Natural Remedies for Body Odor

Colon Cleanse

Posted by Cal (Calgary, Ab Canada) on 04/08/2010
★★★★★

Body Odor

This is what I have found out from experiences with this embarassing situation that I had to deal with for a long time myself. I've done the ACV and hydrogen peroxide treatments and they do help but only momentarily and have to be applied constantly. A lot of the suggestion are just cover-ups to keep the smell down but does not really cure the problem or get to the root of the cause. The cause I have determined comes from a smelly colon. The stench from the colon backs up in the body and finds release through the sweat glands under the arm. I can bet that most if not everybody who has this problem also has smelly fecal matter. The body has to get rid of these toxins otherwise you could get very sick. I noticed that whenever I did a colon cleanse that my perspiration would have no smell but as soon there was any constipation the smelliness comes back. Therefore the solution is to keep your colon clean, eat foods rich in fibre, drink enough fluids to aid in excretion and your liver in top condition for that plays a very important role in waste disposal. You might need to do a colon and liver cleanse to clean things up and go from there. Epsom salts is a great way of cleaning the entire intestinal system...doesn't taste great but awesome results

Colon Cleanse

Posted by Mary From Minne (Mn) on 08/14/2013

How often can you use the epsom salts to do the colon cleanse?? Is every week too much?? I notice that when I do the colon cleanse I don't smell as bad but if I don't do it the smell comes back. can I make my high blood pressure worse by doing the cleanse every week or so??

Lime

Posted by Lora (Amsterdam, Noord Holland, Netherlands) on 03/21/2010
★★★★★

Hi, first post here, love the site.

Against body odor i use lime under my armpits. Works like a charm and is oh so cheap. i keep half of a lime in a small container in the bathroom and use it maybe three days and than use the other half that i have refrigirated.
My job involves some heavy work and also with workouts nd i would sweat so much, that i couldnt get it out of my clothes, but then i remembered this old, simple remedy and i am sticking to it. It worked for me on the very first day. But some people need to use it for a week, but it is amazing

Maybe lemons will do the trick to, but this is the way that it has been done in my country for ages.

Hope it helps.

Lime

Posted by Naturallyodorfree (The Triangle, North Carolina Usa) on 12/08/2011
★★★★★

Lemon Water Spray Deodorant

Lakewood organic lemon juice from Whole Foods. There are no chemicals, preservatives, or additives. There may be a little pulp at the bottom of the bottle. In an 8-ounce misting spray bottle, fill 3/4 of the bottle with lemon juice and 1/4 of the bottle with tap water. Don't get any of the pulp into the spray bottle; it could clog the spray tube. Shake well and apply 5 pumps* to each clean underarm. I fan my arms for a few seconds before getting dressed, but you don't have to. The citric acid in the lemon juice prevents bacteria and odor from ever forming under your arms. You still perspire, which is good and healthy. The spray has lasted well into the next day for me. The best thing is that I am not allergic to it: no skin tenderness, no itching, no rash.

I had been using baking soda in every possible recipe and ratio as an excellent deodorant, BUT, it created the worst itchy skin rash that left my armpits tender and darkly discolored. Even though it was effective, the discomfort under my arms wasn't worth the continued use.

So after researching other natural deodorants, I discovered that people used sliced lemon as an effective deodorant. I thought rubbing actual fruit would be cumbersome and costly, so I decided to try lemon juice to make a spray. It's truly natural and organic compared to baking soda and it works! Plus, within the first week of me using the lemon water deodorant, the lemon significantly lightened the darkness under my arms that the baking soda caused. My 9-year-old was using a less synthetic deodorant (Lafe's) that contains mineral salts (I wasn't totally crazy about that, even though many people think it's natural), but is now using lemon water spray too, and has had no odor, no sensitivity, and is quite happy with it.

I hope someone here can benefit from it as well. Just remember to use organic lemon juice, NOT the stuff in the plastic lemon-shaped bottle with chemicals in it. Keep the opened lemon juice bottle in the refrigerator until you are ready to refill your deodorant spray bottle.

* 5 pumps may seem like a lot, but it's really not for a sprayer that mists fine droplets. The mist will distribute over your underarm skin more evenly. A sprayer that produces larger droplets won't get good coverage and will have the liquid running down your sides and make the application of the deodorant messy. Good luck and enjoy!

Baking Soda, Essential Oils

Posted by Claudia (Sweden) on 03/05/2010
★★★★★

Here is a remedy that I came up with after a friend shared with me that she used a Salt Toothpaste under her arms instead of deodorant!!! Make a paste of the following:

Baking Soda
a drop or so of castor oil
essential oil of peppermint, and/or cloves
a few drops of witch hazel (non-alcohol type)/you can omit this if you wish

mix together - apply under arms after shower - a small amount works. rub into your armpit as if it were a cream. you should stay odor free all day.

good luck...

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Posted by Granny Laura (Waco, Tx Usa) on 02/03/2010
★★★★★

I used to have severe body odor before I got tested for allergies and saw a doctor for Candida.

I'm talking about showering using betadine to wash under my arms and then using one of the three "industrial strength" deodorants that I rotated daily. I would still smell "soured" under my arms within 2-3 hrs.

It gradually got better after thousands of dollars worth of medical treatment to get my health better.

From what I have learned over the years...it may be caused by candida and toxins in your body. Try washing w/tea tree soap or GSE (diluted, of course). Try to keep carbs down to 40 gm or less a day. Rotate your deodorants, never using the same one 2 days in a row, the bacteria get resistant.

I don't have that problem now but I still have Candida synmptoms if I don't stay on the anti-candida diet. I found that even a couple of drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract help me to not have BO at all.

Oh yes, if your BO is that bad then your breath isn't going to be fresh, either. Bad breath usually comes from poor digestion, I'm in love w/digestive enzymes just now. lol Those and GSE should help.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Pr (Houston, Texas) on 03/04/2010

Hello, it sounds to me like you might have problems with candida (fungus infection) which might be why you have recurring sinus problems. A person can have fungus growing in them for years and not know it because you can't see it. Fungus overgrowth is a killer that is truly deceptive as it quietly grows poisoning your system. We end treating the symptoms of it's poisons with more antibodies which makes it worst. You might want to get your doctor to check you for fungus.

I use Milk of Magnesium for deodorant and Magnesium oil. They both work great for odor under the arms and other areas. But if your odor is from inside especially when you have sinus problems I would check for fungus or bacteria infections.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn Usa) on 03/06/2010

I have tried to avoid using deodorant, but all for naught. The latest rage is to use magnesium oil in lieu of the commercial stuff. That does not work for me. I could not stand myself. Things that contribute to odor are fat and hair. Get rid of what you can.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Teena (Melbourne, Australia) on 01/03/2018 233 posts

Thank you Marie, I just looked it up and found crystal deo ingredient stated ammonium alum. I recall a poster recommending alum found in the spice aisle for mouth sores and Ted responded it was aluminium and therefore toxic. So people trying to avoid aluminium in deodorants are unwittingly using aluminium anyway. I can recommend making your own with a base of coconut oil, many recipes online, or milk of magnesia

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Mama To Many (Middle, Tennessee, USA) on 06/13/2013

Dear Mary, So sorry about this miserable and embarrassing problem! I am already noticing some helpful suggestions being posted for you. I have been thinking about what might work and have a few questions that might help me and others to help you.

Do you have any other health problems?
Do you currently take and medications or supplements?
How long has this been going on?
How is your digestion working? In other words, do you have trouble with constipation or diarrhea?

~Mama to Many~

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Mama To Many (Middle, Tennessee, USA) on 06/13/2013

Mary, I thought of a couple of more questions to add to my last post...

What is your diet like?
What do you drink? (soda, tea, coffee, water, etc?)
Do you have female symptoms? (irregular or heavy cyles, etc.)

Looking forward to hearing from you...

~Mama to Many~

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Brenda (Texas) on 03/04/2017

You do not have to get rid of the smelly clothes. Dip the complete underarm part in ammonia and quickly put it in the washing machine. The ammonia can be slightly diluted with water. You can also add ammonia to your wash cycle but you will still have to dip the underarms of the clothes. You can use a face mask so that you don't have to smell the ammonia. The chlorophyll works for me (liquid or pills). Take it about 30 minutes before your shower, so that it will have time to work.

Lye Soap

Posted by Sandy (Tulsa, Ok) on 01/02/2010
★★★★★

For the past few weeks I have had a terrible body odor. Read on here the other day. A couple of days ago I went to health food store to get a new bottle of ACV. Also picked up a bar of Lye soap. The next morning I decided to use the Lye soap. It worked! No longer have that odor. Washed my clothes and shaved some Lye soap in washer. They no longer smell either!

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Karen (Hongkong, China) on 01/01/2010
★★★★★

I've been embarassed about my BO for 18 years. I tried so many remedies such as diff. brand of deodorants but it doesnt work for me. I tried lemon juice and took a bath three a times a day but still the bad smell doesnt eliminate. I did it everything including washing the clothes thoroughly.. but then there's no improvement! Last month i tried to find a solution for my BO and guess what?! lucky me!i found it already! i've read all the comments and suggestions posted on EC site and have a try. I tried using ACV and baking soda for bathing it was really great for me! NO SOAP! i feel fresh everyday.I drink green tea instead of coffee. i also used green tea to rinse my face! it's all natural beauty tips.I also eliminate taking dairy product..(goodbye cheese lol).On summer i try to use milk of magnesia, zinc oxide ointment and essential oil or coconut oil. Today im very happy to share with you that great things happen to me!goodbye BO! Thanks a lot EARTH CLINIC!!be bless..:)

Milk of Magnesia

Posted by Liv (Boston, Ma) on 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!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Jenny (Perth, Western Australia) on 11/16/2011
★★★☆☆

WORKED TEMPORARILY

Yes, the same for me. It worked really well for around a week and I was stoked! Then it lasted shorter and shorter amounts of time. Back to the deodorant.

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.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Barbara (Morton, IL) on 08/19/2009

Hello-I also use ACV as deordorant except on the days I shave underarms. I do not add anything to my underarms after applying the ACV. After air drying, I get dressed for the day. Your perspiration odor may be due to toxins in your body. You may want to take ACV, baking soda & water as posted by Ted. I have noticed a big change in my body odor since taking it consistently for several months. I usually have to launder my blouses after 1 wearing due to underarm stink. Not so anymore. Now I can wear a blouse 2 or 3 times before laundering. ACV is a great de-toxifier. I also use it as a mouthwash,astrigent on my face, itchy skin, and apply it to remove a mole. Good luck. I hope this helps.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda

Posted by Bce (Bce, Jamwest) on 08/07/2009
★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

TED; I HAVE BEEN TAKING BAKING SODA AND ACV FOR BODY ODOR AND IT WORKS BUT WHEN I WALK IN THE SUN AND START TO SWEAT, MY SWEAT SMELLS LIKE THE VINEGAR OR THE BAKING SODA AND THAT SMELL IS ALSO VERY OFFENSIVE. AS YOU KNOW HOW AWFUL ACV SMELLS AND THE BS SMELLS LIKE ASH. PLEASE HELP ME. IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY ORGANS?

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.

Zinc Oxide Ointment

Posted by Leo (Camrose, Alberta) on 06/07/2009
★★★★★

Zinc Oxide Deodorant: In Dr. Hulda Clark's books, she recommends zinc oxide powder as a deodorant. Over the years it has worked just fine for me. Just place 2 tbs in a small jar and add enough water to make a paste. Smear the past onto your arm pits or groin area. Odour is gone immediately.

There is a bit of residue left on your fingers from smearing it on, but that soon leaves. Or you can use a paint or bingo dauber and not touch the paste with your fingers. If you don't sweat much, the paste will keep you odour free for several days. But it is not antiperspirant, and it washes off quickly in the shower. Zinc oxide can be bought from Self Health Resource Centre in California, and in Canada. It can also be bought in 500 gm sizes direct from Fisher Scientific if you have an account with them. Very inexpensive. Thanks.

Leo
Camrose, Alberta.

Zinc Oxide Ointment

Posted by Sara (The Beach, Canada) on 06/21/2009

not all zinc creams have talc and parabens, i dont know if they will show this but a baby zinc ointment called butt paste, if they block the name look in the baby isle you will find one without that stuff, has no fillers or anything that may harm you. sara

EC: Butt Paste Ingredients:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudreaux's_Butt_Paste

"Boudreaux's Butt Paste is a skin cream used to treat skin ailments such as diaper rash, minor burns, and insect bites. The product has gained notoriety mainly due to its unusual and humorous name.

Ingredients

The combination of ingredients is:

* 16 percent zinc oxide
* a proprietary blend of Peruvian balsam
* citric acid
* castor oil
* mineral oil

Zinc Oxide Ointment

Posted by Driftergal (Arnaudville, La, Usa) on 10/13/2012

I am going through menopause which has caused hot flashes and night sweats. Not just a few but at least hourly. Besides being aggravating it also caused extreme body odor which I have never experienced before. I remembered the "think zinc and don't stink" saying I heard years ago and started taking zinc. I guess I'm inpatient but after 2 weeks or so of taking more than the bottle said I saw no difference. I found this web site and saw where someone had used the zinc mixed with water and put it under their arms and it worked so I tried it. Sure enough it worked immediately. I went to drug emporium and found deodorant cream which has zinc as the third ingredient in it. It's fantastic. Even after having a flash or night sweat I have not smelled the BO.

I'm also experimenting with the ACV with Mother for the hot flashes. So far I have seen a decline in the number and intensity of the flashes. I've been using it for just 2 days so I'm pretty excited about that too. The ACV took my breath away the first time I tried it because I tried taking it plain. I forgot that I read to mix it with water so I now use the 2 TBS with 6 oz water and 4 drops of stevia. It's still not real pleasant but it's worth it to get some relief from the hot flashes.

Rubbing Alcohol

Posted by Dorett (Lima, Ohio) on 06/01/2009
★★★★★

I read in a book that regular rubbing alchohol is good for boby odor. I was fasting and was having problem with odor from all the toxin that was coming out. i tried bathing two to three times a day to help eliminate the odor which only help for a short time. So I decided to try this remedy. This really help, I have been using it ever since. That is the 70% volume. I splash it under my arms after showering.

Brown Deodorant Stone

Posted by Joe (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) on 05/18/2009
★★★★★

Brown deodorant stone cured my body odor. Readers from Malaysia can buy it from some pharmacies in Kuala Lumpur. I have been using it for many years, very effective and made from volcanic deposits - no chemicals.I get my supply from a pharmacy in Sogo complex. Really economical and long lasting effect. On the packing it says 36 hours freshness.Totally different from other white deodorant crystal. Should be able to help many readers rid their bo problem.

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).

Zinc Oxide Ointment

Posted by Sid Davis (Springfield, Missouri, USA) on 04/19/2009
★★★★★

Get a tube of 20% zinc oxide ointment from a drug store or Walmart. After your shower and dry off, smear this on instead of deodorant. My wife and I have used this for many, many years and NEVER have under arm odor. It works better than any deodorant we have ever used. We don't even need it everyday. I use a dab about the size of two green peas under each arm every other day, but you can experiment with the amount and frequency. If you use too much, your pores might get temporarily clogged, so don't over do it. Zinc oxide is the main ingredient in many diaper creams. It simply kills the bacteria which cause underarm odor.

Zinc Oxide Ointment

Posted by Sid Davis (Springfield, Mo) on 06/16/2009

I don't know what to say. It works for my wife and me, and several others on this site have reported it worked for them. As an experiment, try using it every day after your shower for a week and see if it becomes more effective; plus use clean shirts. It has been so long since I started using it that I can't remember how effective it was at first, but I think it worked from day one. One thought that crossed my mind is that there may be some bacterial residue in your shirts, even if they have been laundered, that then start to grow when the moisture from your sweat provides a more favorable environment. Can you tell if the smell is coming from your shirt or your armpit? If the smell is coming from the shirt, try using a little lysol in your washing machine when laundering your shirts to kill the bacteria.

Zinc kills bacteria which would otherwise cause the odor. Killing bacteria is why different commercial deodorants have things like aluminum or alcohol in them. Even baking soda has an anti-bacterial property because of the sodium in it (ever pour salt on a garden slug?).

I don't think there is anything inherently smelly about sweat, but it just allows bacteria to reproduce more effectively. Knock out the bacteria and there should be no odor.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Noelle (Tampa, FL) on 03/22/2009
★★★★★

ACV cured my acid reflux (and made me smell like roses!) ok, maybe not roses, but it definitely stopped any sort of bacterial growth that caused my body odor.

i take acv orally, 2 tablespoons per glass of water, every morning and two hours before bed. i was diagnosed with acid reflux at 12 and took pills off and on but i feel so free. Apple Cider Vinegar freed me naturally!

I also keep the acv in the shower and before i turn on the water i put some music on, pour the acv all over my body (i pour a little in my hand and then rub on my body), dance around for 2 minutes and then spend my shower rinsing, NO SOAP!. after the vinegar smell goes away i towel off and go about my business. every deodorant ive ever tried has let me down, time and time again, but this stuff-i love it! i ride my bicycle 10 miles a day commuting and i sniff and sniff and check and check and nothing-no smell at all, its a beautiful thing. i want to shout from the rooftops! These pharmaceutical companys tell us that we have to use their products, their chemicals- and we dont! we just need to go back to nature.