Smelly underarms? Get rid of it naturally - Keep your underarms clean (2024)

FAQs

Smelly underarms? Get rid of it naturally - Keep your underarms clean? ›

Wash your underarms regularly with soap and water to make sure there is no accumulation of germs and bacteria. Baking soda is a natural deodourizer that can help to neutralize underarm odour. Apply a paste of baking soda and water to your underarms and let it sit for a few minutes before you rinse off.

Apple cider vinegar: ACV is naturally acidic and antimicrobial, neutralizing the environment and preventing odor-causing bacteria. Dip a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it to your underarms twice a day. Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil acts as an astringent to combat sweat-causing bacteria.

Check the product you use to make sure it contains an antiperspirant as well as a deodorant. Keep your underarms dry. Bacteria have a hard time breeding in dry areas of the body. Shaving your underarms regularly will also help prevent the accumulation of bacteria and can reduce sweat and odor.

For example, one tablespoon bentonite clay, activated charcoal or baking soda, as each help detox the armpit — or one teaspoon of all three. Then add one to two teaspoons water and one teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Mix all ingredients together into a paste, then apply the mask to your pits generously.

When the sweat from your glands meets the bacteria on your skin, it breaks down into products called thioalcohols. The thioalcohols give off a strong, often sulfurous scent that can also be comparable to onions or meat. Genetics plays a role in how many thioalcohols your body produces.

Apple cider vinegar: Mix apple cider vinegar with a small amount of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto your armpits. The acid in vinegar helps kill bacteria. Lemon juice: Mix lemon juice and water in a spray bottle.

ACV's antibacterial properties will prevent bacteria from growing on your skin and will neutralize any odor-causing bacteria, keeping you smelling clean and fresh. If you're doing an armpit detox or are naturally a smellier person, try using apple cider vinegar to get rid of body odor in your shower routine.

Most people do not pay enough attention to their armpits in the shower, resulting in bacteria lingering in the armpits. In addition to bacteria, oftentimes there is deodorant residue and other impurities that are trapped in the underarm pores and within the hair if you have armpit hair.

Best Overall

Give your pits the protection they need with our top pick, the Uriage Clinical Strength Deodorant. It's a roll-on antiperspirant that glides on in just a few swipes to keep sweating at bay. The aluminum-based formula works by reducing underarm wetness, though it also targets odors.

“Lemons can temporarily decrease odor in the armpits, and the alpha-hydroxy acid in citric acid can kill odor-causing bacteria,” Dr. Geeta Yadav told Shape in an interview, but added that “antiperspirant and deodorant are a much better and safer way (than using lemons)” when it comes to diminishing body odor.

How to properly clean armpits? ›

If you're using a bar of soap, simply rub it into your armpit hair. If you're using a liquid cleanser or body wash, squeeze a dollop of the product onto your hand, washcloth, or loofah. Then, swipe it over your armpits. If you experience excessive body odor, you might try an antibacterial soap instead.

Although we can indeed smell our own odors — a quick sniff of the underarm will bear this out — over time, we become desensitized to our particular scent, said Hiroaki Matsunami, a molecular neurobiologist at Duke University.

By keeping your underarms clean, using baking soda, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice, wearing natural fibers, staying hydrated, and eating a healthy diet, you can get rid of underarm odour naturally. Give these natural remedies a try and see what works best for you.

A strong vagin*l odor may be a sign of vaginitis, or it may be a temporary smell related to your hygiene, lifestyle or other changes. Take note of whether you have other symptoms. If the odor is related to an infection, you'll usually notice other changes, like vagin*l itching, burning and discharge.

Shave or Trim:

If you have body hair, consider shaving or trimming it as needed. Hair can trap sweat and bacteria, providing an environment for odour to develop. Removing or trimming body hair could help reduce bacterial growth and improve the effectiveness of deodorant or antiperspirant.