busybee · Post by **busybee** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:53 pm

It would be an act of kindness to just tell - he may not see it that way - everyone else will.

There's just no need for it - doesn't cost much to keep clean!

Busybee :-6

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:39 am

smithy87 wrote: I need some advice.............in my office there is a bloke who has a hygiene problem. He smells of stale body odour.

I want to be tactful and sensitive, because he obviously doesn't know he smells, but everyone else does. I'd be mortified if I smelt and no-one told me. I think he trains with football at night and maybe doesn't shower. I've heard the other lads rib him about it, but he obviously doesn't take them serious.

If the other lads rib him about it then he obviously knows their's a problem, why not have a word with one of those & get him to do it!

Failing that, put a peg on yer nose whenever he comes near you, he'll soon get the message.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:49 am

Bothwell wrote: Try "Any chance of you cleaning up you smelly soap dodger"cuff him up and throw his arse in the shower. tactfully of course.

smithy87 · Post by **smithy87** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 2:29 am

lady cop wrote: cuff him up and throw his arse in the shower. tactfully of course.

He might enjoy that a bit too much

pink princess · Post by **pink princess** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:29 am

have you said anything?

smithy87 · Post by **smithy87** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:46 am

He isn't in until tomorrow.

I'll pluck the courage and tell him tomorrow. I feel guilty leaving it because I hate people being laughed at, so the sooner the better....... :yh_whistl

lime-sterman · Post by **lime-sterman** » Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:11 pm

We had a guy at work who's feet stank something rotten!...........even though we all told him his feet stank he just shrugged and said he's had that problem for a good while, he tried various deodorants and spray's on his feet before coming to work but the smell still dominated his vicinity!.......it was not until he stopped smoking that his feet stopped smelling! I only asked him about it because the smell was not part of his atmosphere all of a sudden, ''something for you Dr Who fan's there'' well it was either that or he stopped wearing the same sock's for a month at a time :wah: the smoking must have give his feet bad circulation or something!

smithy87 · Post by **smithy87** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 6:44 am

I'VE DONE IT GUYS!!!

He came in this morning smelling particularly stale. Anyway, chance had it he came into the canteen whilst I was doing a brew. We started chatting and he was telling me about his football training last night. So I said......."I'm not being funny and I hope you don't think I'm being rude, but you still smell kinda sweaty from last night" Then immediately I felt awful. He just said "Oh thanks very much"

But I explained that a couple of people were laughing at him and I don't like anyone being laughed at behind their backs. I told him he should bring deodrant to work and keep it in his draw, because it gets really warm in the office and us girls freshen up at lunch, he might want to try doing that. He agreed and said he would.

Do you think he got the message ?! Did I say enough to convince him I wasn't joking?

pink princess · Post by **pink princess** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 6:48 am

congrats you, that cant have been easy

i think he should have got the message, sounds like you said it just right to me....

babygirl · Post by **babygirl** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:30 pm

just been reading thread and good on ya!!!!

if i was in your situation i would of got him a prezzie (early/late bday/christmas prezzie) containing deodrants bath soap etc.

smithy87 · Post by **smithy87** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:50 am

Tinseltoes wrote: Smithy for what it's worth, I think you handled that beautifully. That was very kind of you.

Thanks, as awful as I felt I know I've done the right thing and hopefully he thinks so too!!

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:17 pm

smithy87 wrote: I need some advice.............in my office there is a bloke who has a hygiene problem. He smells of stale body odour.

I want to be tactful and sensitive, because he obviously doesn't know he smells, but everyone else does. I'd be mortified if I smelt and no-one told me. I think he trains with football at night and maybe doesn't shower. I've heard the other lads rib him about it, but he obviously doesn't take them serious.

What's my opening line gonna be.....................?

First, gag a couple of times and then say---"what in the holy hell is that smell"? Do you smell it? Ugh!!!