Body Odor
Natural Remedies

Natural Remedies for Body Odor

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.

Milk of Magnesia

19 User Reviews
5 star (18) 
  95%
4 star (1) 
  5%

Posted by Jennywren (Perth, Western Australia) on 06/17/2013
★★★★★

Body/underarm odour. Yeah.

Milk of magnesia has long been used to get rid of body odour. Alas it is no longer available for sale in Australia, but there are aluminum-free deodorants online made with milk of magnesia. It worked a treat for my smelly pits - finally, something that worked!


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Leesa (El Cerrito, Ca, Usa) on 11/14/2012
★★★★★

Milk of Magnesia is AWESOME! I have had an odor problem and tried so many things that did not work. I would start to smell after taking a shower? All I know is the MOM works like a charm for me. I emptied one of my old roll-ons and added MOM and ready to go. Must dry before you put your clothes on. Good Luck. Thanks!


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Back2nature (Washington, Dc) on 07/13/2012
★★★★★

I have struggled with body odor all of my life. I was always the kid that got the "outdoors" smell after playing. I was using Arrid XX-Dry as a pre-teen. Then, I was forced to rotate deodorants and soaps/body wash to tame the BO problem. Arm & Hammer's Naturals line was working for me up until recently when my BO started to rage. I stumbled upon the MOM solution. I'm not sure why it took me years to locate this type.

MOM gets the job done. Here are a few tips to making MOM cure you BO:

1. Thoroughly wash your trouble area(s) with a CLEAN and/or new cloth.

2. Either use a natural soap or home ready that will clean your arms pits (note: a loofa maybe helpful to in eliminating dead skin).

3. Clean your clothes thoroughly. I used Odoban in my rinse cycle to cut the odor and/or bacteria that may have harvested in my clothes.

4. Get a small spray bottle and add MOM. Apply to clean and dry arm pits. Allow to fully air dry before applying on clothes. For those with darker complexions, applying oils after the MOM has dried will eliminate "deodorant" stains on the arm pits.

Now go out and be BO free :-)


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Lon (Stanhope, Nj) on 11/26/2010
★★★★★

I've been having very good luck with Milk of Magnesia, the cheap kind without any other additives. The more expensive brand has bleach or something added to it, which we don't want, so check the label. I dab it under my arms with a piece of gauze.


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Cat (Austin, Tx) on 07/24/2010
★★★★★

MOM (Milk of magnesia) as a deodorant works sooo well! Without reapplying, my armpits stay dry and have NO smell. It is all I ever use now. My unconvinced husband, after much cajoling, decided to try it too. He's my big hairy guy who has rotated so many deodorants. They all worked for a couple of hours then quit. Not so milk of magnesia. It works outstandingly for him and he tested it a couple of days, constantly smelling his armpits. It was hilarious. Now, it is all HE uses as well. Bonus? He's more inclined to listen when I give him natural remedies, particularly when they are as cost effective as MOM. I think this much-needed site is pure genius. Peace out!


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Amber (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) on 02/08/2010
★★★★★

Milk of magnesium works better than deodorant! Just rub it in under your arms, let it dry and away you go. I have used it for a week now and will continue to do so. Even if you work out hard (you'll still sweat) but you wont stink!

Replied by Annrae
(Manassas, Virginia)
08/30/2011
★★★★★

This is a miracle! I still sweat from my hyperhidrosis, but the smell is gone!! Even my feet no longer smell! Milk of Magnesium has saved me so much embarassment I can't believe it. As an added bonus, the skin under my arms is no longer irritated and bumpy-it is smooth just like any other part of my body. Try it-it is the ONLY thing that has worked for me!


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Ann (Charlotte, Nc) on 12/21/2009
★★★★★

Several months ago I started using milk of magnesia for underarm odor. Just rub a little under the arms and let dry before putting on your clothes. It works great - even better than the antiperspirant I had used for years. It doesn't contain harmful aluminum and and the magnesium is good for you.

Replied by Roxanne
(Ny, NY)
07/12/2011
★★★★☆

maxipress I was like you, I was funky since puberty, I was soooo embarassed, nothing worked, so u can imgaine being a teen then and smelling like a damn onion, omg, it was hard to work as a young adult, one time someone sprayed aerisole as I passed by, I wanted to cry but it was not my fault, all fthe soaps deorderants every damn thing did not work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tried and tried and learned to live with the embarassment all these years, Im 42 now, so almost 31 years with this shame, I tried the MOM yesterday, this is only the second day, but no onion smell, could this be real? and it was 90 degrees today, usually I would smell by the time I got to the train, like 10 min walk, I smelled nothing, I hope Im not dreaming, I will post in a few days

Earth Clinic you are God sent, I also had some luck with another ailment too BV and I posted there too, I have to update by this sunday, Im ododr free!!! Thank god!!

Replied by Vidiz
(Manila, Philippines)
09/30/2011

I recently had a bad experience at my workplace awhile back and these guys kept talking in a non-discreet disrespectful way (maybe because they didn't have the guts to tell me I stank). Had a few close friends whom I kept asking if I did smell... Even asked my ex bf if I did and he said I never did. But these 3 guys talked about it and how they made rude and loud remarks, rubbing in my face that I smelled like onions or rotting squid or some degrading adjecive that they could think of... It really made me depressed and think if I really had body odor. I used antiperspirant/deodorant, the same one for 13 yrs... Then one day it stopped working. If I dont use it, I smell kinda musty in the armpit area. In the Philippines, it's mostly 95 F and up ALL YEAR ROUND and people here are so self-conscious about smelling, especially for women like me. I just want to get rid of the stink. I just hope MoM will work for me.

I already tried antiperspirant, didn't last because my underarm sweats a lot (like a lot).

Tried tawas crystals or potassium alloy crystals (powdered and the crystal), worked for awhile but I started stinking again after 2 weeks... Don't know why... Maybe the potency of the crystals?

Tried a local lime (Calamansi juice), put the juice in the underarms but I think when I sweat it worsens... The freshness just smells like vinegar almost hahaha

Latest experiment is to try tea tree oil after showering then putting on MoM... will it be more effective if I use baking soda after I let the MoM dry out?

Please help me regarding this matter.

Thanks for the posts everyone. :)

Replied by Liv
(Boston, Ma)
09/30/2011

Hi, I am sorry to hear about your experience, I have had the same problem and I wonder if it is related to taking vitamins/supplements and the detoxing process, anyway, what has worked for me is to apply zinc oxide paste (very inexpensive and found at most pharmacies) after I shower at night. Then I shower again in the morning and don't apply anything (no zinc oxide, no deodorant, etc. ). I also always make sure that my shirts are worn only once before I wash them since bacteria can stay in them and then, well things get ugly. I don't apply zinc oxide in the morning since I am afraid it may stain my shirt, I hope this helps, good luck!

Replied by Curious
(Kingston, Ny, Usa)
09/30/2011

After showering and scrubbing armpits with soap, apply lemon juice to armpits. Do this right out of the shower after drying off. This seems to stop the odor. I am one who will be stinky if I don't use deodorant even a few hours after a shower, but this works.

Of course you could just try a different deodorant, some just don't work for some people, even if it has in the past.

Hope this helps.

Replied by Maria
(Gippsland, Australia)
09/30/2011

Hi Vidiz, My husband had very bad problem with his body odor so after reading some posts here we stopped using soap in the shower. Soap is now only used to remove excess dirt or grease. Lemon (lime to expensive here) is applied under the armpits and nothing else and this works. At the beginning we would also apply the lemon a few mins before showering as well as it takes a few days of this before the smell becomes normal smell. The only soap we now use is an ayurvedic neem and lavender one with no glycerin and on rare occasions it is used as a shampoo. We also don't use any shampoos (not even the natural ones) and use borax water. Oh and also for the first week he still used the crystal deodorant but not now. To be honest we were surprised at how well this worked. We have now been doing this for about a year. A relative who would occasionally complain about my husbands odor, suggesting he needed to use deodorant (which he was already wearing) now does not complain.

We also had bad candida and now it is nowhere near as bad, so it may be worth doing the spit test to see if it is a problem for you as it can also contribute to odor problems. All the best.

Replied by Johan
(Slidre, Norway)
10/01/2011

Suggestions for body odor- Vidiz you should try magnesium oil. It helps for me.

Replied by Francisca
(Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France)
10/01/2011

Lemon worked very well for me as well and after a while I didn't need to use it as often! But the best thing was Chlorophyl tablets or else Spirulina, Chlorella and Chlorophyl powder. After taking this for a while I never smelled again! Before, even if I took a bath every day I mostly ended the day with bad odor!

Replied by Debbie
(Sterlington, Usa)
10/03/2011

Try mixing cornstarch with baking soda and rubbing it under your arms. A nurse told me about this. It works!

Replied by Jessica
(Chicago, Il)
10/03/2011

If you are having bad odors, you will need to do a really good detox. If your just talking of an alternative for deoderant, this is what I make for my boyfriend: I buy the liquid crystal salt deodorant spray and add 30 drops per 1oz to it of each of the following: patchoulli & cedarwood & sometimes frankinscence. For a female, I use 30 drops patchoulli, 30 drops cedarwood, and 30 drops of jasmine. Both of us get commented on it daily asking where to buy the cologne & perfume! LOL

Replied by Dug
(Virginia Beach, Va)
10/04/2011

To Jessica from Chicago: what kind of liquid crystal deo. spray do you use to mix Patchouli Cedar wood oils? Thai Crystal Spray pump?

Replied by Cientxa
(Indianapolis, Indiana/usa)
12/19/2011

I have ordered something that is being advertised on the internet that is a stainless steel bar-shaped (like soap). I have had the same problem since teens with excessive sweating and mustiness.

I cannot tell you how shocked and surprised I was that this steel "thing" actually stopped odor but in my case my skin became dry and squeaky clean feeling all day! I have been thanking the research and development gods for this discovery. I can't imagine using anything else for body odor ever again.

Replied by Kelly
(Salt Lake City, Utah)
01/19/2012

Hello, I have had the same struggle all of my life and I never thought about doing something different than deoderant until now. I am 33 years old now. I started using natural deoderants when I was 12 but they never really solved the problem so I would use the chemical deoderants and then natural deoderants bouncing back and forth.

I recently started using the crystal deoderant. I noticed that you have to get your underarms perfectly clean in order for it to work. If you wash with soap and (while still in the shower) smell your pits, and have any kind of odor; the crystal will not work.

I tried a mixture of Baking soda and water mixture. 1 TBSP baking soda to 8oz water and used an old shampoo bottle. Make sure you shake before you use. Since Baking soda is alkaline I used a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water to bring the skin PH balance back to 5 to 7 ideally. Use 1 TBSP (ACV) to 8 oz water and use in a spritzer.

According to Home remedies web (ACV) is an effective natural bacteria-fighting agent that contains many vital minerals and trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon and fluorine that are vital for a healthy body.

Once I used this combo; soaping up, rinse. Use the baking soda water, rinse. Then follow up with the ACV and rinse. I was able to get clean pits and then the crystal worked, as long as the crystal has been rinsed, make sure the crystal does not have an odor before you use it.

Now that I have cleaned the problem under my arms I am finding that my clothes are not not getting fully clean when laundered. When I wear a shirt that is not fully clean, all of the above work on getting clean pits is now destroyed. I decided to buy new shirts and start new and now the problem is totally gone.

Hope this helps,

Kelly

Replied by Zheng
(Pasay City, Manila Philippines)
06/10/2012

I am really interested about milk of magnesia... Where can I buy this product?

Replied by Umaga
(Brea, California)
08/17/2012

To Zheng from Pasay City, Manila Philippines.

I tried to look for Milk of Magnesia at the 2 most popular pharmacies in Metro Manila Philippines and they told me that the product was discontinued. Please reply if you did find one. Thank you.

Replied by Ms. A
(Philippines)
04/19/2015

I'm female 26 yrs old I have been battling for b.O for 12 years and counting. I almost try everything from vinegar, lemon, hydrogen peroxide, alum stone and diff kinds of anti antiperspirant deodorant and nothing works. I smell horrible like a onion. others make fun of me and uploded pictures of me on facebook im so ashamed. even if I wash, scrub my underarm pits daily take a bath regularly. and as I put deodorant I still smell. Don't know what to do. but im not losing hope searching every possible solution in the internet. Milk of magnesia have good feedback hope I could find MOM here. or if its available here in the Philippines ...

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
04/19/2015

Ms. A: you live in the Philippines so you should be using coconut oil!! Internally and externally!

Also, check out if there are foods that your body doesn't like. Try going gluten free for a bit, and/or dairy free, and/or sugar free.

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
04/19/2015

Dear Ms. A,

I am so sorry you are dealing with this humiliating problem!

I agree with Mmsg--she is suggesting some internal things to try. I think she is getting at this being an internal problem, and not a cleanliness problem. She has great ideas.

One of my children, when he was about 8, had a terrible odor. He smelled like onions, just as you are saying that you do. I gave him Bentonite Clay, internally every day for a while and that solved the problem. So, daily use of something like that, or activated charcoal powder may be a help to you. You would want to take plenty of water with each. If you are constipated, I would not take either one until you have the resolved. It could make it worse, and if you are constipated, that is likely the problem.

If you can get some liquid Chlorophyll, you could take a couple of teaspoons a couple of times a day.

I would consider eating plenty of fruits and vegetables or drinking fresh juice, like carrot, daily. If you eat processed foods, reduce that as much as possible.

Epsom Salt baths a few times a week may be helpful for detoxification. 1 cup of Epsom salt per warm bath.

These are some ideas to start with.

~Mama to Many~


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Marixpress (Bronx, Ny, USA) on 08/28/2009
★★★★★

I have struggled with underarm odor since puberty and all of my adult life. My problem was so bad that nothing over the counter or prescribed helped me. At the end of the day, I still smelled like an onion processing plant.

I read on a site that milk of magnesia helps so I went out and bought the generic store brand. After a shower, I applied some to a cotton ball and coated my armpit with a thin layer then held my arms over my head until it dried. It did not stop the sweating but the odor was completely gone.

My daily routine now is: shower, douse armpit in alcohol to kill bacteria, after alcohol has dried, shake bottle of liquid milk of magnesia and apply thin coating to armpit simply with my fingers. Instead of blowing on them to dry or waiting around, I use the cool temperature setting on my hair dryer. The whole process takes a couple of minutes. It lasts all day and sometimes even into the next day. Apply daily.

One thing I notice from time to time is the occasional swollen gland under the skin surface. When that happens, I just skip the next day and it goes away on its own. MOM is a miracle.

Replied by Carly
(Seattle, Wa Usa)
07/29/2010

I tried it, and it WORKS! For the past three days I have been outside in high temps doing physical labor and I have had ZERO smell! I keep checking, and am amazed at my lack of B. O. - At first I thought it might be residual effect from the antiperspirant I was using (so effective you can even skip a day was their old ad campaign) - But no, after the second day I should have stunk, and I didn't! I also love that MOM is not chock full of chemicals like the stuff I was using. Anything that gets chemicals out of my life is a good thing. :-) Thanks for posting on this Cat - much appreciation! Carly


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Raquel (West Palm Beach, FL) on 07/23/2009
★★★★★

I also use MOM as a deodorant, can't be without it! I had the idea of adding a few drops of essential oils (lavender and tea tree) for added protection plus I like the "clean" scent.


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Michelle (Chattanooga, Tenn) on 06/15/2009
★★★★★

Milk of Magnesia is the absolute BEST remedy I have used so far for underarm body odor!!! I am becoming an expert in this area having already tried many of the remedies on Earth Clinic the past 6 months: baking soda (caused angry rash), apple cider vinegar (good, but not great), zinc oxide (great but didn't like the petroleum ingredients) and hydrogen peroxide (okay in cool weather, not great in hot weather).

I bought a large bottle of Milk Magnesia at the grocery store and a makeup sponge so I could rinse and reuse it every day. After I shower, I promptly go and shake up the bottle (make sure the lid is on tight otherwise heh heh a white surprise) and then I apply a very generous portion of MM to my cosmetic sponge and apply it to my pits. You can use it right after shaving, no problem... doesn't stain clothes. This one application lasts all day!

Okay, here are the secrets to this remedy. Make sure you use a generous application of the MM, it's far more effective. Make sure to apply it high and low on your armpit, not just in the middle. Better to buy a big bottle because a small one goes quickly. The cosmetic sponge will last longer if you rinse it out with water after use. Otherwise it hardens from the milk of magnesia. Am sure a sea sponge will work just as well.

Try it, you will like it!!

Replied by Ruth
(Hong Kong)
06/20/2009

am from hong kong, am wondering which part of the grocery section to buy milk of magnesia, i don't seem to find out here in Hong kong. can I ask buy it from the drug stores?

i hv tried using the baking soda and it worked!, but the trick is you have to add little water must to dissolve then apply the paste to ur armpit. it dries quickly & wl save u becoming smelly all day. just need to use new clothes everytime. I even asked my daughter to try it, presto, it worked! just learned this from EC. thanks!, but I still want to try the MM. Thanks, am addicted to checking EC everytime, trying to find some cures for other illnesses I could recommend to my friends! Cheers, EC.

Replied by Clarissa
(Tampa, FL)
06/20/2009

Hi to Ruth from Hong Kong! Milk of magnesia is a very popular remedy for constipation here in the states. I would think that you could find it at a big pharmacy in Hong Kong?

Replied by Ts
(Orlando, Florida)
04/28/2011
★★★★★

I have tried several different formulas over the years, suffering from underarm odor since a teen. Clinical deodorants, natural deodorants, salt crystal, tea-tree oil, witch hazel, and NOTHING has worked as well as MOM has. I have only been using it for a week now, but I hope it lasts for me as long as some users have reported. Before, I did not have profuse sweating, but immediately after showering I could notice an odor. Alternatives to aluminum-based deodorants would work for a couple of days, but this is actually going over a week now on MOM and I'm super happy about it.

I find using a small spray bottle works best for application, I purchased mine in the travel/trial-size product area of the local pharmacy. I spray one spray under each arm before bed and after showering, and allow to dry before dressing, and have no trouble with odor now AT ALL. I still sweat mildly, but it's natural for our bodies to eliminate sweat, so I'm not worried about that. It was just the BO and now it's GONE! I highly recommend this to anyone, it's a cheap and effective solution.

Replied by Erin
(Seattle, Wa)
04/29/2011

I have been using a mixture of extra virgin coconut oil and baking soda for months now and rarely have underarm odor, even while playing soccer! Try that too as backup. Hint, small amounts of baking soda, just enough to make the coconut oil slightly grainy, or you might end up with chaffing!


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Karen (Rochester, NY) on 05/03/2009
★★★★★

I use undiluted milk of magnesia with essential oils in place of regular deodorant. I use a few drops of pure lavender oil in a full bottle of MoM, but you can choose whatever scent you like. It is a little messy to apply (I tried using cotton balls) so I put it in a spritz bottle, which gets clogged up quickly, so I went back to using the cotton balls.
I haven't experienced any side effects, and being in a very active job, I have found that one application in the morning is enough for the day and works great. I've been doing this for almost two years.

Tips:
1. Check the labels before you buy - some have other ingredients you wouldn't want like stabilizers, and artificial sweeteners. There is almost always a generic equivalent that is just pure MoM on the shelf next to the other brands.

2. When selecting essential oils - these must also be pure, otherwise you could cause irritations. Since you are using this on a daily basis, stick with the gentle oils like pure lavender. Research your oil choice carefully. For example, citrus based oils, while very uplifting, can cause a person to be hyper sun-sensitive. You could possibly use tea tree essential oil if there is an active infection/overgrowth in the body that would benefit from daily application. In any case, the essential oil should be a high grade oil.

3. Since it is wet when applied, give yourself time before you put a shirt on, especially a dark colored one! It dries quickly, but if you get it on your clothes, you'll see a whitish powdery stain (which washes right out).

Replied by Marixpress
(Bronx, Ny)
08/29/2009
★★★★★

Just use a hair dryer on cool setting and they'll be dry in a quarter of the time :)

p.s. I will NEVER use anything else on my armpits after MOM! It's a dream come true!


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Deirdre (Atlanta, GA) on 03/10/2009
★★★★★

Two warm days in Atlanta, an excellent time to test these body odor remedies! I applied milk of magnesia as mentioned by Bessie for the past few days. Today it reached about 80F and I am sweating up a storm in my office, drinking hot tea all the while. No body odor. I have also applied it before working out last night when it was in the 70s and again, no b.o.

Great remedy, thanks Bessie!

P.S. It does not last through multiple showers. You must reapply each time.


Milk of Magnesia
Posted by Bessie (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 03/08/2009
★★★★★

For underarm odour, I've had good luck with Milk of Magnesia as posted by someone else at Earth Clinic. I just pour a wee bit into my hand and rub it into my armpits. Wait until it dries before putting on your clothes. It worked remarkably well and I've been under a great deal of stress lately. I used the name brand Milk of Magnesia (from the pharmacy) but you could probably use a generic or store brand one. Good luck!

Replied by Anonymous
(Who, Sk)
01/06/2013

ask your doctor for a prescription for hypercare, it is for excessive sweating and it really works!!! Apply it everywhere you have sweat and odor problems read psalms 46:1 love u


Mint Water

Posted by Nishi (Ahmedabad, India) on 12/20/2011

My armpits smell horrible so I read on net that boiling mint leaves and having bath with it works great and can cure body odor and it was a miracle for me but my problem is, for how much time do I have to continue with mint bathing water?? Is there any permanent cure??

Replied by Timh
(Louisville, Usa)
12/21/2011
2043 posts

Nishi, extreme body odor is a sign of TOXIC body. Try some detox cures like Charcoal, Bentonite, Chlorella, colon cleanse, Vit-C, Baking soda/epsom salt hot bath etc.


Mouth Rinse

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by PD (Madsion, NJ) on 10/27/2007
★★★★★

All of a Suden I started having a body odor which led to Underarm odor. I went to walgreens and bought some BreathRx Antibacteial Mouth rinse. I applied it to my arms. Stung like at first because it is combating the bacteria under your arms. I work like a Charm!! I use to wash 3 times a day under my arms now I just wash morning and night. No more odors. The more you use it the less you sting and the better you smell. Keep using it until you feel no Sting. Pray Always that God will heal all problems!!



NEXT 
Advertisement