My son's friend

[blondie46]

This is not what you thought it was going to be, lol, but maybe I got your attention.

Problem is..son #3 who is 18 has a friend who often stays all night, especially during holidays. They both sometimes sleep in front of the tv in the family room. He is a great guy...not into drugs, smoking or drinking, not loud or overbearing, doesn't raid the refrigerator too much, very polite and well brought up....EXCEPT, man the guy realllllly stinks. The whole downstairs is like permeated with a bad smell lately. And it's not the type of smell you get used to. They go out and play soccer and my son then showers, changes, and Mr. X just relaxes on the sofa, which is increasingly absorbing said aroma. And trouble is, he seems to be somewhat aware, cause I've caught him sniffing his pits out of the corner of my eye. Even boy #3 is bugged by it, but they really do get along otherwise. Should I say something? Really. Y'all may have some objective ideas or experience with how to approach this delicate problem, and you seem like a sensitive (hehe) and wise group. Did anyone else have a similar experience, and how did you handle it?

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

I had a friend in highschool who was that way. She also didn't believe in deodorant...or soap for that matter. There were times when we'd lose our appetites. It got to the point where my folks didn't want her coming over. So, I'd be sure we did something physical and then ask if she wanted to shower first or let me. I'd keep trying samples of new perfumed soaps to give her a reason to use it. (She loved perfumes.) She'd also keep a change of clothes at our house so she wasn't putting the stinky ones back on.

Approaching it that way took the potential negative attention off of her and let her feel even more at home in our house. She still never did anything at home. But, at least she wasn't stinking up our house as much.

Good luck!

Ann

 

[qjakal]

Umm...somehow I can't see the ol' perfumed soaps working their magic here Ms. Ann...lol.

What you need to resolve this issue is one Grade A fairly attractive female around their age. Have said female enter the room, attract the attention of the target (estimated time lapse .01 seconds), sniff in a disgusted manner and look directly at the target before shaking her head and going over to chat with one of the showered youths....end of problem.

Hormones are powerful medicine...enlist them on your side.

Q

 

[AquaFeline]

Maybe in the morning you could say you need to talk to your son in private so could he take his shower first 😉 Chicks being in the house might not solve the problem, some guys are clueless or stubborn

 

[blondie46]

I will try these ideas. Thanks so much. : For now I will open the windows, but it's sultry hot here in the swamp. This is worse than swamp fumes tho. I know the perfect girl, and the clothes thing is easy. Maybe he could have his own little toiletry set here too. His mother is so nice. I would want her to take action too, if the situations were reversed. The boy is also a chef's assistant, so add that to the mix.

 

[thetickleking]

Of course, there's always the clothes-pin-on-the-nose trick. Walk in the room with a clothespin on your nose, then act like you don't know what he's talking about, if he notices (I am JUST KIDDING, of course). I had a friend that I worked with, when I was painter. We would hang out a lot, outside of work. But, he seemed to think that he didn't need to shower but a couple of times a week (working like we did, a couple of showers a day wasn't too much). He'd be over at the house (I was still living with my parents at that time), stinking up whatever room he was in, and Mama would walk in and say, "Somebody needs to take a shower." He would always laugh, and say, "It's probably me." What I'm getting at is, if the young man seems to notice that he stinks, offer to let him use your shower. You can always clean it, afterwards. A good way to approach it is when they come in together, say something like, "Okay, ya'll have been out getting dirty. I just cleaned the furniture, and nobody's touching it until they've had a shower. That includes you, (insert the name of the person )." When the order is directed to both of them, it is less likely that he will take offense." 😀

 

[blondie46]

I'll try your suggestion too. It should be easy, and doesn't involve singling him out. Thanks, Tickleking.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

frankly, there' probably a way to do this without emberrasing him in front of a girl, or singling him out. Those things are only going to create animosity. DO you know if he has a condition? Some people simply have overactive sweat glands. Nothing they can do about that. Me, i have something like that, and sometimes it's not a problem, but other times i can use a deoderant and it'll cause what can eventually become a rather painful rash, forcing me to go without deoderent for a few days. If somebody decided to bring in a girl and emberrassed me like, that, they wouldn't have to worry about me anymore because i wouldn't be coming back to that house.

So, if you going to try and send a message, don't do it that way.

However, i think you should simply talk to him, not neccesarily about that exact problem but just meantion somewhat offhandedly that he's welcome to treat the house like his own, ei leave clothing over, take showers, cook lunch, etc.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

Lots of options here. I need to agree with Cos on the "don't embarass him" deal, though. That'd be a shame. While you're working things out, there's a good spray called OZIUM. It's a bit more expensive than most. But, it'll clear nearly anything out of the air. I found out about it when I was still doing health care and trying to get rid of urine odors and the like. It's a citrus scent and I have yet to find anything it doesn't work on.

Ann

 

[thetickleking]

I'll try your suggestion too. It should be easy, and doesn't involve singling him out. Thanks, Tickleking.

Your welcome. Just glad to be of service.

 

[blondie46]

Thanks, Ann for the tip about the Ozium spray. And Cosmo, you are seeing through this guy's eyes, and it's kind of you to reply. Yes, the last thing I want is for him to stop coming around. Thanks.

 

[maniactickler]

I say sneak up behind him sometime and douse him with a bucket of soapy water. works everytime!

 

[blondie46]

lol. well i was hosing off the window and they were playing basketball today...I was tempted...do great minds think alike?

 

[TheFactor]

This stinky friend of your sons, I was just wondering if it's my brother.

 

[tommytikl]

Yeah, I would suggest that maybe he doesn't feel it would be right to take a shower in your house and that is why he doesn't shower after your son.
Suggest the shower to him or make it a general statement to both...as mentioned above, "wow, you people need showers!!!" Not singling out either but making a joint stink... 🙂 😉

And there are some people..that just stink...

 

[asutickler]

There is a lot to be said for being polite, however...

If I had a friend whose odor was so foul that they made me uncomfortable in my own home, I would say "Get the hell out and come back after you've had a bath!" ESPECIALLY if they were gradually ruining my couch through their exceptional lack of personal hygine. Yuck!!!