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There comes a time in every woman's life when she finds the man of her dreams -- with the exception of one flaw.Today, that flaw is his body odor.
Contrary to public opinion, the women of Lemondrop do exhibit ladylike behavior -- and in accordance, we'd never crush a man's self-esteem by telling him straight up that his B.O. reeks. So we asked you for advice: How do you tactfully tell a guy he smells?
Here are some words of wisdom from our readers:
1. Try actions that speak louder than words.
"We worked with a guy years ago -- we told him he stunk. The second time, we waited outside at lunch time for him and nailed his ass with a garden hose." -- hibuyamerican
2. Do an undercover investigation.
"The answer is to buttonhole his two closest friends and find out their opinions on this. There's a possibility he has a problem he doesn't even know about, but more than likely it's either a one-time happening or a last-minute moment of forgetfulness while getting dressed." -- al
3. Exhibit passive-aggressive behavior in hopes he'll catch on.
"Just say something like, 'What's that smell?' and pretend you don't know it's him. Then say, 'It smells like dead rats.'" -- Lorie
4. Purge your life of the offensive odor altogether.
"I once went out with someone who had pits that would stop a charging rhino, and another who suffered from compulsive flatulence. I just didn't know what to do, but since neither was likely to become the love of my life, I just didn't ask either out again." -- Wilson
Tell us! How do you deal with a smelly date without offending his feelings?
Comments:
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Friday 05 March
By Dani
Honesty is the best policy. If my hubby smells- I tell him so. When we were dating ignored his bad hygiene as long as possible (which wasn't long). I ended up buying him a nice cologne and told him about my favorite men's antiperspirant (he was using a spray, which wasn't working). I also took him out for a new hair cut, shave and new outfit, all on me. It boosted his confidence and took care of the stinky problem. Besides, I don't care what a man says- they like being pampered just as much as us ladies and like being told we think they're sexy afterward.
Every once in awhile I have to remind him to go reapply his deodorant or shower off mid-day, but whatever works. :)
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Sunday 07 March
By Karen
It's just amazing here in America so many of you people are illiterate, learn proper grammar and punctuation for clarity!
Sunday 07 March
By Frank
?
Sunday 07 March
By julieharrelson
Karen, please note that your sentence is what we call a "run on" sentence, which is a grammar error. Don't criticize what you do not know!
Sunday 07 March
By David S.
Fair enough article...but having been with more than a few women on one-night stands....eh, the cleanliness factor works both ways.....'nuff said....
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Sunday 07 March
By Linda
David you make me laugh, women know how to cover up body odor, many girl friends and I would use body sprays and lotions too cover any body odor if we didn't have time to shower and clean private areas and it worked well!
Sunday 07 March
By tyrebitre
"By Linda
David you make me laugh,"
And you, Linda, might possibly make me gag.
" women know how to cover up body odor, many girl friends and I would use body sprays and lotions too cover any body odor if we didn't have time to shower and clean private areas and it worked well!"
Layering another smell over an offensive smell DOESN'T cure the basic problem. An Air-Wick douche can't replace basic hygiene.
Sunday 07 March
By M. Eckhardt
If you are having one-night stands, you obviously don't care about body odor or STDs, or AIDS, or anything else. Idiot.
Sunday 07 March
By Tracey
When he continues to constantly compliment you for always taking the time to smell and look good for him, tell him, you do it because you expect the same in return!
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Sunday 07 March
By Cognitogrrl
I once dated a guy with a sharply unpleasant body odor. He had long hair past his shoulders, which was always so clean that it was flyaway drifty with static cling. By the cleanliness of his hair, I assumed he wasn't skipping showering, but I could not deal with the smell, started brushing him off, saying "too busy" to go out. Finally he got mad and called and said, "What IS it?" I chickened on the body odor and said his hair gave me the creeps -- try some conditioner to smooth it. He hung up. A friend later told me she'd bet the body odor was due to some heavy-duty drugs that he used, still venting thru his pores. EWWW!!
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Sunday 07 March
By gposner29
Why are women dating smelly guys?. Soap and deodorant have been invented long ago. Are women that desperate?...This whole article doesn't pass the sniff test.
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Sunday 07 March
By Dee
There's a tactful way to tell someone , something like that..Ya dont have to be rude... Not everyone walks around as fresh as a daisey everyday. Especially those who do physical work. Try offering a gift of some cologne, a basket full of little things like favorite soaps shampoos etc etc..Everyone has feelings..and everyone should be treated as such. If that doest work..THEN by all means, perhaps its time for some medical help. ;o)
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Monday 08 March
By natalie
Skinny people can smell just as bad as fat people so don't show how stupid you are for fat bashing.
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Sunday 07 March
By Joe
Man or woman, it just doesn't matter. If YOU have to tell them they stink, they have alot more problems thanjust that. Also, it's no big deal to point it out to the one you care about but the fact is, "if" they happen to not know or say they can't tell they happen to smell bad, "if" that's true then they are just slobs and are very used to smelling like garbage and you wont want to go inside their home/room. "If" someone is USED to their smell and it's terrible then they are just a slob plain and simple. The once in a while thing happens to ALL of us (working, forget the pit stick one morning or whatever) but when that does happen, we KNOW it! Speaking of work, I used a can of Lysol on one guy that ALWAYS stank and I just happen to HAVE to work with him so I fixed that crap real fast! I think he got the idea, never had to happen again.
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Sunday 07 March
By Velma Mitchell
When I was younger I ran into several dates that smelled. All but one occassion I just declined to go out with them again. But one really impressed me. He was very well educated and like all the best places to eat. After a month the odor kept getting worst, the teeth getting yellow and the Hair getting more sticky and greasyer. I planned a weekend vacation at a real nice resort. I told him when he packed to besure to pack a Bathing suit.. upon arriving we went straight to the hot tub and pool area. He had a good time dipping from one to the other. The next day the odor was back. Being an high paid person he had a nice Ward robe. I went to his closet and started sniffing his clothes.
I found my answer. Everything thing in there stunk. I asked him how often did he wash his shirts and clean his slacks and Jackets, he answer right back , when ever they get dirty. those white shirts looked like grey shirts and the slacks look like they were ready to fall apart. When we got home he went to work the next day, I asked him for a key to his condo so I can get in there and tidy it up a little. I took all the shirts to the laundry and pants and coats to the cleaners. while the walkin closet had less clothes in it , I cleaned the floors and got the smell out of the closet. He was not too happy when he found all his shoes out back. In a few days all the clothes were back, everything was well placed and the closet look and smelled good. He was very happy and I was happy because when we went out he smelled good. We dated for a couple of months after that, he was a really good looking person and after I cleaned him up , he got many dates with other people. i gave him up and moved away. I would have done the same thing if I met another person with an odor.
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Sunday 07 March
By jeff
when was the last time you went for a swim couse you smell like fish
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Sunday 07 March
By Raquel
For some single men, everyone, it boils down to them NOT knowing what kind of laundry soap to use, how to really wash their clothes so they don't stink.
Sometimes they need a real expensive/good quality detergent but they opt for the cheapest because they don't know any better ... try being honest -- peek if you can in their laundry room and if you see they're using a crappy detergent, tell them a story about it -- MAKE IT UP -- use your girlie charm to explain why it's junk -- and then investigate their deodrant (or do they just use an anti-perspirant ???) anything's possible -- in the long run they'll be glad you did --
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Sunday 07 March
By PRETTYEYES
I tried telling my ex how bad an order he had, I was very polite too and it turned into a hot mess....that man told me his mother "who smelled just as bad " said i should except him the way he is and no one takes as many bathes as i ask him to! To sum it up the show "Hoaders" is how she lives and i quickly got myself out of that filthy relationship because don't no 45yr old man need you telliong him he has BO.......
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Sunday 07 March
By CmdrKat
Howz about just mailing him some "samples" of anti-persperants? Just pick up the travel size at the grocery store and mail them to him-annonymously of course!!
NO MATTER what you try to think up to SAY to a guy, he's gonna get mad, whiney or throw something right back at you. BE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE BAD BREATH OR SOMETHING....I had a female supervisor for years who had THE worst "Pit Odor of Death" that kept me going to a captain and complaining. Turned out she had a medical problem and her doctor gave her some meds or suggested a missing type of vitamin, mineral or over the counter item and it helped her dramatically. She coulda dropped a moose at 50 yds before!!!
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Sunday 07 March
By NancyY
I think body odor has a lot to do with what people eat as well as their body chemistry. I remember going to the gym, and being happy to find an elliptical machine open. I started working out on it, and quickly realized why it was open - the guy who was working out in the next machine over stunk horribly. He wasn't fat, he didn't look dirty, etc. He just stunk. So, I left to stretch out. I saw person after person get on the same machine I had been on and leave after looking that guy's direction.
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