20 Home Remedies for Bad Body Odor

Body odor is natural and you may have heard your partner commenting, "I really like the natural smell of your body"! But your experience may turn bitter if your partner senses some unpleasantness in your body odor! And just think from a bigger point of view! Being the source and the carrier of an unpleasant body odor can damage your reputation in a social circle! People who know about their body odor issues tend to stay "cut-off" from their social circles. And there are many others who show a "damn caring" attitude and prefer to move around boldly with foul smelling armpits!

Spraying deodorants is a way to fight body odor, but you may need to rethink about the use of such products on account of several complaints like itching, allergy and skin discoloration. The best cures are offered by the Nature and they are available right at your home. The top ones include:

1. Clean With Water and Soap: The best way to prevent body odor is to wash away sweat and bacteria. Clean the underarm and groin area with water and soap, preferably with antibacterial or deodorant soap, for at least once a day and more often, if necessary.
2. Wear Clean Clothing: Wear clean clothing, socks and underwear every day. If you sweat a lot, wear clothing made of cotton, linen­ or other natural material, which helps in absorbing sweat while facilitating airflow.
3. Use Alum: Use alum instead of antiperspirants. Frequent use of antiperspirants can clog sweat glands.
4. Rinse With Honey: After your bath, add a tablespoon of honey to tepid water for the final rinse. This will help keep body odor in check.
5. Drink Water With Wheat Grass: To prevent body odor, drink a glass of water in the morning, in an empty stomach, along with 500 mg wheat grass. The chlorophyll present in the grass will help in reducing body odor.
6. Use Baking Soda for Odor Neutralization: Carry baking soda with you to help neutralize the odor on contact. A small packet of baking soda can be applied to the underarm area to help absorb offensive perspiration. Sprinkle a little under your arms or mix with a little cornstarch for even more sweat-absorbing action.
7. Rinse Armpits With Alcohol Added to Water: While bathing, add alcohol or white vinegar to a mug of water and use it to rinse the armpits. This will definitely help in lessening the body odor.
8. Take a Bath in Rosewater: One of the simple home remedies for body odor is to put a few drops of rose water in the bathtub, before taking bath. It will give you a long lasting freshness and serve as a good substitute for deodorant.
9. Use Apple Cider Vinegar: To reduce the pH of the skin and eliminate armpit odor, you can use apple cider vinegar instead of deodorant. Put it in a mug of water and use it to rinse the armpits, while taking a bath.
10. Use a Homemade Deodorant: Prepare a homemade deodorant with the juice of about two dozen radishes and 1/4 teaspoon of glycerin. Mix the liquids well and pour into a spray-top bottle. Spray this in the armpits to fight body odor. Remember to store it in fridge.
11. Pour Tomato Juice in Your Bathtub: Dousing yourself in tomato juice may be able to reduce severe body odor. Place a few cups of tomato juice in your bathtub, then fill the rest of the tub with water. Soak in the mixture for 15 minutes to remove body odor from the skin.
12. Use Essential Oils as Natural Deodorants: Prepare a deodorant naturally by adding some drops of your favorite essential oil in 1 cup of water. You can then use it by transferring it into a spray bottle. Some popular choices include the smells of mint, orange, grapefruit and rosemary. These scents are strong enough to fight your underarm odor. 
13. Wash Underarms With Hydrogen Peroxide: Mix a solution of 1 tsp of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with an 8 ounce glass of water. Combine and use the solution to wash the underarms several times daily. The hydrogen peroxide is drying and hence, it is an effective way to control sweating and to neutralize odor. If the solution doesn't seem to be working, increase the hydrogen peroxide by a teaspoon and try again.
14. Apply a Mixture of Gram Flour and Curd: Applying the paste of gram flour (Besan) mixed with curd on the whole body before bath cleans and opens the pores which helps in removing bad body odor.
15. Apply a Mixture of Powdered Bael Leaves With Soap Nut: Bael leaves dried and powdered and mixed with Shikakai (Soap nut) can be used for taking bath instead of soap. It helps to overcome bad body odor.
16. Apply a Mixture of Ground Betel Leaves and Gooseberry: Betel (pan) leaves ground with equal quantity of gooseberry (amla), when applied on the body before taking bath cures bad body odor.
17. Apply Tamarind Leaves Ground with Banana Tree Root: Tamarind (imli) leaves ground with banana tree root and applied on the body before taking bath also helps to overcome bad body odor.
18. Add Mint Water to Your Bath Water: Boil mint leaves and add the water to your bath water. Keep some aside for a special dousing for your armpits and the area between the thighs.
19. Use Tea-Tee Oil Natural Body Sprays: Mix two drops of the tea tree oil (essential oil) and one ounce of water. Pour this in a spray-top bottle and use as a deodorant. Since tea tree is an antibacterial herb, it would act favorably in preventing body odor.
20. Apply Turnip Juice: Turnip juice is also effective in preventing body odor. Grate a turnip and squeeze the grated pieces to extract the juice. Apply this juice on your underarms.

The Dietary Considerations

• Eat a wholesome diet containing whole grains, leafy greens, fruits, soy products, sprouts and raw nuts.
• The food that we eat has a direct effect on our body odor. Processed food items like refined sugar, hydrogenated oils and white flour may cause body odor and so you need to avoid them as much as you can. You should also stay away from red meat because it gives out certain toxic substances into the blood stream. Avoid foods which have low fiber contents. Refrain from consuming alcohol, cumin, caffeine and garlic.
• Drinking plenty of water will also ensure that you smell fresh and sweet.
• Drinking carrot juice everyday with aniseed (saunf) or even mint leaves (pudina) helps to overcome bad body odor.
• After eating radish, eat jaggery and aniseed or dhania or even mint leaves (pudina) to overcome bad odor.
• Include turnip or its juice in your diet.

You have no right to disturb others with your body odor while traveling in a bus or metro-rail! Just imagine how the crowd around you will feel when you lift your arms to hold a hanging support! Deodorants available in the market may irritate your skin and hence, opting for the natural ones is the best remedy. When you lift raise your arms the next time, make sure that you raise them with confidence!