• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Took a business trip to London, Paris, and Amsterdam. I came back with one big question for my European friends.

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Do you guys know what soap is? I mean really .. say it with me D E O D E R A N T. You have got to be some of the smelliest people I have ever been around and I've been to a lot of places. We need to start dropping crates of old unsold axe body spray into Europe or something. I am a person who is always very quiet and polite, but even I had a few audible gasps at the putrid smell that lingered in the air when people walked by. I know you know how. Some of you do wash. Some of you smell down right pleasant ... not nearly enough though. Not even close.




Ps. Wash your ass ...


Pps. Everyday ...
 

Dural

Member
When we were at Disney World a few weeks ago there was a guy that was a single rider that sat with us on Rise of the Resistance and I could smell him from several people away. One of my sons had to sit next to him and said it almost made him sick, really affected the enjoyment of the ride. I can understand kids not remembering to put deodorant on, but adults? Come on it's disgusting!
 

Skyfox

Member
Ok, will try. Have to admit, my own hygiene standards have slipped since Covid. It could be the hot weather or depression, but you’re right! Maybe it was when all the gas and electricity bills jumped through the roof…

I will endeavour to do better.
 

thief183

Member
While I can agree there are some smelly ppl it is kinda of a rarity in Italy, and to be honest almost everywhere in Europe I don't remember anyone smelling ( apart from the usual old man not showering for days that you can smell 10 m away)
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Do you guys know what soap is? I mean really .. say it with me D E O D E R A N T. You have got to be some of the smelliest people I have ever been around and I've been to a lot of places. We need to start dropping crates of old unsold axe body spray into Europe or something. I am a person who is always very quiet and polite, but even I had a few audible gasps at the putrid smell that lingered in the air when people walked by. I know you know how. Some of you do wash. Some of you smell down right pleasant ... not nearly enough though. Not even close.




Ps. Wash your ass ...


Pps. Everyday ...
I've always heard Irish and Scots dont bathe a lot.

Sample size of 1..... there was a scottish guy at work (good guy) who'd tell us he wouldnt shower for days. Then we'd say what about when youre in bed with your wife or a hot summer day? Doesnt she care? Its super hot outside. I'd say I take a shower twice a day. Once in the morn before work, once when I get home before dinner and if I go out after dinner and it's roasting outside, I'd take a third before bed.

He'd say he'd shower every other day and was fine with it.
 
Last edited:

killatopak

Gold Member
I have preconceived notion that people who live in a rather temperate or cold climate rarely takes a shower leading to the smell. That and people there also usually doesn't want to get their hair wet. I think they would rather bathe in perfume than actually take a bath. The only exception would be Indians but that's rather because of the spices in their food and not exactly hygiene. I am probably extremely wrong since that's usually what I take from media.

I personally have a lot of family members in the colder part of Canada and they have good hygiene. Actually they're very self conscious about being extremely clean but I don't know if it's just anecdotal. Same with Indians as I have many Indian friends and they don't really smell like what they are usually portrayed online but I really don't know if it's anecdotal and I'm just lucky I am surrounded by people with good hygiene
 

12Goblins

Lil’ Gobbie
Yea the daily shower thing is pretty much just a US thing, combine that with people in general are pretty awful at taking care of their hygiene (don't know how to shower or apply deodorant properly) it's a bad combination
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
You're going to have to be specific here, which city's residents smelt the worst? London, Paris or Amsterdam?
All three, they are all big mixes of people from all over Europe. It's clearly not just one group or place though.

other places I've been to with no issues are Japan, eastern Mexico/mexico city , Puerto Rico, Canada, and Brazil. You may find a few randoms here and there, but it's not epidemic levels as the places I've been to in Europe.
 

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
I went to Europe 18 years ago... Greece, Italy, Scotland, Amste..er..Netherlands, and by far the smelliest people I have ever encountered were in Rome. The owner/manager/whatever of this one hotel in Rome smelled like he had never taken a shower in his life. It was eye opening... And eye watering.
 

near

Gold Member
All three, they are all big mixes of people from all over Europe. It's clearly not just one group or place though.

other places I've been to with no issues are Japan, eastern Mexico/mexico city , Puerto Rico, Canada, and Brazil. You may find a few randoms here and there, but it's not epidemic levels as the places I've been to in Europe.
It could also be possible that you were in tourist heavy surroundings and were actually taking whiffs of yourselves.
 

Boss Mog

Member
Do you guys know what soap is? I mean really .. say it with me D E O D E R A N T. You have got to be some of the smelliest people I have ever been around and I've been to a lot of places. We need to start dropping crates of old unsold axe body spray into Europe or something. I am a person who is always very quiet and polite, but even I had a few audible gasps at the putrid smell that lingered in the air when people walked by. I know you know how. Some of you do wash. Some of you smell down right pleasant ... not nearly enough though. Not even close.




Ps. Wash your ass ...


Pps. Everyday ...
Nearly half of Londoners are foreign born. Paris and Armsterdam also have huge immigrant populations. A lot of these immigrants come from countries where showering everyday is not part of their culture and they pass that culture onto their kids. In many cases they make no effort to integrate European norms and values into their lives.
 

kruis

Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
It could well be that those dirty, smelly Europeans are less prone to deadly food allergies than ultra clean Americans....

 

Zathalus

Member
Living near Amsterdam I haven’t noticed anything really amiss, and I’m the guy that showers twice a day and puts on deodorant and cologne. Some people smell sure, but it’s hardly the majority or even a large minority.
Yea the daily shower thing is pretty much just a US thing, combine that with people in general are pretty awful at taking care of their hygiene (don't know how to shower or apply deodorant properly) it's a bad combination
Pretty much just a US thing? I’m not quite sure where you got that information, but it’s quite wrong.
 

Dutchy

Member
Opposite experience for me. First time in the US I was geniunely surprised to see the amount of obese and overall filthy/smelly people. Like no amount of memery could have properly prepared me for this. Same with dental hygeine. The amount of people I had to look away from while talking to them cause otherwise I could smell their 8 am coffee and cream cheese bagel.

I consider myself really clean and I actively avoid people with poor hygeine but it's never been an issue for me in both london and amsterdam (as for the rest of the netherlands really). Paris however, French people are extremely yucky. As is most of the country.

I think OP might have grown too used to the specific musky smell of american booty crumbs. You're a victim of your own stench bro
 
Last edited:

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I dont put on deodrant or cologne unless i know im going out for sports or a social event.

I dont stink because i wash and take 1-2 showers a day. if i sweat even a little bit, im taking a shower. If i go in my basement and am covered in spider webs or not, im taking a shower. if i take a nap, im taking a shower.

i dont even use shampoo every day anymore since i read that reddit thread that went viral. do it maybe once or twice a week. the water itself can wash your hair. we are not women who need constant fluffy hair full of product.

The BO mostly comes from people who dont wash and then dont shower everyday. I thought europeans washed. There were bidets in every hotel i stayed in italy. and this has definitely not been my experience. been to UK, Turkey and italy several times.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Opposite experience for me. First time in the US I was geniunely surprised to see the amount of obese and overall filthy/smelly people. Like no amount of memery could have properly prepared me for this. Same with dental hygeine. The amount of people I had to look away from while talking to them cause otherwise I could smell their 8 am coffee and cream cheese bagel.

I consider myself really clean and I actively avoid people with poor hygeine but it's never been an issue for me in both london and amsterdam (as for the rest of the netherlands really). Paris however, French people are extremely yucky. As is most of the country.

I think OP might have grown too used to the specific musky smell of american booty crumbs. You're a victim of your own stench bro

lol um no .. you guys smell horribly.. I'm sorry that hurt your feelings but someone needed to tell you. Americans are fat and STUPID .. but we are clean.
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
You're going to have to be specific here, which city's residents smelt the worst? London, Paris or Amsterdam?
I will give you a hint:

Season 4 Joey GIF by Friends


Honorary mention to Opera metro station in Paris, that place smells of piss.
 

Nonehxc

Member
Do you guys know what soap is? I mean really .. say it with me D E O D E R A N T. You have got to be some of the smelliest people I have ever been around and I've been to a lot of places. We need to start dropping crates of old unsold axe body spray into Europe or something. I am a person who is always very quiet and polite, but even I had a few audible gasps at the putrid smell that lingered in the air when people walked by. I know you know how. Some of you do wash. Some of you smell down right pleasant ... not nearly enough though. Not even close.




Ps. Wash your ass ...


Pps. Everyday ...
Shut up and come smell my perineum cheese, you sissy OP 🤨🧀
 
Last edited:

Hrk69

Member
I dont stink because i wash and take 1-2 showers a day. if i sweat even a little bit, im taking a shower. If i go in my basement and am covered in spider webs or not, im taking a shower. if i take a nap, im taking a shower.
Do you also shower after taking a dump?
 
Last edited:

AJUMP23

Parody of actual AJUMP23
America for the most part has an edge on hygiene in the world. Maybe it is due to aggressive marketing, but most of the world I have traveled too, local populations do not know or care that they smell bad.
 
I thought Amsterdam smells like weed. Like, the moment you get out of the fucking train station you can literally smell it.

Are you sure you went there?
 

Trilobit

Member
Northern European representing here. I take at least one shower a day if I'm going outside. Though it's beneficial for one's mental fortitude to do it anyway even if you're just home alone. Then again I've heard about a debate where people disagree if you should shower in the evening or morning. I'm a morning showerer, but I get really bad bedhair so I need to shower and comb it to be representable.
 

bitbydeath

Member
Yea the daily shower thing is pretty much just a US thing, combine that with people in general are pretty awful at taking care of their hygiene (don't know how to shower or apply deodorant properly) it's a bad combination
Everywhere else is two showers a day right?
That’s the Australian standard.
 

near

Gold Member
America for the most part has an edge on hygiene in the world. Maybe it is due to aggressive marketing, but most of the world I have traveled too, local populations do not know or care that they smell bad.
We're going to have to start sourcing some stats and studies. Americans claiming Europeans are unhygienic in the same breath saying they're the most hygienic in the world. Nope I don't believe this. Let me go take a quick shower I feel dirty after reading this thread.
 
Last edited:

AJUMP23

Parody of actual AJUMP23
We're going to have to start sourcing some stats and studies. Americans claiming Europeans are unhygienic in the same breath saying they're the most hygienic in the world. Nope I don't believe this. Let me go take a quick shower I feel dirty after reading this thread.

Maybe when I am in Europe or Asia I am just in the place where the Hygiene is poor, like museums and castles.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
I don't know, the only time I have gagged from the smell of a person is in the US. Literal stench that drove me out of the store or I would have puked.
You may just not be used to people who walk around and aren't just driving in an air conditioned vehicle from one air conditioned place to another.
 

Days like these...

Have a Blessed Day
I don't know, the only time I have gagged from the smell of a person is in the US. Literal stench that drove me out of the store or I would have puked.
You may just not be used to people who walk around and aren't just driving in an air conditioned vehicle from one air conditioned place to another.
Just because your used to stench doesn't mean it doesn't stink
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
I don't know, the only time I have gagged from the smell of a person is in the US. Literal stench that drove me out of the store or I would have puked.
You may just not be used to people who walk around and aren't just driving in an air conditioned vehicle from one air conditioned place to another.
I lived in NYC for years. Living in NYC means you are in a packed subway car on days with 95 degree heat and high humidity. Obviously some people smell bad but I don’t think odor is a systemic issue here.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
"Teu rabo" :)
South of the equator AKA Brazil (and Australia i believe) 99% of the population shower at least once a day.

Mainly because it's hot as fuck and we have water and rivers in abundance but still...

I've been to rio a few times and been around people who seeming just come out of a tin roof shack that smelled good or at the very least like nothing at all.

There were some people in these European cities that smelled liked they collected their BO just to take baths in it. 🤢🤮
 
Top Bottom