Simple Hacks To Stop Body Odor

1. Wash twice a day

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It sounds obvious but it is incredibly important to wash twice a day if you want to combat bad body odor.  This is because washing twice a day removes pollutants and irritants from our skin.  And it's important to mention that, yes, there are even indoor pollutants and oils on your bedding!

2. Use antibacterial soap

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Antibacterial soaps contain useful chemicals that aren't found in regular soap.  And they're useful because antibacterial soap gets rid of bacteria!  Body odor is caused by bacteria mixing with sweat, and by reducing bacteria on your skin in the first place can help to combat odor.

3. Dry yourself thoroughly

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It sounds simple, but, after washing, it's important that you dry yourself thoroughly, particularly toweling off those areas of your body that sweat a lot!  Being dry makes it much much harder for the bacteria that cause body odor to grow on your skin.

4. Shave your armpits

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A study once found that armpits that have had their hair removed had significantly reduced body odor than armpits with hair.  Removing the hair from under the armpits can therefore reduce the amount of trapped odor.  So shave those pits to beat the B.O.

5. Use deodorant

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Deodorants are useful for covering up body odor with fragrances that are pleasing to the nose.  And it's a good temporary solution if you're caught out.  But they are not going to be as effective as antiperspirant deodorants.  This is because antiperspirants do a bucketload more than just covering the odor.

6. Apply antiperspirant

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Antiperspirant deodorants work by temporarily blocking the pores where the sweat comes from.  And because it's a temporary effect, you should regularly reapply it to your underarms.  It is also effective at fighting body odor is you apply it before bed to reduce sweating as you sleep.

7. Change your clothes

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It's important that you also regularly change your clothes, particularly because body odor can be transferred to your clothes.  So even if your body is clean and B.O. free, your clothes aren't and the odor is still there.  And bacteria from your clothes can be transferred to your body and cause even more odor.

8. Wash your clothes

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Don't just change your clothes, you've got to wash them regularly too, along with your bedding.  This removes any bacteria and unpleasant odors and also protects your own physical health.  Washing with good quality detergents is good, but they don't always get strong smells out so a solution of vinegar and baking soda works wonders!

9. Wear antimicrobial socks

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We can't discuss body odor without mentioning socks... You're probably very aware that socks can smell bad.  But if you wear antimicrobial socks, you can rest assured that they help to prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause very unpleasant-smelling socks and feet!

10. Cut back on certain foods

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Whatever you put into your body has an effect on it, and this is true for the way your body smells.  Many foods, like cabbage and broccoli, contain sulfur, and sulfur smells like rotten eggs.  If you eat sulfur-rich foods, your sweat might smell more unpleasant than usual.

11. Onions and garlic might not help

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Onions and garlic have their own distinctive and very strong smells and they are also very very high in sulfuric acid.  And although they also have many health benefits, they can, unfortunately, cause stronger and possibly more unpleasant body odor.

12. Think twice about spicy foods

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Spicy foods like hot peppers certainly crank up the heat and make you sweat more.  And a lot more sweat usually means a lot more body odor!  And those distinctive and very strong-smelling spices, like cumin, do have the habit of appearing in your body odor.

13. Reduce your alcohol consumption

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Of all of the things we consume, alcohol is also a big trigger for unpleasant body odor.  And this is because when your body detoxifies excess alcohol, this causes you to sweat more, and as you expel toxins, this can cause quite a strong body odor.

14. Cut down the caffeine

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Another thing to avoid, or reduce your intake of, is caffeine.  Stimulants, like coffee, tea, and energy drinks, cause your apocrine sweat glands to work harder and faster.  And an increase in activity in these glands causes you to sweat more.  So it might be an idea to try decaf in the future!

15. Shower after exercising

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We sweat a lot more when we exercise.  And that sweat on its own is completely odorless.  But sweating more creates the perfect moist environment for B.O. causing bacteria to breed.  This is why it's so important to shower and dry off after exercise.

16. Try to keep yourself cool

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It's quite obvious, but when we are hot, we sweat.  It's one of our body's amazing ways to cool us down.  So to fight body odor, you need to stay cool and work to prevent yourself from getting too hot.  Stay in the shade, open the windows, eat ice cream - do whatever you can to keep cool.

17. Find ways to reduce your stress levels

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It has been said that your underarms produce and secrete about 30 times more sweat when you're under stress than when you aren't.  And interestingly, the sweat is different than usual because it's thicker and has more lipids and proteins.  Stress has a huge impact on your body so it's important to try to find different ways to reduce those stress levels.

18. Wear loose-fitting clothing made of cotton

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Natural fibers in our clothing, like cotton and bamboo, are breathable and nice and breezy and they don't hold on to odor as much as synthetic fibers do.  And because these fabrics are breathable, they let moisture escape from the skin.  So they're a good choice when picking your outfit!

19. Baking soda

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Baking soda is a wonder ingredient for lots of things.  And it can also help with body odor.  One source states that if you apply a paste made from a mixture of water and a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to your underarms, you can stave off sweat and B.O. for longer.  But make sure your underarms are completely dry before getting dressed!

20. Green tea

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Green tea is well-known for its detoxifying properties and it does this by helping with the production of glutathione: an antioxidant that removes toxins from your body.  The idea is that if you drink green tea, you are removing toxins from your system, and the fewer toxins you have, the better your body will smell.

21. Lemon juice

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Lemons are a common ingredient in many home remedies, and it's true that they help with body odor as well!  One recommendation states that if you rub one-half of a lemon on your underarms, the acid content will reduce the pH content in your skin making it impossible for bacteria to grow.

22. Apple cider vinegar

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Like lemons, apple cider vinegar is also very acidic and has the ability to reduce those pH levels on the skin.  But because of its acidity levels, it's important to be careful if you've just shaved or you have cuts under your arms as it would be very stingy!  Ouch!

23. Witch hazel

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Applying a bit of witch hazel to your skin, particularly to your underarms or feet, is also said to work its magic in combatting body odor.  It does the same thing as lemons and apple cider vinegar in reducing pH levels and making the skin uninhabitable by bacteria.

24. Get checked out by the doctor

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Sometimes, unpleasant-smelling sweat can be a symptom of a health concern, such as an infection or an underlying condition like diabetes.  If it's severe, there is also a disorder that stops the body from breaking down the chemical trimethylamine, found in soy and egg yolks, called Trimethylaminuria and this can cause a strong odor similar to rotting fish.

25. Botox injections can help

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In severe cases of excessive sweating, it might be recommended by a health professional that you get Botox injections.  These will block the sweat glands from secreting sweat and will only ever be recommended if other treatments have proven to be unsuccessful.

26. Sometimes medication is prescribed

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If you've been diagnosed with hyperhidrosis

, the condition that causes you to sweat excessively, a health professional may prescribe medication to help you to manage your sweating.  There are different medications for this condition and your doctor will prescribe the best one that will be most effective for you.

27. For severe cases, surgery is an option

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In severe cases of hyperhidrosis, surgery might be an option.  This surgical procedure is called endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy which involves using special equipment to cut nerves related to sweat production.  There are also procedures that remove sweat glands.

28. Combat the body odor with electromagnetic waves

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There is a non-invasive procedure where a handheld device that emits electromagnetic waves is used.  This device is placed in a precise location, like under the arms, and is used to actually remove the sweat glands from that area and therefore stopping the sweat from being produced.

29. Antibiotics sometimes work

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It's true that medication can make your sweat more pungent and unpleasant, but despite this, antibiotics, whether they're topical or oral, do actually have the ability to reduce the number of bacteria on the skin.  And therefore, reduce the risk of bad body odor.

30.  Understand how your body works

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There are many hacks that you can try to help to reduce your body odor, and they might work for you.  But it's important that they're not going to work for everyone.  And the thing is, your body odor could be caused by an underlying condition, the food you eat, medication, or infection, so it's important that you stay tuned into your body, monitor your food intake, and get checked out if you notice any changes in your body odor.

31. Check you're not just being paranoid

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This might sound silly, but when you've acknowledged that you have a body odor problem, you can start to get pretty paranoid about it, and it may be that you're even overthinking it. It's always worth asking your partner, friend or family member whether you smell - because they might say they can't smell anything!

32. Don't forget to wash your groin twice a day, too!

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The groin is just as important to keep fresh and washed - and twice a day at that - as your armpits and the other places you feel sweaty. The groin area can easily trap odor and sweat, so if you're not keeping this clean, this could be contributing to your smell, too!

33. Try wearing silk

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Natural cotton is a great material to wear if you want to avoid strong smells on your skin, but silk is also another great option - and it can be a good one if you want a lighter material in hot weather, or maybe even something more 'formal' for when you want to go out.

34. Ventilate your body as much as possible

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We know this might be tricky in colder weather, but do your best to get baggier sweaters and t-shirts if you need to wear them. In warmer weather, make sure to keep your skin showed off and ventilated so that you're keeping yourself refreshed as much as possible!

35. Make sure to dress for the weather

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You're going to be increasing the risk of sweating and body odor if you're wearing too much in hot weather, or even cold weather. Cold sweats exist too and this can leave you feeling smelly as well. Make sure that you're checking the weather before you go anyway, so you're not risking wearing something too thick when it ends up being hot outside!

36. Don't wear underwear if you don't have to

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For women who have to wear a bra in hot weather, this can make it very difficult to not get all hot and sweaty under your boobs, and that of course can result in feeling icky as well as a smell. It might help, if you're able, to ditch the underwear and wear loose fit clothing.

37. Double check your fabrics are actually what they say they are!

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You might be buying organic cotton and silk with good intentions, but a lot of the time - depending on the brand and price tag - it might take an extra read of the care label to double check the fabric is actually what it says it is! It might be 'cotton' only a small percentage.

38. Switch to silk bedsheets

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People who have problems with sweating and body odor can often have A LOT of issues when they're trying to sleep, like being too hot or finding they're very sweaty when they wake up first thing. Silk bedsheets can be a great switch to make if you're looking to be more comfortable during the night.

39. And get rid of any heavy blankets you don't need

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We get it: it always looks (and feels) more cozy when you have extra blankets piled up on your bed, but if you don't need them, you're only running the risk of being too hot during the night which, of course, can lead to more sweating. So get bed sheets that match your heat needs!

40. You can also get prescription antiperspirant

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If the store-brand deodorants and antiperspirants just aren't working for you, you might need something much stronger, which can only be available if it's prescribed to you by a doctor. But this is definitely possible if you make an appointment and see what your doctor recommends.

41. Or even medicated soaps to help with the problem

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As well as prescribed antiperspirants, you may even be able to get certain medicated soaps that you wouldn't be able to buy over the counter. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a soap for you to use too which can help with sweating and the odor that comes with it!

42. A gentle soap might even be better

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You may also need to take a closer look at the soap you're using if you're not getting one prescribed from your doctor. The soap you're using may be too harsh on your skin or maybe even too strong that might be making odors worse! A gentle soap may be the better option.

43. You can also get sweat shields

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Sweat shields are a great option if you get a lot of visible sweat stains on your clothes, and you're feeling paranoid about it. Once sweat settles in your clothes, it's also more likely for it to cling on and smell worse. So sweat shields can act as a barrier for that so you can feel more comfortable!

44. You might want to lose weight

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If you're overweight, then it's more likely you're going to struggle with overheating, sweating more easily and smelling more. It might help your situation if you lose a little weight and get into a healthier routine so that you can limit excess fat (and therefore excess smell).

45. Switch up your exercise routine

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You're more likely to sweat and smell more if you're exercising during times of the day where you're not able to clean yourself as well afterwards. If you're rushing through the gym on your lunch break then you might not have as much time to clean before you head back to work - so thinking about switching up your routine to give yourself more time to clean.

46. Clean your downstairs thoroughly!

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Of course, body odor doesn't always mean just sweat - of all the places in your body, your genitals (especially for women) can be the smelliest place if you're not taking proper care of it! So if your odor troubles are coming from down there, make sure you're cleaning properly, and with the right products.

47. Invest in a bidet - why not?

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Another great way to keep your downstairs even fresher is having a bidet at home! This will make sure you can always have a very thorough clean after using the bathroom, after sex or even when you just need a general freshen-up. This could help you to eliminate any extra odor!

48. Choose the right shoes

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If your odor is mainly coming from smelly feet, then your shoes as well as your socks are going to make all the difference. You should try to choose shoes with material that helps not to have your feet too stuffy or cramped, and shoes you can easily open up (like open-toed shoes) to keep ventilated.

49. Spray deodorant on your feet, too!

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If you're sick of sweaty feet, you can also spray deodorant onto your feet! You can do this before you pop your socks and shoes on, but you can also carry around a can of deodorant wherever you go to give your feet a top up whenever you feel like they're getting too warm!

50. Just accept it

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We know this is easier said than done, but your odor might not be as bad as you're thinking. Everybody sweats after all and there's nothing to be ashamed of - so if it's something you can just deal with, you could save a lot of money on products if you're not too fussed!