Odor Alert!

Question: My husband has terrible BO. He does not have poor hygiene, he showers every day, and even wears deodorant, but he sweats a lot, and stinks. I think he has gotten used to it though because he doesn't even notice. The other day he asked me why I never want to do anything with friends anymore, and I was too embarrassed to tell him it is because of his odor. He works from home, so I can't hope a co-worker will clue him in. How can I let him know how much he stinks without hurting his feelings?
Answer: Well your situation stinks! Every pun intended. However, the solution is fairly simple. He is your husband, and marriage relationships are supposed to be based on trust and honesty. This means you have the right to tell him the truth, even if he doesn't want to hear about it.
So, how do you tell your husband the truth, even when it is ugly? There are a few ways you can make it easier for him to hear. Let's put it in terms you may relate to better. If you cook a meal every night for your husband, and your cooking is terrible, do you want him to spit it out on the plate and tell you that he thinks you are an awful cook, or would you rather he wrap you in his arms, thank you for cooking, and then tell you he wants to take you out to dinner? Exactly! So, use a similar approach.
Start with some subtlety. Tell him that you noticed his deodorant isn't working well and you want to try some other brands, and ask what he thinks. This shifts the blame from him, to the deodorant. He doesn't have to feel bad because you aren't telling him he smells, you are telling him that you chose a bad product. This can be a good option to try because it may actually be an issue with the deodorant you have chosen.
If that does not work, then it is time to take a more aggressive approach. Once again let him know that his deodorant isn't working. Offer some options to him. Ask him if he thinks he might be able to go and see a doctor to figure out what is causing the stench. If he doesn't think he smells, or denies his body odor, you may need to elicit some help. Of course you do not want to embarrass him, but having a friend, family member, etc. that is aware of the body odor problem attest to it can help.
The fact is, your hubby may have to suffer a bruise to their pride, and a little embarrassment to solve the problem. It might not be that fun for you, but how will he feel if he finds out later that he stunk and you never mentioned it? He will probably feel far more embarrassed. So, as his wife, step up and let him know. Set up an appointment for him to see a doctor, try prescription deodorant, or just insist he showers multiple times each day. Your choice!