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What are the causes of the underarm odour?
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How to get rid of the Armpit smell?
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Home remedies for underarm odour?
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Conclusion
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FAQ on ways to prevent underarm odour
While the underarm odour is a common problem that several people have or are still experiencing throughout the world, it is important to keep it in check. This problem becomes more common if you live in humid weather or have strenuous physical activities in your daily routine. Luckily, we will be answering the burning questions of "how to get rid of armpit smell?" or "how to stop sweating underarms naturally?".
Today, we will be discussing various home remedies for smelly armpits and how to get rid of underarm odour permanently after understanding why armpits smell! So let's get right into it, shall we?
What are the causes of underarm odour?

If you are wondering how to get rid of underarm odour permanently, you first need to understand the causes of underarm odour as there can be several reasons. Generally, we associate the underarm odour with sweat, but sweat is an odourless liquid. The odour is produced when bacteria on your skin break the sweat down.
There are two sweat glands in your body, eccrine glands and apocrine glands. While eccrine glands are present all over your body and produce sweat that evaporates quickly, apocrine glands are present in your armpits and have more hair follicles. The sweat produced from these glands blends with bacteria on the hair to produce a foul smell. Here are some of the reasons why you might have an underarm odour.
Understanding these reasons is important as they will help in finding the answer to the question of how to get rid of underarm odour permanently.
Not Maintaining Proper Hygiene
If you are not maintaining proper hygiene, the presence of bacteria in your body will increase, causing more underarm odour.
Not Shaving
The hair follicles in your underarms can trap sweat, and when the bacteria break down the sweat, it produces a foul odour. It is important to shave your underarms often to decrease the odour.
Food Habits
If you recently observed a change in your body odour, your food habits might be the reason. Food with high amounts of sulphur can increase the odour as it contains ingredients that are not broken down by the body and secreted in sweat, causing body odour.
Alcohol
One of the lesser-known causes of underarm odour is excessive consumption of alcohol. If you drink too much alcohol, your body cannot process it properly, which makes it seep out through the pores and breath, leading to a foul smell.
Apart from these general causes, your underarm odour can also be caused by some medical issues. Some medical conditions that cause underarm odour are:
Diabetes
If you have poorly controlled blood sugar levels, your body might suffer from a condition called ketoacidosis, a condition which causes bad breath and foul body odour.
Overactive Thyroid Gland
If you have an overactive thyroid gland, your body will produce excessive sweat, which will cause your body to develop a smell.
Liver and Kidney Dysfunction
The liver and kidney are two important organs responsible for eliminating toxins from your body. However, dysfunction of these organs can cause your body to produce a strong, foul underarm odour.
These are some of the reasons that you might have body odour. Depending upon these reasons, you can figure out the answer to the question, how to get rid of armpit smell?
How to get rid of the Armpit smell?
Now that we know the main reasons behind armpit smell, the next step is to understand how to stop sweating underarms naturally. Here are some of the common practices that you must follow to get rid of the armpit smell.
- Take regular showers with soap, especially after strenuous activities such as working out or engaging in a sport to get rid of all the sweat and bacteria that cause odour.
- Wearing breathable fabrics such as cotton or linen allows your body to stay cooler and let the sweat evaporate.
- You should shave or wax your armpits to reduce armpit odour significantly, as cleaning is more effective on hairless skin.
- Stress can also cause your body to produce more sweat so try modulating your stress using some anxiety reduction techniques.
- Avoid eating spicy foods, which can also trigger sweat.
- Keep yourself hydrated so that the liver and kidney can pass the toxins through urine instead of sweat.
- Use a deodorant or body mists to mask the armpit odour and give you a fresh and soothing fragrance instead.
If you are looking for a new body mist, we suggest you try Pure Sense Joy Grapefruit Refreshing Body Mist which has a long lasting subtle fruity fragrance that will mask your body odour to make you smell fresh throughout the day. Moreover, like all Pure Sense products, this body mist is also paraben-free, sulphate-free and free from formaldehyde, mineral oil or any other carcinogenic compounds.

These are some of the general tips that you should follow to learn how to stop sweating underarms naturally. Now let's take a look at some of the best home remedies for smelly armpits.
Home remedies for underarm odour
There are several home remedies for the underarm odour that you can follow to naturally stop armpit odour. Here are some of the ingredients that are easily found in your kitchen which you can use to prevent armpit odour.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar is an effective solution because of its antibacterial properties.
Ingredients:
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Water
Directions:
- Mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with one and a half cups of water.
- Put it in a spray bottle and spray the mixture on your underarms at night and leave it overnight.
- Rinse it off with lukewarm water in the morning to have odour free underarms.
Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera gel is an excellent antiseptic and skin-soothing ingredient.
Ingredients:
- Aloe Vera Gel
Directions:
- Take freshly extracted aloe vera gel from the plant.
- Apply the gel directly to your underarms for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the gel with lukewarm water.
Potato
Potatoes are naturally absorbent and can absorb excess smell and sweat from your underarms.
Ingredients:
- Potato
Directions:
- Slice a potato into thin slices.
- Rub the slices on your underarm for 30 minutes.
- Rinse with cold water.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree oil is an excellent antiseptic with several medicinal benefits.
Ingredients:
- Tea Tree Oil
- Water
- Baking Soda
Directions:
- Mix two tablespoons of tea tree oil and two tablespoons of water or baking soda.
- Apply the mixture to your underarms.
- Leave it for 15 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.
Baking Soda
Baking soda can help by absorbing your armpit odour
Ingredients:
- Baking Soda
- Lemon Juice
Directions:
- Add two tablespoons of baking soda to one tablespoon of lemon juice to make a paste.
- Apply the paste to your underarms in a circular motion.
- Leave the paste for 10 minutes and wash with water.
Tomato
Tomato is an excellent antibacterial fruit and can help in reducing underarm odour.
Ingredients:
- Tomato
- Lemon Juice
Directions:
- Take freshly extracted tomato juice and add two drops of lemon juice.
- Apply the paste to your underarms for 10 minutes.
- Wash it off with water.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice in itself is an excellent solution to control smelly underarms.
Ingredients:
- Lemon Juice
- Water
Directions:
- Dilute freshly extracted lemon juice with water.
- Apply the solution to your underarms and leave it for 10 mins.
- Rinse the solution with cold water.
Sandalwood Powder
Sandalwood powder is an excellent soothing agent with anti-inflammatory properties.
Ingredients:
- Sandalwood powder
- Water
Directions:
- Mix two tablespoons of sandalwood powder with water to form a thick paste.
- Apply the paste to your underarms and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Rinse the paste with cold water.
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil has a soothing smell and antibacterial properties.
Ingredients:
- Lavender Oil
- Water
Directions:
- Dilute lavender oil with water.
- Put it in a spray bottle and spray the mixture on your underarms at night and leave it overnight.
- Rinse it off with lukewarm water in the morning to have odour free underarms.
These are some of the most effective home remedies for smelly armpits that you can follow easily at your home without purchasing any specific product. However, by using a body mist, you can enhance the effect by always smelling fresh.
Conclusion
Smelling good is an important thing because it leaves a good impression on other people and boosts your self-confidence. However, if none of these remedies is working for you, you should consult a skin specialist to find the root cause and find a permanent solution.
FAQ on ways to prevent underarm odour
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Why do armpits smell?
It is a common misconception that sweat smells. However, armpit odour happens when the bacteria present on your skin break down the sweat to cause a foul smell. Moreover, these bacterias are more common in areas with more hair, such as armpits which is why they tend to smell worse than the rest of the body.
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How to stop sweating underarms naturally?
There are several things that you can do to avoid armpit odour. For instance, taking regular showers with soap, shaving or waxing armpit hair, wearing breathable fabrics, using a deodorant or antiperspirant, staying hydrated, avoiding spicy and sulphur-rich food, etc. Moreover, excessive alcohol consumption can also make your sweat smell.
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What are the home remedies for underarm odour?
Luckily, there are several ingredients commonly found in your kitchen that you can use as home remedies for underarm odour. Some of the most effective home remedies include ingredients such as lemon juice, baking soda, potato, tomato juice, tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, etc.