HELP ME: my roommate stinks and I dunno what to do about it

[bigd480]

Just got a new roommate a couple of weeks ago and it's really starting to annoy me...

Everytime I walk in the room I make a bitter-beer face from his funkiness... It's like nothing i've ever smelled before... It's only like a 12x15 dorm room so I can't escape it...

First day he moved in I walked in and was like "DAMN, wtf is that smell?!?!" and he said "hehe.... maybe it's me..."

I thought "OK, maybe he just got through playin raquetball or something..." but the smell never left... It's not so bad when he's gone, but if he's been in the room for a while it's nauseating....

I use 2 cans of Glade, one of lysol, and a bottle of Febreze to try to overcome it, (in front of him no less) but it's getting to be a pain...

What's worse is that he's really antisocial; he doesn't say anything all day and doesn't do anything but study, go on AIM and play CS... so he's in the room a lot...

Before you xenophobes think he's a 3rd world immigrant who hasn't discovered hygiene: he's white, and, from what i've noticed, he does shower occassionally also...

Also, i want to live in this room next year so i keep my addy/phone# the same but if I complain to the housing ppl they will move me to another room...

Any ideas on how I can keep my room or him from stinking? (Please limit the smartass replies to only witty ones)

 

[SmiZ]

My roommate used to smell bad too. There really wasn't anything I could do except wait for the end of the year, and spend most nights in my gf's room.

 

[Ladies Man]

seems like a seinfeld episode

just don't let his BO carry over to you
before you know it you'll be smelling that way too *and chicks don't like guys with BO*

 

[weezergirl]

have u tried just straight out telling him? maybe introduce him to the wonderful world of deoderant? my aunt used to work with this guy who had the same problem and finally she couldn't take it anymore and just straight up told him. he took it really well and actually had no idea he smelled. he felt bad and did something about it. i think that people are more embarassed about it rather than offended but in the long run they will thank you for telling them. but then again if this guy is that antisocial he prolly doesn't care...or at least ask him to move next year.

 

[bigd480]

i spend weekends at g/f's but she lives half an hour away and works a lot so I can't escape it during the week... it is making me study a lil more since i try to get out of the room more often....

 

[Azraele]

Why not try talking to him face to face about it. It'd be awkward and embarassing but it might also solve the problem. Perhaps you could address it gently, like "have you noticed a smell in the room? Perhaps we should try and figure out what it is so we can get rid of it." You might also try (if there's carpeting) putting some carpet freshener down and then vaccumming it up. It might make the room smell better. You could also try those glade plugins, or even a scented candle if you're allowed to burn them there. Also, take a day to leave the window wide open to get the room aired out.

 

[bigd480]

thanks Azraele,

i've tried the carpet thing and it's not very permanent... ditto the plugins... we can't light candles and our windows don't open...

when i did mention the smell he didn't seem to care... i'll talk to him again sometime but i have 3 tests this week and need to concentrate on those first...

 

[vi edit]

There are some people out there that no matter how often they shower, they still stink.

Also - it may be his shoes. I had a roomate that could stink up a room because his feet smelled so bad. He could be out of the room, but as long as his shoes were there, the place still stuck to high hell.

Try chasing down the odor and eliminating it there. It may be in his clothing, his towels, or even his bedding. Just be courteous about it and politely ask him to wash his clothing and bedding on a regular basis.

 

[Azraele]

That is a tough situation. You said he showers, perhaps it's not him but his laundry?

Too bad about the windows. Perhaps you could leave the door open with a fan circulating air for a while. Also, you might try giving the room a thorough clean. Dusting, vaccuuming the works. Take out all trash, do all laundry, etc. Hopefully you won't have to resort to that if talking to him works.

Good luck on your tests btw.

 

[GL]

Go buy one of those teen packs from the drug store - it's basically a promotional pack that has travel sizes of cologne, deodorant, aftershave, shaving cream, etc. Pretend they were giving them away on campus somewhere and give it to him telling him that you already have enough stuff. Hopefully, he'll use it, and when he does tell him in a manly way that he smells a lot better...not exactly sure how to do this without sounding gay though! Maybe something simple like "damn is that the XYZ cologne from that teen pack? It smells good"...or something along those lines. And get some of your friends to do the same - both guys and girls....maybe the positive comments will get him into some good hygiene practices without making him embarassed first.

-GL

 

[Doggiedog]

I've heard of some people who just give off bad BO genetically. There seems to be nothing they can do about it, which is why they are very anti-social. Sorry to hear about that.

 

[Wallydraigle]

Some people lack an enzyme or something and you can smell their guts through their skin. They just stink, it's not there fault. Don't know if that's this guy but I thought I would share.

 

[Mister T]

fill every friggin power outlet with glade plug-ins.
get an extra power strip and fill it up - no joke

 

[ArkAoss]

feed him lots of garlic, hope he runs into some goth girl on campus that digs the smell, and has him over alot... and bleach every thing he owns, or steam clean it all, if foot issue, nothing works better than a chopping block..

chop onions into them.. he'll leave the shoes out in the hall, or if he can afford to, he'll burn them... . . hmm stinky feet what to do about stinky feet..
encourage him to wash them...

oh and use a couple of boxes at a time of that carpet junk, powder stuff. it won't get the room scent free (i find the stuff nauseating) but it'll dampen his odor. but mainly. find the cause, then attack it.

 

[syzygy]

it may be a medical condition. could be overproductive sweat glands. if so, then no amount of showering, deodorant, or other generic hygiene method will work. he may need to see a doctor.
your clothing (animal and/or synthetic fibers) can absorb his copious aromatic outpourings
and you could inadvertently share your roommate with people in your own circle
i dont think you have much of a choice if your roomie is not willing or able to
see a medical professional. move out.

 

[sd]

I would just move, the hell with the address and phone number, They're not worth it.

 

[bigd480]

not the shoes, he bought new ones last week...

doubt it's his laundry since the smell is always worse when he's in room.... not as bad if he's been out for a while...

maybe i should ask him about it........ <sigh> i hate awkward stuff like that....

i think i will get a nice 12&quot; desk fan though.....

i wouldn't move; i graduate next semester and it's a hassle to change all the addresses on bills and stuff especially since my bank really sucks at keeping the right address for my check card every time i move....

plus it's MY room :|, i've been here since fall, he came two weeks ago....



<< Some people lack an enzyme or something and you can smell their guts through their skin. They just stink, it's not there fault. Don't know if that's this guy but I thought I would share. >>


Is that true? it may be it since i've never smelled anything like that before.... nasty :Q

 

[bigd480]

DP

 

[XL]

Stick toilet bowl drops on the wall. You know...the kind they put in urinals!

 

[bigd480]

thanks XL

would a bigass box of baking soda help any? i could put it right behind where he sits....

 

[ChrichtonsGirl]

Damn, you're bringing back some bad memories. I used to date this guy whose friend was the same way. It wasn't like he didn't shower or wash his clothes, but he was just rank 24/7, even after showers. He'd slap cologne on it, and it would just float on top of the stench.

I don't know if it was what he ate (lots of organic food and bean curd, stuff like that) or if he was just born stinky, but I guess some people really can't help it.

I pray that you have a roommate that is NOT one of those people, and that he can be helped with copious amounts of disinfectant and deodorizers. I really do mean this seriously - get a bunch of Stick-Ups and put them all over the place, especially where he sits.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

So what does he smell like? Does he smell like BO? Like his underwear is full?

You should do whatever you can to get away from his stench. That means you need to flat out tell him that he stinks and that you need ot request a new room next year. Forget about keeping the same addy and phone number. I doubt that he has a medical condition, because if he did he would be sensitive to the fact that he reeks. He just doesn't give a crap...or maybe he does and thats what stinks.

 

[XL]

HAHAHAHA....Sorry about your luck. Like ChrichtonsGirl said use the stickups.

 

[Bleep]

Go down to your local army surplus store and get a gas mask. When he walks in say &quot;wow did a skunk spray you today?&quot; and then put on the gas mask then spray him down with a good spray disinfectant. Have a ball bat handy in case he attacks you. This is not a BS Post this is what one of my kids did when he was living in the dorm.
Bleep

 

[divinemartyr]

bigd480

I hate to admit this, but about a year ago I started noticing really strange odors. It was both at work and at home. My girlfriend noticed it too and finally my boss just took me in his office one day and said &quot;Man, I don't know what it is, but you smell really bad!&quot;

So one day I'm tossing my pants on the bed, and as I toss them I notice a really bad smell waft by. I smell the pants, nothing. I smell all over the pants, and FINALLY I figured out it was the BELT!

I went out and bought a new belt, asked my boss if I smelled bad, he got a big grin on his face and said, &quot;Nope! You smell fine!&quot; Since I'd never had a problem with body odor I knew something was wrong but it took me nearly a month to figure it out. It was a cheap belt. You wouldn't think it could be that bad but that belt smelled HORRIBLE! See if he always wears a belt or something similar, and if he does, ask him to remove it and see if it smells bad. It could be anything but this is just my suggestion.

dm