Dear Dáithí: The newbie at the gym stinks... should I tell them?

The smell is really awful: A rancid odour mixed with the smell of wet dog. I'm not sure what to do

I don't think I'm the only person to notice (I've seen others look like they might gag), but I don't think the individual themselves is aware. Picture: iStock

Dear Dáithí,

I am a gym-goer and love a good, high-intensity class after work to clear my head. There’s something about the combination of music, working out with a group, and the endorphins of the exercise that gives me a nice midweek boost.

Lately, though, I’ve encountered an issue that is really bothering me, and I’m not sure what to do.

With September, there are always a few additions to the classes, which is great.

One of the newbies seems lovely, but they either suffer from BO (body odour), or their clothes retain the smell of sweat. What’s worse is that they don’t seem to be aware of the need to wipe down equipment after they use it. I’m nearly gagging if I’m moving on to something after they use it.

The smell is really awful: A rancid odour mixed with the smell of wet dog.

Now, being a gym regular, I’m used to a bit of sweat and, it’s fair to say, gyms have a certain odour after a high-intensity workout class, but this is definitely more than that.

I don’t think I’m the only person to notice (I’ve seen others look like they might gag), but I don’t think the individual themselves is aware.

I barely know them, but I do know that if it was me, I’d like if someone told me there might be an issue. How do I tell them in a way that won’t turn them off the class for life?

I started going to the gym a few years back, but, if I’m honest, it’s only in the last year or so I’ve really started to enjoy it.

When you wrote about exercise clearing your head, I totally get what you mean. I am different to you, though. I took the headphones out a few months ago, and was happy in my own thoughts. I’m a lone ranger in there and need to be working away on my own.

The point being, we are all different, and we all have different routines, and we all get something different out of it.

I added taking cold showers to mine after the sauna and thought it was a game-changer. A cold or hot shower would definitely sort out this problem!

There is a particular smell in gyms that I do like. Yes, there is a hint of sweat in it, but, with hard work and success added to it. I feel like it gets me in the form for what’s to come.

Even though gyms are a public place, they can be a sanctuary for a lot of people, a place they go to better themselves and when this is intruded upon it can be really off-putting. I think this has happened to you.

This September, some new people came, and a deadly smell along with one of them. This is taking the good out of your gym sessions and the fresh air out of the building. That’s a tough place to be. This situation literally stinks!

The last time I came across the word ‘rancid’ was in my home economics class for the Leaving Cert. Once it was explained to me what it was, it stuck with me like the smell is sticking to that guy. You sure do paint a picture for us all.

That is not a healthy smell; the smell of sweat is normal. It comes and goes, but that rancid smell hangs around all day and even gets stuck up your nose, and you begin to start thinking it’s you. When a smell makes you question yourself, that says it all.

You wonder if this person knows they smell and, really, I don’t know, but if the smell is that bad they must know something is up. Surely to God they cop people looking over at them?

In this day and age, there is no reason to be going around like that and, if I’m being honest, it sounds like this guy just doesn’t wash himself and he thinks this is OK. Maybe he goes to the gym stinking and goes for a shower after.

I’m like you: If there was a smell off me, I’d like to be told, but not everyone is like that, so I think you need to be very careful about saying anything. You don’t know this person.

I think you should say it to the manager. It really is a job for them. It would be different if you knew a friend of his. Then you could say it to the friend, but it seems this person is a mystery man, in many ways.

If nothing changes and this guy keeps stinking the place up, the only other thing I can think of is that you go to the gym at times when he is not there.

I know that would be a pain for you, and might not suit you. Why should you have to change when you didn’t do anything wrong, I hear you asking. But this could be a very last resort.

Honestly, I wouldn’t say anything to him directly. I’m always conscious that people might have other things going on in their lives too, and saying something like this might add to their woes, so whoever says something needs to know what to say.

And have that chat with the manager.

I’d imagine they’ll have heard this before and they should do something about it. Managers do plenty of courses on how to deal with such situations.

This is a place you didn’t want to be with all of this. You go to the gym to better yourself and get so much out of it, and you will again when this is sorted out.

Nobody wants to be the smelly person in the place and when the word is had, I’m sure all will be good again.