If you know someone with bad body odor, you might find yourself caught between feeling the need to talk to the individual and not knowing how to bring up the subject. Whether this is because you care about the individual or are simply uncomfortable with having to smell the odor, body odor is a sensitive subject for many people and should be addressed delicately. The goal is not to embarrass the individual, but to inform and offer advice or insight that might help correct the personal hygiene habits and put an end to the body odor.
Step 1
Decide whether a face-to-face conversation or one over the phone or by email would be best. If the person is likely to be embarrassed, sometimes it is better to talk to the person through a medium rather than in person. While talking in person provides an opportunity to console the individual, it is also likely to make him uncomfortable because he will become aware of his smell and know that it is bothering you as you talk to him. You also reduce the risk of immediate defense mechanisms or other backlash by telling him in an email, allowing him time to cool down--and then you can do some follow-up discussion and consoling in person.
Step 2
Discuss the situation only in private. Talk to the person in a quiet location away from other people--you should make sure there are no windows for others to see through. Create a safe place where you can address the problem openly.
Step 3
Focus on the individual, not yourself. Avoid commenting on how the odor affects you, and do not treat yourself as a victim. Focus on how the odor relates to the individual.
Step 4
Avoid making assumptions about her personal hygiene. It could be that the individual is having financial issues, or is overburdened by other obligations and has resorted to cutting out showers to save time. The individual could also suffer from a medical condition that makes the odor worse and may not know how to address it.
Step 5
Be direct. You want to be kind, but you also want to make your comments as clearly as possible to prevent future discussions of the body odor. Don't skirt around making comments that need to be heard, but find the nicest way to say them while retaining clarity.
Step 6
Offer your help. More times than not the individual will not need it--although you shouldn't count on that reaction when you offer yourself--but the knowledge that someone is there for him and willing to help won't make him feel alone as he struggles with correcting his odor issues.
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