What is a delicate way to tell someone they have body odor?

Question

I'm talking about someone you know and have to be in close proximity with on a frequent basis. The odor is overwhelming to the point of being nauseating. Is there a good way to do this with minimal embarrassment?

Answer 1

If you are at work, discreetly notify your boss and have the boss do it. In that situation, it's not your place. If this is a friend or something, just talk to them: "I'm not sure if you're aware, but you have body odor and I often find it difficult to be around you."

Answer 2

Pick a moment when there is just the two of you together then tell the person you hope he/she will not be offended but you have to share something with him/her. If they say go ahead then tell him/her that he/she may not be aware of it but he/she has body odor. Immediately suggest what can be done about it. In my case I already give the person a deodorant if that is the cause of the offensive body odor and tell him/her when to use it. If need be, you can tell your friend that it is better you are frank with him/her rather than have others talk about the body odor behind his/her back.

Answer 3

If this is a workplace situation, the only way to be sure to prevent it backfiring on you is to make HR do it - that's their realm of expertise. If it's on a personal level, that's really tricky! I would probably take the chicken route, and buy them some nice bath/body products, and rave about how I love them, and then pray to God that they start using them.

I wonder if there is a reason for this - have they been sick? Are they 'slow'? Is it just because they get 'ripe' quicker than others do? Or are they truly slovenly? Figuring out why they smell this way may help you figure out how to handle it. Good luck!!

Answer 4

To prevent being confrontational I would converse with the person and use someone else as an example like "I used to work with someone that had extreme BO and it was very difficult to have to work with that person...cause I have a very sensitive nose" and wait for a reaction then later I would maybe say something like "hey what is that disgusting smell? I smell crap!" and look in the garbage can to not put the focus on that person...that person may decide to bathe the next day good luck
from one sensitive nose to another!

Answer 5

Ouch yeah maybe a private anonymous note but in a work situation it is the supervisors job to deal with these issues. I would try to deal with it first before involving a third party. Good luck and breathe through the mouth.

I have a bad breath guy at work that is not responding to tips. I think it is time for the aside, "Dude, YOU STINK!" but as guys we can do this.

Answer 6

there used to be this website called "justatip.com" where you could send anonymous "tips" (compliments, and best of all, insults) but i don't think it's around anymore. how sad. more than anything, fun to send as a joke to friends. my favorite one was "bad crotch hygiene."

anyway, to answer your question.. just breathe through your mouth!! i have a super sensitive sense of smell so i about barf all the time just getting a whiff of peoples' natural odors. but i would never tell someone they had an offensive odor. maybe i'm not confrontational enough but honestly, that just goes over the line of what human interaction is meant to be. however, if it's to a point where it's making you sick, have someone else (your boss) confront it. that's their job, not yours. :)

Answer 7

Other answrs are wrong:

If you send them a note, it will make them either worry that their being spied on, or think its a prank!

Tell them a story (make 1 up) about most people that have odors wanting to be told about it thru a close friend.
Then ask if they would wan to be told.

if they say yes, tell them politely, & tell them other's have also noticed.

Don' do it at work , in case they get mad/sic the boss, or do a grievence report, etc.

Put your arm around them, treat them like you care!

Answer 8

The nicest way is to just say it .... or let your supervisor do it if it's on the job and might create an HR problem.

Tell him (or her) not to be emarrased because it's natural - but it's distracting to you.

Beating around the bush will make everyone uncomfortable.
As an employer, I've had to do this quite a few times.

Answer 9

Send them a note where no one else will see it.
It's much much easier to find out somethng embarrassing when it's in writing. Then you don't have to face a real person while they're telling you.

Answer 10

Nope, not really. If you are close with this person, you should be able to talk about it with them. If not, you just have to deal with it unless you don't think it's weird to sneak up behind them and spray on some deodorent. Reguardless, they will probably be embarrased if you draw attention to it.