Why Are Indians Perceived As "smelly People" By Foreigners.

ThirumathiJ · May 25, 2016

Have you wondered why Indians are perceived as Smelly People by Americans/Foreigners?
You would be surprised to know this : Just GOOGLE - Indians Smelly....there would be so many articles on that, sadly.
Even our own guys after living abroad for many years, pass the same comments about fellow Indians who are new to the country.

I never felt that way, feel others are dirtier until I had my own encounter in a Train or public transportation.
There was this very beautiful lady speaking over the phone, seem very intelligent, technically savvy, but when she just walked passed me , it was a horrible strong stench of pickle/dhal/palak paneer/curries/yogurt all trapped in her coat that she was wearing .........I guess.

I can definitely say we Indians, let be North, South, East or West are cleaner than most foreigners, but why are WE known to be the Smelly ones? Well I guess the only reason is most of Indians don't use perfumes and they tend to re-use the Shirt, Pants, Dresses more than once. I guess the food smell is trapped in your clothing, just like how the smell of spices/food traps in our house carpet. You notice that as soon you open the door to enter into your house. Once inside the house you get immune to the smell and don't see the difference, just like how when you don't wash your clothes and wear them the next time, others feels the bad odor, not you.

I am not advocating to use perfumes, but at least wear clean clothes each time. Don't eat with your formal clothes and wear the same clothes the next time around, because that is the smell that becomes unbearable for others. I know the roasted ginger, garlic paste accompanied by garam masala gives a nice fragrance but not for foreigners. They can't bear that spice smell. You would know that if you a in an office space sharing microwaves with American colleagues. Some companies went to the extend of putting a notice not to heat Smelly Food (there were many Indians using them). Just like how we feel walking by a restaurant which is roasting pig or beef. At least the smell of roasted beef or pork doesn't last that long like how our spice smells trapped forever.

The point is our "nice" smell is unbearable for them, lets at least, wear clean washed clothes each time we go to work. After all there is no water shortage here unlike in India to preserve water as much as you can and to re-use clothes. We are wearing office clothes for more than 9 hours, I think they deserved to be washed after 9 hours let it be Office pants, shirts, or dresses. Do not try to be lazy in saving the ironing time and re-use your office wear.

If you look at the threads posted on Google - they say Indians have bad body odor naturally blah blah blah, I am sure its not just our body to be blamed, but the culprit is most of us wearing clothes unwashed, and eating or cooking food with those formal wear until the food smells get trapped in our clothing! Please use a perfume to disguise the smell or be clean!

Clean is nice, clean is good, why wear dirty clothes and scratch your body most of the time.... especially Men! I am sure many of us have seen this all the time in Cosco, shops or even during meetings in office. So ladies if you are reading this do your bit and put your husbands clothes for washing after every use, since there are not many "men" readers here. Please don't be offended, just creating some awareness.

Vaikuntha · May 25, 2016

Very interesting..will follow

My two cents:

Our food has smell, the cooking method too, with the houses closed 24/7 in winter, and kitchen being next to coat closet, we smell of food.
Try to cook in a way that you can shower after and put on fresh cloths
If making food like chicken with ginger garlic- try to make once and save in fridge- the day u make- wash your hair too.
Wash your air atleast twice a week, and after any major cooking. Also, wearing your hair up and putting a shower cap might help.
Wash coats often
Buy washable coats, sweaters etc
Keep your cooking different
Anything near the kitchen- kids backpack, purse, computer bag will get smelly
Try to close the bedroom window, before you start cooking
Get a professional hood hooked to outside- if cooking often and in ur house
Try to use deodorant on under arms after night shower
use foot powder after shower and before wearing shoes- for men especially
When stepping out of the house, and checking urself in mirror- also check ur breath, ur smell

It will be very hard if laundry is not in apartment and your are cooking a lot.
In that case, keep a cooking cloth set that you can quickly get in and out of
and shower after cooking
if u cannot shower and change then do not cook paratha, dosa at that time

Wax ur underarms, because it traps odor

KashmirFlower · May 29, 2016

Winter jackets are the main stuff that we needs to be careful. Give it to dry cleaning often.

Using A good perfume which lasts for longer time like 10 hours helps

somsar2014 · Jun 26, 2016

Good evening Ms ThirumathiJ
I read your post with interest, but cannot help post a strong rebut to your observations and suggestions. I studied in a Central University couple of decades ago. There were huge number of foreign students. I have seen personally their living conditions. Their conditions were no better than ours in our own country.

Do you know, why? It is because of tropical weather, heat and dust. The weather in US at much higher latitude makes all the differences . The perspiration in West Bengal or in Kerala or in Tamil Nadu cannot be compared to places like Mount Abu or Simla. People of theose hilly places are never called smelly. The white skin people have lot more money than a person living in ordinary conditions here in India. So, the cover up their body odors by spending on perfumes . Americans have money , they have weather in their support still you will see their skin diseases which are not generally seen in India. . You have suggested something , which sounds good . But those could be more effective had Indians had more money and more favorable weather conditions.

I strongly disagree with your suggestion of using perfumes. Cleanliness is enough. Japanese and Koreans feel, the perfume users are really smelly and unclean and so they need that. Now find out out where the best perfumes are manufactured and marketed.

Sorry for disagreements and regards.

ravioli1970 · Jun 26, 2016

ThirumathiJ said: ↑

Have you wondered why Indians are perceived as Smelly People by Americans/Foreigners?
You would be surprised to know this : Just GOOGLE - Indians Smelly....there would be so many articles on that, sadly.
Even our own guys after living abroad for many years, pass the same comments about fellow Indians who are new to the country.

I never felt that way, feel others are dirtier until I had my own encounter in a Train or public transportation.
There was this very beautiful lady speaking over the phone, seem very intelligent, technically savvy, but when she just walked passed me , it was a horrible strong stench of pickle/dhal/palak paneer/curries/yogurt all trapped in her coat that she was wearing .........I guess.

I can definitely say we Indians, let be North, South, East or West are cleaner than most foreigners, but why are WE known to be the Smelly ones? Well I guess the only reason is most of Indians don't use perfumes and they tend to re-use the Shirt, Pants, Dresses more than once. I guess the food smell is trapped in your clothing, just like how the smell of spices/food traps in our house carpet. You notice that as soon you open the door to enter into your house. Once inside the house you get immune to the smell and don't see the difference, just like how when you don't wash your clothes and wear them the next time, others feels the bad odor, not you.

I am not advocating to use perfumes, but at least wear clean clothes each time. Don't eat with your formal clothes and wear the same clothes the next time around, because that is the smell that becomes unbearable for others. I know the roasted ginger, garlic paste accompanied by garam masala gives a nice fragrance but not for foreigners. They can't bear that spice smell. You would know that if you a in an office space sharing microwaves with American colleagues. Some companies went to the extend of putting a notice not to heat Smelly Food (there were many Indians using them). Just like how we feel walking by a restaurant which is roasting pig or beef. At least the smell of roasted beef or pork doesn't last that long like how our spice smells trapped forever.

The point is our "nice" smell is unbearable for them, lets at least, wear clean washed clothes each time we go to work. After all there is no water shortage here unlike in India to preserve water as much as you can and to re-use clothes. We are wearing office clothes for more than 9 hours, I think they deserved to be washed after 9 hours let it be Office pants, shirts, or dresses. Do not try to be lazy in saving the ironing time and re-use your office wear.

If you look at the threads posted on Google - they say Indians have bad body odor naturally blah blah blah, I am sure its not just our body to be blamed, but the culprit is most of us wearing clothes unwashed, and eating or cooking food with those formal wear until the food smells get trapped in our clothing! Please use a perfume to disguise the smell or be clean!

Clean is nice, clean is good, why wear dirty clothes and scratch your body most of the time.... especially Men! I am sure many of us have seen this all the time in Cosco, shops or even during meetings in office. So ladies if you are reading this do your bit and put your husbands clothes for washing after every use, since there are not many "men" readers here. Please don't be offended, just creating some awareness.
Click to expand...

ravioli1970 · Jun 26, 2016

very interesting topic and i must say I'm glad someone brought it up. my child is a jr in high school and he just said one day to my surprise ' mom there are some new desi girls in my class who smell so bad that everyone has to move their seats"! and i got curious and i said what do u mean and he said they smell like vry strong food but u make desi food but our house and our clothes never smell like this!! and it really made me think.
well these r the rules i have followed for over 20 yrs as long as i have lived in USA. my jackets, purses are all in closets and rooms. when i cook especially with onions my doors and windows are open along with my exhaust and after cooking i spray the entire house with freshner. i cook early in the morning and after cooking i shower and shampoo and throw my clothes in laundry basket and i never leave the house in my cooking clothes never........ i also noticed once that i left my bag close to my kitchen when i was cooking and next day at work i cud smell onions from my bag!! never repeated that ever again.
we r cleaner as we shower every day but we use spices and onions which is overbearing for people who don't use any. it doesn't make them better in any way we just have to be conscious of it

vrikshakadali · Jun 26, 2016

Main reason - homes in the US and cold countries in general are almost hermetically sealed due to weather conditions, no windows and ventilators as in India to take away the smell of spices that Indian cooking typically uses which cling to our clothes !

nuss · Jun 27, 2016

ThirumathiJ said: ↑

Have you wondered why Indians are perceived as Smelly People by Americans/Foreigners?
You would be surprised to know this : Just GOOGLE - Indians Smelly....there would be so many articles on that, sadly.
Even our own guys after living abroad for many years, pass the same comments about fellow Indians who are new to the country.

I never felt that way, feel others are dirtier until I had my own encounter in a Train or public transportation.
There was this very beautiful lady speaking over the phone, seem very intelligent, technically savvy, but when she just walked passed me , it was a horrible strong stench of pickle/dhal/palak paneer/curries/yogurt all trapped in her coat that she was wearing .........I guess.

I can definitely say we Indians, let be North, South, East or West are cleaner than most foreigners, o
Click to expand...

I don't know how you can definitely say we are "cleaner" while also saying that we stink. Anyway, perfume doesn't work if the odor is already there. Best way is to take shower everyday, use deodorant, and yes, change clothes everyday. Not only pants/shirts/ dresses but socks as well. Winter coats are the biggest culprit. With air-conditioning on every where, it gets really warm inside in winter but people still keep their coats on and sweat ...that odor stays there. So even if it looks clean, wash often.
For food odor, open the windows and turn on the exhaust. Keep the closet doors shut.

kollen · Jun 28, 2016

ThirumathiJ said: ↑

Have you wondered why Indians are perceived as Smelly People by Americans/Foreigners?
You would be surprised to know this : Just GOOGLE - Indians Smelly....there would be so many articles on that, sadly.
Even our own guys after living abroad for many years, pass the same comments about fellow Indians who are new to the country.

I never felt that way, feel others are dirtier until I had my own encounter in a Train or public transportation.
There was this very beautiful lady speaking over the phone, seem very intelligent, technically savvy, but when she just walked passed me , it was a horrible strong stench of pickle/dhal/palak paneer/curries/yogurt all trapped in her coat that she was wearing .........I guess.

I can definitely say we Indians, let be North, South, East or West are cleaner than most foreigners, but why are WE known to be the Smelly ones? Well I guess the only reason is most of Indians don't use perfumes and they tend to re-use the Shirt, Pants, Dresses more than once. I guess the food smell is trapped in your clothing, just like how the smell of spices/food traps in our house carpet. You notice that as soon you open the door to enter into your house. Once inside the house you get immune to the smell and don't see the difference, just like how when you don't wash your clothes and wear them the next time, others feels the bad odor, not you.

I am not advocating to use perfumes, but at least wear clean clothes each time. Don't eat with your formal clothes and wear the same clothes the next time around, because that is the smell that becomes unbearable for others. I know the roasted ginger, garlic paste accompanied by garam masala gives a nice fragrance but not for foreigners. They can't bear that spice smell. You would know that if you a in an office space sharing microwaves with American colleagues. Some companies went to the extend of putting a notice not to heat Smelly Food (there were many Indians using them). Just like how we feel walking by a restaurant which is roasting pig or beef. At least the smell of roasted beef or pork doesn't last that long like how our spice smells trapped forever.

The point is our "nice" smell is unbearable for them, lets at least, wear clean washed clothes each time we go to work. After all there is no water shortage here unlike in India to preserve water as much as you can and to re-use clothes. We are wearing office clothes for more than 9 hours, I think they deserved to be washed after 9 hours let it be Office pants, shirts, or dresses. Do not try to be lazy in saving the ironing time and re-use your office wear.

If you look at the threads posted on Google - they say Indians have bad body odor naturally blah blah blah, I am sure its not just our body to be blamed, but the culprit is most of us wearing clothes unwashed, and eating or cooking food with those formal wear until the food smells get trapped in our clothing! Please use a perfume to disguise the smell or be clean!

Clean is nice, clean is good, why wear dirty clothes and scratch your body most of the time.... especially Men! I am sure many of us have seen this all the time in Cosco, shops or even during meetings in office. So ladies if you are reading this do your bit and put your husbands clothes for washing after every use, since there are not many "men" readers here. Please don't be offended, just creating some awareness.
Click to expand...

I agree with your post.

"Moving curry kitchens", haha!

GPriya · Jun 28, 2016

HI,
Indians are smelly..no doubts about it. Its because of the combo of factors such as onion/garlic/garam masala smell, not washing the clothes often, not taking shower regularly especially after one wakes up in the morning and last but NOT least is that Indians never use deodorant, which absorbs odor from under arms sweating. . In fact, IT gals and guys are the worst. It may be due to their night schedule, long hours of work, or laziness to shower before coming to work or the stinginess to spend money on a good sweat absorbing deodorant. In fact, I even advised my hubby's niece about her personal hygiene factors and bought a bunch of deos and explained how she should use them. But she or any of her colleagues never seem to care. All they care is just to enjoy life, by visiting various restaurants to eat variety of food. Even Indians who have been working and living in the US for 10+ years don't feel the need to use deodorants and maintain certain decoram in the work place to keep others around not feel bad. I guess its a curse on other Indians like me Who are extremely hyginic always, to deal with such nut cases, just because they are from the same country. Its a big head ache for me as long as I was working and my hubby hates fellow Indians mainly for this reason. That's my 2 cents worth.