I’m not sure about you, but I hate BO. You know what BO means, right? *whispers quietly* body odor . . . It’s smelly. It makes you feel like you have to keep taking a shower all the time. Whether you are a stinky onion type or an overall yuck kind of gal, we all have one desire . . . to get rid of body odor!!!
Enough is enough. Soap doesn’t get rid of it, not for long. Deodorant doesn’t get rid of it. It masks the odor and holds in your sweat. What then? What is the answer to stopping the stink?
6 Easy Steps to Letting Go of BO
1. Stop Using Conventional Deodorant
Deodorant is not a solution to sweat or to body odor. The point of deodorant is to keep the consumer coming back for more because it will never alleviate the problem. The first claim of deodorant is that it’s an anti-perspirant. It is not a good thing to block your sweat glands and pores to prevent sweat. Sweat isn’t the problem; sweat is a natural way for your body to cool off. If you are sweating excessively, take a look at step 6 to boost your overall health.
The second way that deodorant works is to mask the smell. Most are scented to hide the smell excreted from the bacteria that grows on your armpit. When your sweat mixes with the bacteria on your armpit, the bacteria will eat your sweat, the bacteria excrete waste on your skin, and you stink. While some deodorants may temporarily kill bacteria, the pH of most deodorants encourage regrowth. What a horrible cycle!
2. Switch to a Natural Deodorant
If I told you right now to stop using deodorant, you would probably stop reading. Thus I suggest that you switch from using a conventional deodorant to using a natural version. If you follow the rest of the steps in this post, you may find yourself without the need for any deodorant. My purpose is to help you to reduce and eliminate the bacteria that cause underarm odor.
- Deodorant Cream by Soap Walla
- Crystal Body Deodorant Stick
- Homemade DIY Deodorant | Scratch Mommy
3. Acidify Your Skin
Did you know that your skin is supposed to have an acidic pH? Our skin has an acid mantle caused by the natural oils that our body produces. This acid mantle is a protection against environmental toxins and foreign bacteria. Unfortunately, many people regularly destroy their acid mantle with conventional soap. If you want your skin to be healthy and free of odoriferous bacteria, you need to restore your acid mantle at least under your armpits (for a start). Use the recipe below to make an armpit rinse that will promote your acid mantle.
- Apple Cider Vinegar and Water (50/50) – I suggest using –> Braggs ACV and water as an armpit rinse. The ACV is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. In addition, adding an acid to your armpits will help to restore your acid mantle! Bye bye stinky bacteria! When you sweat while using the rinse, you will have a slight smell of ACV to your armpits. However, this is a positive. When your sweat reacts with the ACV, it means the bacteria will not be combining with your sweat to promote body odor. As time goes on and you have successfully fought the bacteria, you may be able to use this mixture less often.
4. Stop Using Soap on your Armpits
I’ve mentioned in the last point that you need to restore your acid mantle. Using the ACV rinse will definitely be a start toward its restoration; however, you cannot keep stripping your natural oils and healthy bacteria from your armpits and expect to be odor free. The natural oils under your arms will help fight the bacteria that causes body odor and once you stop using soap you have natural bacteria that live on your skin and will keep away bad bacteria. If you want to completely get rid of the bacteria that cause body odor, then you must stop using soap on your armpits.
Not only does the soap remove all the natural oils and good bacteria, but it also leaves behind a film. The bacteria not only eat the sweat that is excreted from your pores, but it also eats the film left over from your soap. The bacteria are feasting on your sweat and soap and leaving you with a stinky present. What a raw deal!!! Leave the soap behind (at least for your armpits) for two weeks and see how your body changes in response. You probably won’t go back.
Note: Also avoid getting your shampoo on your armpits. This is also alkalinizing and should be avoided.
Need ideas for soap alternatives? Check out my post –> here for great cleansing alternatives to soap.
5. Eliminate the Bacteria or Fungus
Each of the above methods are one step closer to increasing your armpit health and getting you back on track with having a naturally balanced skin pH. However, sometimes we have an all-out infection caused by bacteria or by fungus and these solutions are not sufficient to fight the underlying cause of this body odor. Depending on your particular battle, consider the options below to fight back naturally and give the bacteria or fungus a boot out the door.
- Tea Tree Oil in Coconut Oil – If you have a fungal imbalance resulting in extreme body odor, then you need to restore the balance. Tea Tree (or Melaleuca) Oil is a fantastic natural fungal-balancer as is coconut oil. Use this once or twice a day and you should begin to see an improvement within a week. If you’d like to purchase Tea Tree Oil through Young Living, please check out my post here.
- Yogurt – While you are getting ready to shower, slather some yogurt on your armpits and leave it on for five minutes. The natural bacteria in the yogurt (or kefir) will fight the bacteria and fungus that are on your arms. Kefir is also great at fighting scalp infections!
- Oregano Oil – If your body odor is a symptom of a system-wide infection, consider looking into using diluted Oregano Oil to discourage the growth of fungus or bacteria that is resulting in this symptom. The herb oregano is a strong anti-microbial and anti-fungal. Personally, I do not take Oregano Oil for more than a week in respect of its powerful nature. You will have to decide what is best for your heath. Please read my disclaimer in order to understand that I am not a medical professional, but rather a mother who does her own research and makes her own decisions for her own family.
- Sauerkraut – Give your body a boost of probiotics through sauerkraut. Sauerkraut and other probiotics will help to encourage good bacteria in your body balancing the fungus and the other bacteria that cause body odor. (If you don’t have time to make your own, check out Bubbies Fermented Sauerkraut –> here)
6. Change your Diet
With all of that said, if you are eating like a pig, you are going to smell like a pig. I cannot honestly tell you that you are going to get rid of all body odor if you are eating foods that are horrible for your health and being indiscriminate with your health choices. To smell swell, you must eat well. To smell clean, you must eat clean foods.
- Avoid processed and refined foods
- Avoid foods that contain ingredients you can’t begin to pronounce
- Find foods that are fermented and naturally aged
- Find foods that are grown locally and are not genetically modified
- Avoid foods that contain ingredients that were only recently approved for human consumption
- Find foods that do not advertise how healthy they are, but rather foods that you know to be healthy
- Find foods that are traditionally prepared and processed
My Body Odor Story
Thanks to my mother’s good advice, I began my life with outstanding armpits. I never used conventional deodorants because my mother was concerned about the effect of the aluminum on my health. I’m very thankful that she kept me away from these harsh products! Possibly due to this (and that I never traded clothes with other people), I would never stink. In college, I’d work out, throw on new clothes, and I’d be out the door.
In fact, it wasn’t until years later (oh dear, has it really been YEARS?) that I had my first stinky episode. After being stuck in a moldy hotel room for two months in 2012, I developed a horrendous body odor. I would take a shower and in a few hours, I’d stink. I’d smell like nasty gross onions!!! I moved into a house and out of the holding cell of the hotel room and I HAD to find a solution! I just had to!
I began researching online for natural options to my dreadful condition. Consequently, I came across information on the acid mantle that our body is supposed to have and I came across a natural alternative to soaping up (and alkalinizing) my armpits. Reluctantly, I stopped using soap on my armpits and avoided dripping my shampoo (which at that time I was still using) onto my armpits. I then made up my ACV and water solution as a cleanse. Within two weeks, I was pristine. No more smell! I was delighted.
I have proceeded on my natural skincare journey past my armpits. I’ll leave that for another post. However, after three years, I am now confident enough of my armpits to share it with the world! Use these 6 easy steps and get rid of your body odor for good! Good luck my Boholistic Moms!
Brooke Shambley
THE Boholistic Mom
Resources to Kill the Body Odor
Soap Alternatives | Boholistic Mom
Are You Still Using Soap in the Shower? | Renegade Health
Antiperspirants Can Make You Smell Worse by Altering Armpit Bacteria | Dr. Mercola
Food or Foe | Boholistic Mom
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I am so thankful I came across this thread!! Wow. I have been suffering from this dreadful body odor for the last 6 months that absolutely nothing will cover up. I eat soooo extremely well, take care of my body, live a really toxin free life but I am humiliated. I am intrigued that you mentioned it happened when you lived in a moldy house. I have always suspected our house had mold. Do you believe that was a factor in causing it?
Absolutely. I was one of those super lucky people who had no oniony body odor at all until we moved into the small apartment with the mold issue. The mold definitely threw off my microbiome!
Boholistic Mom,
Thank you so much for your information. I really appreciate it. Your 50/50 mix- do you spray it on and leave it? Do you rinse it off? How many times a day?
Thanks so much!
I normally spray it on and rinse it off before I leave the shower. You may want to do it twice a day at first if you are still experiencing body odor, but eventually it will be less and less necessary. I use the ACV and water to fix things when it gets off, then I end up just rinsing once I am back in balance. All still smells swell when it is in balance!
I just found your post and I am in tears I have anxiety because of my body odor I am 50 years old and am going thru the change of life on top of that I have developed stress sweat in my groin area I have been made fun of by women who then bring it to the attention of male employees and I get pictures of fish left on my desk i have lost jobs because of stress sweat i smell worse when i am on antibiotics I take two three showers a day and i smell but i get up every day and drag myself to work to be made fun of I am not a ugly women but I have become depressed I dont even want to. Go to the store people only come. By me to hold there nose and laugh ,my husband doesnt even aleep with me anymore. please help I am at the point where I just want to hide in a hole I have lost what little bit my self esteem I had left after being I.n A 20 yr mental and physical ex spousal abuse .relationship
I would definitely seek the help of a OBGYN. While it could be sweat related, it could be gynecologically related. A bacterial imbalance can cause a fishy odor. It happens to a lot of people when they are going through the change and dealing with hormone changes.
In addition to getting help from the medical field, try the tips in the post along with ACV and water to cleanse down there.
I have just recently begun to have an odor somewhat like a vinegary sour odor and nothing helps. I have used Tom’s for a long time. This is a body not underarm problem and comes from my skin. Any help. I am in my 70’s. Thanks for any help.
There is a bacteria called propionibacteria that releases propionic acid which smells acidic like vinegar. Diabetes, hormonal changes, and menopause can all disrupt the body’s balance and increase the amount of propionibacteria existent in the sebaceous glands the skin. That being said, the suggestions in my post should still have an impact on helping to balance out these bacteria. Steady, clean diet along with reducing your use of basic cleansers will have a great impact on resetting your skin.
Thanks. Gonna try all above.
hi ..i like your advice but can i use cetaphil cleanser for my armpit to take away the deodorant i have used ..and follow the rest of ur instruction? of go straight to the 50/50 AVC and water ?
I personally avoid cleansers like Cetaphil due to the ingredients. It contains Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, and Parabens, none of which are natural or gentle.
If you want to use a soap to remove dirt or grime, consider trying Dr. Bronner’s soap bars or another basic soap bar with limited ingredients.
The ACV and water should remove residue as it is slightly acidic. Besides occasionally rubbing some Epsom salts on the skin, the armpits need little exfoliation.
Help me with body odour and smelly butts. I have taken medication for vaginosis fo some time now. I see no improvement.
I am not a doctor. So I cannot help you treat medical conditions. However, if you follow the steps in this post including the diet change you should see some improvement with overall body health.
And just so you are aware, most people have smelly butts 😉
I just read your post now, and it’s been two days since i stopped using soap on my armpits, tell you what! The progress is no joke. I slightly had the body odor before, SLIGHTLY, and i mean once in awhile it appears and on the most stressful times(embarrassing also) but it wasn’t idk THAT bad. But i wanted to eliminate it completely so i switched deodorants, traded antiperspirant and used both at the same time + using a lot of soap in my armpits + exfoliated it too much with wash cloth because i thought it could better that way. Yes, it just got worse. Like my paranoia has come true and now people avoid me because of it, i don’t remember my bo being this bad to the point that they would avoid me. Before, I was the only one who could smell it and others can’t.
I’m scared to use the ACV mixture, people here are very sensitive to the smell of vinegar and what if it smells so bad. Quick question, if i stopped using soap and deodorant at the same time, would my armpits still smell?
Did you stopped using the acv and water solution after you got rid of the armpit odor?
Thank you so much for this article. I think i got the armpit odor from a friend (she has body odor problems too). I wore her shirt once and since then, I started to develop the odor. It was 9 years ago. I recently started using natural deodorant last month. Still have that odor though, but less overpowering. The smell only get stronger if i sweat excessively from strenuous activity or the morning before showering. I’d love to know how did you get rid of the stubborn odors from the clothes? Especially on the armpit areas
Vinegar with a little borax should get the stains and remaining deodorant out of the clothes. It could take a few washes to get it out.
I still use it every so often, but I do not have to use it regularly. This method fully reset me back to my sweet smelling self 😉 I know many people never experience a life-before-stink. Hopefully, this post gets people to a place where they can love their armpits again (or for the first time) 😉
I have tried all these methods.. Nothing has worked.. What’s wrong with me?
How long did you try any diets that exclude sugar and processed foods? Also, do you have any medical problem or medicine that you may be taking that might be causing the problem?
For your home, is there any existing mold or mildew that might be keeping your problem existing regardless of treatment?
I know you mentioned being in a room with mold. You treated your armpits but did this affect your hair on your head? I have had some mold issues and can’t seem to get oder from my hair.
Hair can definitely be affected by mold as well. I’ve actually learned that dandruff can be caused by fungal infections in the scalp. There are a few things you can try to help your scalp:
Apple cider vinegar rinse
Coconut oil hair mask (hard to clean out though)
Tea tree
Myrrh
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Colloidal Silver
I hope some of these ideas help! I’m not a doctor, just a mom and amateur herbalist, so be sure to ask a professional for any medical advice if things get worse 😉
Thanks for the quick reply just saw it now. What do u think of waxing. Is there any option that is safe brand or….
I am not sure what chemicals are included in modern day waxing. I’d suspect that you could find some with less chemicals, but I haven’t done any research on waxing. After getting my eyebrows waxed one time and having them take a chunk of skin off . . . let’s just say I haven’t decided to repeat! 😉
I saw the dollar shave club but do you use soap or cream or something to shave armpits with besides a dry razor? Thanks
The companies tell you that you need soap or cream, but that’s mainly because they want to sell their products. If you have a light hand, you can easily just use water and the razor. I’ve been using water to shave for about three years now. No razor burn!
I had underarm odor that would come back 30 minutes after showering. This went on for years. No antiperspirant worked. A year ago I read a comment somewhere about something called Yeast Gard. I ordered it from Walgreens and took everyday for 2 months. My body odor is gone!! I don’t even need a deodorant in the Winter. This has changed my life. I still can’t believe it. I wish I could tell everyone about this!! I believe a bottle of this was only about $11.
Yeast is a big offender for under arm odor. I love hearing about new homeopathic remedies for yeast and odor! This has a lot to do with my advice to watch our diet when it comes to our BO. Diets rich in sugar will feed yeast in the body and cause much more yeasty odor. I’m glad you had success!
Hello Donna,
I am searching for the product you bought. I am only seeing suppositories. Can you please tell me the exact name of the product you bought?
Thank you,
Tracey
Do a quick search for Yeast Guard on Google. Capsules pop up from CVS.
Probiotics are great, but stopping bad habits that encourage bad bacteria is huge for maintaining good body flora.
I’d love to stop using deodorants. I hate that slick gooey, sticky feel and they in them selves stink! I’ve used vinegar, before reading this article, as an in between cleanser between showers and it is refreshing. Like sauerkraut, i will incorporate this in my diet regularly, on the side of my meals like relish or pickles.
Maybe you have a post about this, but wondering what you use to shave your armpits? I have not been using convential deodorant for a few years but still stink. The smell has changed and now is like onions. I just recently started using the ACV even before I read your article. Thanks for all the tips!
I’m not quite bohemian enough to stop shaving my armpits 😉 I do still shave with a regular razor from the Dollar Shave Club (if you want to check it out –> http://shaved.by/dDigt). I don’t notice the razor affecting my skin flora. If I am having any problems, I may stop shaving for a while in order to let my skin recover from razor burn or irritation.
When dealing with smells, I notice that diet has a big part to play. First off, let me dispel a myth. Eating onions rarely makes you smell like onions (except maybe your breath). However, yeast overgrowth, such as Candida, can manifest itself in odors. Have you tried taking a regular probiotic or adding fermented sauerkraut into your diet? Also, if you have just changed your diet and decreased your sugar, the yeast in your body will die off. This can create a temporary smell as your body detoxes. I hope this gives you some ideas!
Resource: https://draxe.com/candida-symptoms/
Thank you. This helped the most and I have tried everything. ACV works for me. Also try Tom’s of main products. Not an advertising. I have used them for decades.
To each his or her own, but I do not recommend the Tom’s of Maine deodorants! A lot of folks I know (including me!) have had horrible side effects from using it…. itchiness, redness, swelling, and foul odor. I thought it was just me until I ran into a friend of mine while I was pondering deodorant, and we had almost identical experiences. Then a lovely salesperson came up to assist and told us ours were very common complaints about Tom’s. Sad!
Thanks for the good tips on natural deodorants, though! Summer is waning very slightly, but it’s always nice to smell pleasant!
[…] Get Rid of Body Odor […]
Ha. You have outstanding armpits. You are one brave girl!
I must have missed your comment. Thanks so much! 😉 It’s just all of the sudden realized that body odor isn’t really a taboo and really large companies that sell all of these products just want us to think that we are all the same stinky people. If everyone has stinky armpits, there’s no hope, right? Instead, if we have a solution, we need to speak out! We need to educate others so they aren’t at the mercy of the deodorant companies and shampoo companies and other companies that rejoice in our ignorance.
Okay. I’ll step off the soapbox now. I get a little excited about these topics 😉