Stinky Housemate

SteamTrean

About 3 months ago a new housemate joined our house. I'll cut to the chase. He stinks. His room stinks, he stinks and his attitude stinks generally but that's another Thread. Don't get me wrong, I'm not anal about hygeine but this guy is fcuking disgusting. I know he only showers twice a week, tops and he has serious B.O. If his room door is opened a warm wave of rotting corpse graces the landing.

How can I bring this to his attention without embarrassing him or even better... how do you get rid of a housemate that just doesn't fit. Has anyone got any similar issues with housemates from Hell. :mad:

tbh

dodgy situation. Does the owner of your house live with you? If not, I'd say "the landlord called around when you were out and is concerned about the state of your room - you need to keep it cleaner or you'll be out".

connundrum

SteamTrean wrote:

How can I bring this to his attention without embarrassing him or even better... how do you get rid of a housemate that just doesn't fit. Has anyone got any similar issues with housemates from Hell. :mad:

Leave a burning cross outside his door! If you're the leaseholder then you are in control and could make up a reason to kick him out.. late rent, bills etc.

Pighead

Well if its bothering you that much why don't you go and clean his room. And Pigheads sorry Miss Hygiene Pants, but showering twice a week is more than adequate. Its people like you that are the cause of the ridiculously low water levels we've experienced this year. Wise up.

tbh

you might want to have this thread moved to Accom & Property if you want serious answers

Skyuser

Smash his window so some air gets in.

SteamTrean

Twice a week tops. I know he does once as it's after 5-Aside.. I am supposing he does it once more.. I was being a little generaous with twice. The landlord doesn't live in the house.. and I really like the idea of saying he came around and complained.

re: Cleaning his room. Last week, one of our other house mates had cause to enter the hell hole and had to get sick shortly afterward, that is extreme as this lad is sensitive to smells of that nature, but it will give you an idea of the severity.

petes

Tell him.

hallelujah

I think you have described a housemate that you do not like and to make it worse he stinks. I agree - totally unacceptable in this day and age. He has obviously had this smell all his life and is unlikely to change. I suggest you get rid of him, although how do you do this without causing a storm, hurting feelings etc?

There is no possible way of getting rid of an unwanted housemate, fact, other than 'Get out!', and I challenge anyone to come up with more subtle ways..

xzanti

Hang an air freshener on his door? subtle hint..

Pighead

SteamTrean wrote:

re: Cleaning his room. Last week, one of our other house mates had cause to enter the hell hole and had to get sick shortly afterward, that is extreme as this lad is sensitive to smells of that nature, but it will give you an idea of the severity.

Aww did poor Sensitive Nostrils not like the smell of the smelly socks?

Well heres a novel suggestion, tell him to stay out of Stinky Mans room. A mans room is the equivalent of you chicks owning a diary. What happens in a mans room should stay there.

If Pighead reads your diary you're gonna get angry and emotional and by the same token if you go into Pigheads room uninvited you're gonna get angry and emotional (and horrified and scared, and perhaps a little turned on if its a Thursday).

Rb

The idea of telling him that the landlord was around and wasn't impressed is a good one, not much he can do to argue about it.
You could also just mention it to the landlord, so if it continues he can just boot him out knowing it had been going on a while.

xzanti

rb_ie wrote:

The idea of telling him that the landlord was around and wasn't impressed is a good one, not much he can do to argue about it.
You could also just mention it to the landlord, so if it continues he can just boot him out knowing it had been going on a while.

Yeah thats a good one alright but what if stinky guy rings the landlord and finds out that he lied to him? Will that not just cause more problems?

Sticky situation

Rb

xzanti wrote:

Yeah thats a good one alright but what if stinky guy rings the landlord and finds out that he lied to him? Will that not just cause more problems?

Sticky situation

Aye, its a sticky mess alright...and sure enough that route has the potential to cause more problems alright. Personally I'd just be upfront about it and if he tried to take a "You don't own the house so you can't issue orders" stance on it, as could be expected from some, then I'd have the landlord around quick enough.

Lord Oz

If it's that bad, hurl feces around the house to cover up the smell.

county

Lord Oz wrote:

If it's that bad, hurl feces around the house to cover up the smell.

easy there bobby sands

ferdi

ask him, in a serious way, if a rat or something died in his room "because its stinking the entire gaf out of it", dont do it jokingly, start talking about getting pest control in and put rat traps around the place. and keep saying "cause it really smells like something has died in your room"

Steyr

Just say this.


Housemate, Ireland is a free country and as a free country we are obliged to have the best of everything and that inculdes hygiene be it personal or homely, in our house we all think personal hygiene is a must as is the hygiene of your room, your room affects all of us living here and we are kindly asking you to clean it out and to clean yourself up as this is unsatisfactory in this modern era you have 2 days to comply with this, if you don not comply you will be asked to leave of your own free will if you do not leave of your own free will you will be removed by force or you may arrive home to find your worldy goods outside the premises never to be let in again.

Thank you,
The Housemates!:D

Dun laoire

Now thats a real man.

Miss Fluff

A friend of mine is encountering similar problems and her housemate is a girl. Her feet smell like a leper's rotting flesh and her thoroughness when showering is questionable, she doesn't shower after the gym:eek: My mate sat her down and was honest and said that visitors to the house had commented on the all-consuming minging smell emanating from her room. Seemed to work (for a while). Just say it, the smelly sod should have some consideration.

dr.bollocko

I find the best thing to generally do with smelly housemates is ask them where they get their smoke from.

petes

Surely they have to be able to smell it themselves

Tar.Aldarion

Be a man, burn incense.

xzanti

Leave the pc open on this thread next time he's around

SteamTrean

Facts:
1) This is the first time that he has lived away from home.
2) He has no brothers or older siblings.

I reckon that these two factors have helped guide him to his current shabby existence. I suppose his Mother washes everything for him at home and he just can't adjust to his new surroundings. For those of you who are offended by fact 2. Please don't be. I am sure that there are lots of you in the same boat but have excellent personal hygiene. I'm just saying that; in my early years my older brother was there to straighten me out if I was acting improperly or embarrassing him in some way. I think this has helped shape me into the 100% perfect individual that I am now .

Anyway to conclude, I think he knows he stinks but I don't think he cares or thinks that anyone else does.

The stink has started to creep to the upstairs even when the doors are closed.. I predict that the house will smell like a slaughter house in about a month if this is not dealt with. Urgent house meeting I think.

Dan133269

It's the landlords responsibility to sort out problems with tenants that's affecting the other housemates. This is an instance where the landlord will have to just speak to the person and tell them to clean up their act.

If the landlord is anyway hesitant on the issue at all, simply say to him that you and all the other housemates cannot live in the house any longer with that housemate and the landlord will sort it out. That is the best and easiest way in my opinion

Huggles

SteamTrean wrote:

Facts:
1) This is the first time that he has lived away from home.
2) He has no brothers or older siblings.

I reckon that these two factors have helped guide him to his current shabby existence. I suppose his Mother washes everything for him at home and he just can't adjust to his new surroundings. For those of you who are offended by fact 2. Please don't be. I am sure that there are lots of you in the same boat but have excellent personal hygiene. I'm just saying that; in my early years my older brother was there to straighten me out if I was acting improperly or embarrassing him in some way. I think this has helped shape me into the 100% perfect individual that I am now .

Anyway to conclude, I think he knows he stinks but I don't think he cares or thinks that anyone else does.

Jaysis. I worked with a guy like this before. He was rotting! He stank so much it burned our noses in the office. I kid you not. I think the landlord idea was the best one, as long as he doesnt ring the landlord then your fine.

When this guy moved in, who did the interviewing?

SteamTrean

TheGooner wrote:

Jaysis. I worked with a guy like this before. He was rotting! He stank so much it burned our noses in the office. I kid you not. I think the landlord idea was the best one, as long as he doesnt ring the landlord then your fine.

When this guy moved in, who did the interviewing?

OOPS!

MonkeyWrench

It sounds like the guy is obviously oblivious to all his stinkiness. People are so used to the smell of themselves that they don't realise how much they stink. It would take some balls to confront someone face to face about this so good luck. I don't really see any other option. It is obviously a trait of his not to shower often and clean up after himself that he will find hard to 'unlearn' so the best bet is just to get the guy out of the gaff in some way. If you want to skirt around the issue try and think of some other reason that he may have to leave - such as 'the landlord has decided to turn his bedroom into a storage room or whatever and he will have to move out.

Rb

Miss Fluff wrote:

Her feet smell like a leper's rotting flesh and her thoroughness when showering is questionable, she doesn't shower after the gym:eek:

how attractive.

User45701

There is actually nothing you can do if he just smells and if he dosent shower much, there is no law regarding hygene - maybe if there was food o the floor of his room you could complain (rats) but besides that and the noise level going about the legal limit there is not much you can do.

Also if you have a go at him cause of noise level it could turn against you every time your own noise goes above the legal limit he could just force you to turn it down.

Unless there is a chance of rats due to food on the floor of his room you can do nothing - sorry

Dan133269

TheGooner wrote:

When this guy moved in, who did the interviewing?

interviewing? you've never lived in a college house have you?

super_furry

Get out, get the fire brigade out, stay out!

hallelujah

SteamTrean wrote:

OOPS!

I'm sure it is not the OP's fault. It is completely impossible to come to the conclusion that the potential housemate is out of his depth and is likely to cause problems down the line.

Huggles

Dan133269 wrote:

interviewing? you've never lived in a college house have you?

Where did the OP say it was a college house. And FYI yes I did and everyone that lived there went through the normal 'your not a smelly freak' vetting process

exCrumlinBoyo

It’s simply, embarrass him by saying he smells. If your living in shared accommodation which I did for years and had similar issues, I would have no reservations in saying, here smelly, you stink and your room stinks which in turn makes the house stink. Clean up your act please?

Trust, me it works. You have to be cruel to be kind in some cases.

cheeky_guy

He has obviously been in this state for most of his life so the chances of him changing for more than a day or two are slim.
When i was at college this bloddy bouncer/UL Student moved in on a work placement and the very FIRST night he went up and PISSED all over the toilet without lifting the seat up. We tried to say it to him jokingly as he was a bouncer and mad for fighting. He broke house golden rule number 1. That really annoys me so we told the landlady to get rid of him and she told him she was getting the room done up and he was gone a week later. When he moved out they had to change the carpet because of the stench of whatever substance oozed out of him.

Just tell tell the landlord you are living with someone who smells worse than a traveller. Im sure the landlord would'nt want someone like that living in their property anyway.

Kingsize

Welcome to house sharing!!theres nothing wrong with telling the guy his room stinks & seeing what he says but I get the Impression that there are other things goin on & that might make matters worse.
Wait til he's out & clean his room for him theres no better way of gettin the message accross.
as for his BO there aint much you can do about that,you could always move out en masse & not invite stinky boy with you??

Kingsize

cheeky_guy wrote:

someone who smells worse than a traveller.

Ahem!

Careful now.....;)

Red Hand

Subtlty's the answer!

Tape deoderant, Febreez and a DVD of those two annoying cleaning ladies from the TV to his door.

Failing that bring in the guys in white overalls and house him down the way Bruce Willis was in the film 12 Monkies.

Esel

Some people don't realise they have to put on clean clothes after bathing, and have to wash the dirty ones. Sounds like he has a stash of reeking clothes in his room tbh.

I agree with the direct route. "You stink. Now get clean, stay clean, keep your clothes clean, or GET OUT!"

ressem

A few guys fresh out from home don't wash and, especially, dry their clothes properly, probably never had to do so.
So clothes end up smelling far worse than themselves, as they use the wrong amounts of detergent and hang stuff on a cold radiator, or leave damp clothes to grow mould.


While it sounds that you've got something else against him, at least telling him that he's not cleaning his clothes (and presumably bedlinen) correctly so they smell, and a printout of the two pages at http://www.askmen.com/fashion/how_to/9_how_to.html
isn't going to generate as much resentment as the unqualified 'you stink' approach, which in my experience, just causes trouble.



By the way, lots of elderly people, including my parents, don't use a shower, and just run the full bath once a week, plus the twice daily wash at the sink. While teens and young adults need more washing, barring a medical condition or overheated work environment, someone taking two showers a week shouldn't smell bad.

petes

Tell him he will never get laid if he doesn't clean up.

SteamTrean

ressem wrote:

A few guys fresh out from home don't wash and, especially, dry their clothes properly, probably never had to do so.
So clothes end up smelling far worse than themselves, as they use the wrong amounts of detergent and hang stuff on a cold radiator, or leave damp clothes to grow mould.


While it sounds that you've got something else against him, at least telling him that he's not cleaning his clothes (and presumably bedlinen) correctly so they smell, and a printout of the two pages at http://www.askmen.com/fashion/how_to/9_how_to.html
isn't going to generate as much resentment as the unqualified 'you stink' approach, which in my experience, just causes trouble.



By the way, lots of elderly people, including my parents, don't use a shower, and just run the full bath once a week, plus the twice daily wash at the sink. While teens and young adults need more washing, barring a medical condition or overheated work environment, someone taking two showers a week shouldn't smell bad.

I don't have anything specific against this guy. If he didn't live with me we probably wouldn't be aquainted as our interests are so different but I have no ill-will toward him. The showering twice a week thing; well as I said early that was being generous, I know he showers once but I was giving him the benefit of the doubt as we are not always in the house at the same time, although we usually are. Even though "someone taking two showers a week shouldn't smell bad" he does. Very much so.

Other factors that I have to consider is that he is exhibiting a lot of well known symptoms of clynical depression and I don't want to add to his heavy load. I can imagine what something like this would do to a person's self esteem. I should get Dr. Phil to have a word in his ear. He'd know what to say.

Rb

I can't see how dealing with this is such a massive problem to you tbh.
Either make up an elaborate lie or confront the guy about it.

Red Alert

if it's an electric or power shower you could trip the Trip Switch for it. then leave it and see does he complain about it.

Peace

Talk to the landlord. If i was the landlord I'd be in favour of having clean people living in my house.

I don't know how i'd approach a person to tell them they reak.... i guess its best just to say it.

thebman

Well we had a guy like this. Just came out and said "whats up with your room, it stinks and I mean rotten" were pretty much the words used.

Awkward silence and he left the room. Smell went for a while then came back. Basically they are probably stuck in bad habits. Got our problem sorted by complaining to on campus residents association as it was on campus accomodation. I'd say to them and if they don't improve then its fair to go to the landlord and say there is a problem.

Ha should print that askmen.com webpage off and casually leave it on the coffee table. Its funny to think someone could not work that stuff out for themselves.

mickd

Urgent house meeting and discuss the problem with him in a polite but firm way. If this doesn't improve things have another urgent house meeting with the landlord present explaining that the odour is so bad that you and your house mates can't live in the house and that either he leaves or ye leave. Don't forget you don't own the place and there is an abundance of decent property to let. It will have to come to this or else you suffer/suffocate in silence. The choice is yours.

Siogfinsceal

My boyf had a roommate like this before - never washed and I mean never if he got in teh shower once a fortnight it was a shock. he also in 4 months never washed any clothes. He owned one suit which he loved and used to wear it all day, leave it on in the evening, sleep in it and wear it again teh next day...I am not exagerrating the smell was unreal he eventually left thank god as all the hints in the world had no effect.
If you are the lease owner give him notice asap. otherwise contact the landlord and explain and ask him to call round and see for himself I am sure its in his interest not to have his property smelling like a tip

Budd

I'd be careful what you say.

Had a similar problem myself and we just said to the guy ,' listen you smell'. That was ok but one of the lads really went for it with the insults.

Two weeks later and we find the guy hanging in his room. Probably should have just engaged him more as a person and not this sad smelly loser.