Couldn’t get a date last Valentine’s Day? Maybe the stink of your sweat is putting a dent in your dating life. If you can’t stand your own smell, you certainly can’t expect someone else to.

Body odor due to sweating is quite natural. But when your BO starts clearing the room as soon as you enter, it’s time you do something about it.

Advertisements

Often, body odor is due to excessive sweating, medically known as hyperhidrosis.

get rid of body odor

The fact is your body odor is an integral part of you. Offending BO can ruin your prospects socially as well as at your workplace, whereas the opposite can make you more approachable and inviting.

Deodorants and antiperspirants span an entire market for this very reason. But there are natural ways to reduce the stink in your body odor.

Advertisements

Scores of home remedies have stood the test of time and are effective for this purpose.

So, instead of dousing yourself with chemical-laden deodorants, use these natural deodorants and antiperspirants to get rid of foul body odor.

Method 1: Use Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the best deodorizers out there. Not only can you use it to deodorize suitcases and other closed spaces, but it can also be used very easily to get rid of body odor.

Baking soda absorbs foul odors very effectively.

Using it with cornstarch helps keep the skin dry and prevent the growth of odor-producing bacteria.

Things you’ll need:

Advertisements

baking soda to get rid of body odor things need

  • Baking soda (deodorizing agent) – ½ cup
  • Cornstarch (absorbs sweat) – ½ cup

Step 1. Combine the ingredients in equal amounts

mix baking soda and cornstarch to get rid of body odor

  • Put ½ cup of baking soda in a bowl.
  • Add an equal amount of cornstarch.
  • Mix the ingredients well with a spoon.

Step 2. Store the mixture in an old talcum powder container

store it in a talcum powder container

  • Spoon the powdered mix into an old talcum powder container for convenient storage and ease of application.
  • Sprinkle it liberally on your armpits and other sweat-prone areas after thoroughly drying your skin.

Method 2: Use Milk of Magnesia

Milk of magnesia (MoM) has been a common antiperspirant remedy in places like Cuba and Brazil for at least the past 50 years.

Advertisements

People living in such extremely hot, humid, and sticky climates have found an effective solution to the ever-present problem of perspiration.

Commonly used orally as a laxative or to combat acidity in the stomach, MoM is effective in reducing body odor and perspiration when applied externally to the affected areas.

It is skin-friendly and keeps the areas prone to excessive sweating dry. You can easily get it from your local drug store or order it online.

milk of magnesia to get rid of body odor

  • While this cost-effective remedy is known for its efficacy, its application is a bit messy. So, instead of sloshing the MoM over your armpits, pour it into a spray bottle and spray it on your body where you need it.
  • Let it dry before putting on clothes.

Method 3: Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar can help eliminate odor-causing bacteria and yeast, thus keeping body odor at bay.

It also works as an antiperspirant and curbs profuse sweating that may be responsible for the odor.

Advertisements

Diluted apple cider vinegar is used in many home beauty treatments and is safe to use on the skin to reduce body odor as well.

You can take a vinegar bath, wipe it on the affected areas, or use it as a spray.

Step 1. Dilute apple cider vinegar with double the amount of water

dilute apple cider vinegar to reduce body odor

  • Pour 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a cup or container with a spout for easy pouring afterward.
  • Pour in 2 tablespoons of water to dilute the vinegar.

Step 2. Store the solution in a spray bottle for easy use

store apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle

  • Pour the solution into a small spray bottle for storage and easy application. Use a funnel to prevent any spills.
  • Spray the diluted apple cider vinegar on your sweat-prone areas, such as the armpits and groin, after taking your daily shower.

Method 4: Use Lemon Juice

The bacteria and yeast responsible for your foul body odor thrive in the salty alkaline environment of your sweat.

Lemon juice can help make your skin inhospitable for the organisms causing the body odor, and its astringent properties can curb excessive sweating. As a bonus, regular use is bound to lighten your armpits.

Step 1. Dilute lemon juice with water

dilute lemon juice with water to reduce body odor

  • Mix 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice into ¼ cup of water.

Step 2. Apply the diluted lemon juice to the problem areas

apply the diluted lemon jucie to reduce body odor

  • Dip a clean cotton ball into the diluted lemon juice and wipe it on the odor-prone areas of the body after taking a shower.
Note: Check your skin’s sensitivity to lemon juice before using it for controlling body odor. If your skin doesn’t take well to lemon juice even after diluting it, try using one of the other remedies.

Method 5: Use Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is not just kitchen fuel for plants. It can actually get rid of foul body odor. Since the 1950s, chlorophyll has been used medically to reduce various body odors like those from open wounds, urine odor in anemic patients as well as faucal odor in colostomy patients.

You can also use chlorophyll to control bad breath and body odor from sweat.

When consumed orally, it can absorb the agents responsible for bad body odor and eliminate them from the body through bowel movements.

You can eat foods rich in chlorophyll or buy supplements from your local drug store or online. You may be confused by similar-sounding names like ‘chlorophyll’ or ‘chlorophyllin’ listed on the products.

The only difference between the two is that ‘chlorophyllin’ is water-soluble, otherwise both provide the same results.

Advertisements

chlorophyll to reduce body odor

  • Consume raw, organic leafy greens to get chlorophyll from natural food sources. Include lettuce, parsley, collard greens, spinach, turnip greens and other leafy greens in your diet.
  • You can also take 100 to 300 milligrams of chlorophyll every day as a dietary supplement to control body odor. Consult your doctor before starting any supplement regimens.

Method 6: Use Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is great at disinfecting various surfaces and is also safe to use on skin. You can combine it with essential oil to make a pleasant-smelling deodorant in a pinch.

You can use your favorite essential oil or an oil blend for this remedy.

Things you’ll need:

rubbing alcohol to reduce body odor things need

  • Rubbing alcohol (deodorizing agent) – 2 tablespoons
  • Lavender essential oil (adds fragrance) – 12 to 15 drops

Step 1. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle

dilute rubbing alcohol to reduce body odor

  • Pour 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol into a small spray bottle. Use a funnel to prevent the liquid from spilling.
  • Add 12 to 15 drops of lavender oil.
  • Put the cap on the bottle and give it a few shakes to mix the ingredients.

Step 2. Use the solution to keep body odor at bay

use the solution in spray bottle

  • Use the solution as a fast-drying deodorant spray on the odor-prone areas of your body.
  • It’s important not to spray rubbing alcohol directly on the skin because it can break down the skin, cause the skin to itch, and lead to painful fissuring.

Method 7: Use a DIY Deodorant

This DIY deodorant is basically thinned-down rubbing alcohol with essential oils mixed in. Diluted rubbing alcohol may work better for some people, as it is much gentler on the skin than straight alcohol.

Go with your choice of essential oils to give it a personalized touch and fragrance. As a bonus, this spray can do double duty as a mosquito repellent.

Things you’ll need:

diy deodorant to reduce body odor things need

  • Water – 2 tablespoons
  • Rubbing alcohol (deodorizing agent) – 1 tablespoon
  • Lemon essential oil (adds fragrance) – 2 or 3 drops
  • Orange essential oil (adds fragrance) – 2 or 3 drops
  • Lavender essential oil (adds fragrance) – 2 or 3 drops

Step 1. Combine the ingredients

combine rubbing alcohol and essential oil to reduce body odor

  • Pour 2 tablespoons of water into a container.
  • Pour 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol into it.
  • Add 2 or 3 drops of lavender essential oil.

add lemon and orange essentail oil

  • Add 2 or 3 drops each of orange and lemon essential oils.
  • Mix the ingredients well.

Step 2. Store the DIY deodorant in a spray bottle for convenient use

store the diy deodorant

  • Pour the solution into a small spray bottle with a help of a funnel.
  • Spray the DIY deodorant on the sweat-prone areas of your body to prevent body odor.

Additional Tips

  • If you have delicate skin, use baby cornstarch powder instead of regular cornstarch powder.
  • White vinegar can be used in a similar manner as apple cider vinegar to control body odor.
  • Dilute 1 teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide in 1 cup of water, and wipe it on the sweat-prone areas of your body.
  • For best results, apply antiperspirants before going to bed so that they have a chance to work.
  • Keep your skin clean by taking frequent showers and dry thoroughly afterward. Regular washing flushes out the odor-causing bacteria from the skin.
  • Regular shaving of your armpits and groin area can help prevent excess sweating.
  • Wear clothing made of absorbent material, so the sweat is easily absorbed, and your skin remains dry.
  • If the workout-related odor is your problem, wash your workout clothes more often.
  • Eat healthy and consume a lot of fruits and vegetables. Keep away from stinky foods like onions, garlic or asparagus. Cut down on alcohol and caffeine intake as well.

Summary of How to Get Rid of Body Odor

how to get rid of body odor

Download this infographic.

Share This Infographic On Your Site!

Advertisements