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Underarm odour is quite necessarily enough to put you in an awkward situation altogether. There could be a wide range of reasons behind the same. But, did you know about the home remedies for underarm odour?
The sweat stained dress along with the pungent odour that you are sporting is enough to drive people. That is most possibly the last thing you want to experience, right?
In here, we are going to be talking about the varying kinds of remedies for underarm odour. If you have been embarrassed way too many times, we have got your back this time around.
What Causes Underarm Odour?
Underarm odour is common and every other person experiences it. But, have you ever wondered what it is that is making your underarms smell so much?
If you didn’t know, it is the apocrine glands in our body which is responsible for the prevalent body odour, including underarm odour as well.
These glands are what are responsible for the secretion of milk in the breasts and earwax in the ears but are also often responsible for secretion of sweat in the underarms, genital and nipples as well.
The sweat that is produced by these glands is what ends up producing the odour that we often times complain about.
If you are here wondering why the sweat smells and has a distinct odour, it could be because of the bacterial interaction which ends up breaking down the protein particles in the sweat.
Apart from the bacterial interaction contributing to the induction of the foul smell in the armpits and the intimate areas in the body, it is also often witnessed in some of the other cases as well.
Some of the other possible causes behind smelly armpits could be:
- Fish odor syndrome
- Precocious puberty
- Unhealthy diet containing smelly foods
- Diabetes
- Hyperhidrosis
- Wearing synthetic clothing
Home Remedies For Underarm Odour
When it comes to answering how to get rid of underarm odour permanently, the process is actually quite effective. Instead of just relying on the deodorants and perfumes which pan out to be harmful for the body, it is best to stick to something that will actually prove to be quite beneficial for the body and won’t inflict any form of negative impacts on the body.
Some of the best remedy for underarm odour includes:
1. Apple Cider Vinegar for Underarm odour
Apple Cider Vinegar is known around for its effective antimicrobial properties (R) which are what plays out to be beneficial to get rid of smelly armpits.
Not just that, the mild acidic properties of the apple cider vinegar further helps in neutralizing the odour causing bacteria in the armpits.
How to use?
- In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water
- Dilute it and then dip a cotton pad into it
- Apply this on the armpit and let it dry out
- Wash it off with some normal water
How often?
- Once every other day
2. Aloe Vera for Underarm Odour
Aloe vera is yet another one of the effective home remedies for underarm odour. The combination of the antimicrobial (R) and the moisturizing properties of this help in battling off the unwanted presence of the bacteria in the underarms.
The topical application of the aloe vera helps in fighting off signs of underarm odour by warding off the bacteria.
Not just that, even the consumption of the aloe vera juice has been found to be quite beneficial in detoxifying your body from within, mainly because of the presence of the amazing antioxidants (R) in them.
How to use?
- Firstly, you can drink 1/4th cup of aloe vera juice in the morning
- Alternatively, for topical application, you can apply the aloe vera gel or pulp on the underarms and leave it overnight and then wash off in the morning
How often?
- Every other day (for the topical application) and daily (for the consumption)
3. Iodine
One of the main causes of smelly underarms is because of the lack of pH balance.
Iodine is very effective in not just restoring the pH balance in the underarms but also helping in sterilizing (R) the area to ensure that there is no further bacterial growth and proliferation whatsoever.
How to use?
- Using a dropper, pour out a few drops of iodine on your underarms
- Following that, use a brush to rub it on your underarms
- Leave it on for 3-4 minutes
- Wash it off with some water
- Take a shower after that
How often?
- Once every day
4. Baking Soda for Underarm Odour
Much like the iodine, the application of baking soda also helps in neutralizing the imbalanced pH which is often the primary reason behind the underarm odour.
The application of baking soda to treat smelly armpits is actually quite effective. It not just helps balance the pH but also contributes to getting rid of the bacterial outgrowth in the underarms.
How to use?
- In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of baking soda
- To that, add some water to make a smooth paste
- Apply this paste on the armpits and rub it in for 1-2 minutes
- Once done, let it sit for 5 minutes
- Rinse it off with some water
How often?
- Every other day
Read: 20 Best Beauty Benefits Of Baking Soda
5. Lemon for Underarm Odour
Yet another one of the effective remedies for armpit odour is lemon.
Not only is lemon highly acidic, it is also known around for its amazing antibacterial properties which come in handy to get rid of the bacterial infestation in the armpit that’s causing the odour.
The combination of the two works around to reduce down the pH of the area which ensures bactericidal (R) impacts on ones causing the foul smell.
How to use?
- Cut one lemon in half
- Take one half and rub it on your underarms
- Leave the juice to seep into the skin and leave it on for 5-10 minutes
- Once done, using a wet flannel, remove the excess from the underarms
How often?
- Once daily
Read: 9 Benefits Of Lemon Water Before Bed That You Didn’t Know Of
6. Hydrogen Peroxide for Underarm Odour
Hydrogen peroxide is actually an amazing treatment for underarm odour.
The beneficial antiseptic properties of it are what help in getting rid of the bacterial growth that is responsible for imparting the smell.
How to use?
- In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of 3% of hydrogen peroxide
- To that, add 1 cup of water to dilute it out
- Using cotton, apply the solution on the armpits and wipe it with them
- Once done, using a clean cotton or cloth, clean off the remnant hydrogen peroxide from the armpits
How often?
- 2-3 times in a week
7. Garlic for Underarm Odour
Garlic is yet another one of the home remedies for underarm smell. It might seem a bit confusing because, “Doesn’t Garlic smells itself?”
While that might be a possible reasoning behind the same, it has been witnessed time and time that the effective antimicrobial properties of this is quite beneficial in stopping the bacterial growth underarm to stop proliferating.
Allicin, which the active compound in the garlic helps in preventing bacteria growth (R) and helps in removing any traces of foul smell from the armpit.
How to use?
- Consuming garlic cloves everyday can help in cleansing the body
How often?
- Once every day
8. Potato for Underarm Odour
The usage of potatoes is also quite beneficial to treat smelly armpits.
If you are wondering how potatoes help in that, it is mainly because of the combination of the pH lowering properties and the mild antimicrobial properties (R) which contribute to the same.
How to use?
- Wash a potato thoroughly
- Cut some 1 inch thick slices of the potato
- Rub the potato slice on the underarms
- Let the potato juice dry and leave it on
- If you find itching, it is best to wash it off immediately
How often?
- Every other day
Read: 28 Health Benefits Of Potato Juice for Better Well Being
9. Witch Hazel
Yet another one of the effective ways to treat smelly armpits is with witch hazel.
One of the most common reasons why witch hazel works is because of the fact that it is a natural antiperspirant.
It regulates the rate of sweating and also helps in preventing the growth of bacteria which contributes to the foul smell.
How to use?
- In a bowl, add ½ cup of water and add a few drops of witch hazel to it
- Mix it and with a cotton ball, apply it on the underarms
- Leave it on but if it stings, wash it off with some water
How often?
- 3-4 times in a week
10. Activated Charcoal for Underarm Odour
Yet another one of the effective remedies for underarm odour is the application of activated charcoal.
The amazing absorbing properties of the activated charcoal helps in getting rid of all the unwanted bacteria from the underarms and aiding in cleaning out the issues that could be contributing to the treatment for underarm odour.
It gets rid of the bacteria and perishes them effectively. This helps get rid of the underarm odour effectively.
How to use?
- In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of activated charcoal powder
- To that, add 1 tablespoon of water to make a smooth paste of it
- Using a brush, apply it on the underarms and let it dry
- Leave it on for 10-15 minutes
- Once it’s dried, rinse it off with water and pat dry with a towel
How often?
- 2-3 times every week
11. Coconut Oil for Underarm Odour
Coconut oil is an amazing remedy for smelly underarms.
The combination of the moisturizing as well as the effective antimicrobial properties (R)(R) helps contribute to the killing of the bacteria in the underarms.
It might seem like how would it even be effective in the long run, but the consistent application of it is actually quite beneficial in preventing the onset of underarm odour in the long run.
How to us?
- Take some coconut oil in your fingers and apply it on your underarms
- Let it seep into the skin and let it moisturize your skin from within
How often?
- Once every day
12. Castor Oil for Underarm Odour
Castor Oil is actually a very effective way to get rid of smelly armpits. If you have been wondering how to do so, there are a number of ways.
The main reason how it gets rid of the underarm odour is mainly because of the potent antibacterial properties it has. It helps in getting rid of the unwanted bacterial growth which is often the primary reason behind the problem in the first place.
How to use?
- Pour a few drops of castor oil onto your palm
- Apply the same on your underarms and massage it into the skin
- Leave it on overnight and then wash it off the next morning
How often?
- Every night
13. Boric Acid for Underarm Odour
Boric acid is yet another amazing one of the home remedies for underarm odour. Much like baking soda, even this has beneficial pH balancing properties.
With a lowered pH, it becomes hard for the bacteria to survive, so they are either killed or sent into an inactive state.
In general, it does help in getting rid of the odour on multiple usage.
How to use?
- After shower, dry yourself completely
- Take some boric acid powder in your palm and dust your underarms with it
- If it starts itching or burning, wash it off immediately
How often?
- Every day
14. Epsom Salt for Underarm odour
Epsom salt is yet another amazing remedy to get rid of underarm odour effectively.
The constituent of magnesium sulfate is what helps in getting rid of the bacterial growth in the underarms. It also helps in restoring the pH of the underarms which further helps in getting rid of the foul smell from the underarms.
How to use?
- Fill up your bathtub with warm water
- Add half a cup of Epsom salt to the water and let it dissolve completely
- Soak yourself in it for 10-15 minutes and then rinse off under the shower
How often?
- Once every other day
Read: 12 Benefits Of Epsom Salt Bath You Didn’t Know About
15. Essential Oils for Underarm odour
Essential oils are actually quite effective in not just imparting better smell to mask the foul smell of the underarms but they have bactericidal properties as well.
Lavender oil is one of the most commonly used essential oils for the treatment for underarm odour. Not only does it has a beautiful smell, it also has beneficial antimicrobial (R) (R) properties which further helps in getting rid of the smell altogether.
How to use?
- Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to any carrier oil
- Apply the same on your underarms and massage it into the skin
- Leave it on overnight
- Wash it off the next morning
How often?
- Every night
How To Prevent Smelly Armpits?
Now that we have more or less discussed about the various home remedies for underarm odour, it is time we discuss about the various preventive measures for the same.
Some of the effective measures include:
- Antiperspirants work like magic when it comes to minimizing your sweating, so that is something you can opt for.
- More amount of armpit hair tends to trap the sweat which can be prevented if you shave every now and then
- Stick to wearing flowy and breathable fabrics that won’t make you sweat unnecessarily
- If you have persistent complaints with the armpit odour, it is always best to ensure that you avoid eating foods that would cause to make the condition even worse
- Keep yourself refreshed at all times
When it comes to the home remedies for underarm odour, they are not only effective but impose little to no side effect. If you have been actively seeking better ways to get rid of this issue, opting for the home remedies can actually help in the long run.
