Guide
How to get rid of armpit odor
Armpit odor comes from bacteria, not from sweat. To get rid of it, wash with soap, dry your armpits completely, and use a deodorant that stops the bacteria instead of covering the smell with perfume. Wear clothes that breathe, and give any change about a week.
First, the basics
Sweat doesn’t smell. Bacteria do.
Fresh sweat is mostly water and salt, and it barely smells. Your armpits also have a second kind of sweat gland that makes a thicker sweat. Those glands switch on at puberty, which is why kids don’t get armpit odor and teenagers suddenly do.
Bacteria live on everyone’s skin. In your armpits they feed on that thicker sweat and break it down. What they leave behind is the smell.
So the smell isn’t a sign you’re dirty. It’s a sign the bacteria are busy. Stop them and the smell stops too.
How to get rid of it
Seven steps that work
1. Wash with soap every day. Water alone won’t shift the bacteria. Wash again after a workout.
2. Dry completely. Bacteria love warm, damp skin. Pat your armpits dry before anything else.
3. Put deodorant on clean, dry skin. On top of an old smell or on damp skin, it can’t do its job.
4. Pick a deodorant that stops the bacteria. Perfume only covers the smell for a while. When it fades, the smell is back.
5. Wear clothes that breathe. Cotton, linen or merino against your skin. Polyester holds on to smell.
6. Wash your clothes properly. Turn workout tops inside out and don’t leave sweaty clothes in your gym bag.
7. Trim or shave if you like. Less hair gives bacteria less to hold on to. It helps some people, but it’s up to you.
Still smelly?
Five things that get in the way
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The scent wears off
A deodorant that works with perfume covers the smell. It doesn’t stop what makes it.
How to tellYou smell fresh in the morning and not by the afternoon.
What to doSwitch to a deodorant that stops the bacteria.
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Your clothes hold the smell
Synthetic fabrics trap smell, and a normal wash doesn’t always get it out.
How to tellYour shirt smells as soon as you put it on, or before you do.
What to doWear cotton close to your skin and wash workout clothes inside out.
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You apply on damp skin
Water dilutes the deodorant and gives bacteria the damp spot they like.
How to tellIt smells soon after you put it on.
What to doDry completely first, then apply.
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Stressful days
Nervous sweat comes from the same glands as the thicker sweat bacteria feed on.
How to tellIt’s worse on busy, tense days.
What to doStopping the bacteria still works. The extra sweat has nothing to turn into.
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What you ate
Garlic, onion and strong spices can come out in your sweat for a day or two.
How to tellThe smell shows up the day after a big meal.
What to doNothing drastic. It passes on its own.
Save your money
What you don’t need
An armpit detox. Clay masks and “detox” kits are popular, but there’s no research showing they get rid of odor. Washing with soap does the same job.
More perfume. Adding scent on top just makes two smells. Stop the bacteria and there’s nothing to cover.
Scrubbing hard. Armpit skin is thin. Rubbing it raw makes it sore and doesn’t help with the smell.
When it’s not the deodorant
When to see a doctor
If the smell is new, strong and doesn’t go away with washing, or you suddenly sweat much more than usual, see a doctor. Those can have causes no deodorant will fix.
How nuud works
Stop the bacteria, not the sweat
nuud is a deodorant cream that stops the bacteria that make the smell. It uses tiny bits of silver to do it, plus zinc oxide, which works on the sweat so it doesn’t turn smelly.
There’s no perfume in it, so there’s nothing to wear off. One pea-size dab per armpit works for up to 72 hours, and it keeps working after a shower. You still sweat like normal. nuud stops the smell, not the sweat.
Start clean and dry
Apply after a shower, on dry skin.
Take a pea-size dab
That’s enough for one armpit. More doesn’t work better.
Rub it in
Rub it in until you can’t see it.
Questions
Armpit odor questions
How do I get rid of armpit odor fast?
Wash with soap and water, dry completely, then put on a deodorant that stops the bacteria. If you’re out, a quick wash in the sink and a dry with a paper towel already helps a lot.
What’s the best deodorant for smelly armpits?
One that stops the bacteria instead of covering the smell with perfume. If the scent fades and the smell comes back, that’s a sign your deodorant is covering, not stopping.
Why do my armpits smell even with deodorant?
Usually the deodorant only adds a scent that wears off, it went on damp or unwashed skin, or your clothes are holding old smell. Fix those three and most people notice the difference.
Does shaving help armpit odor?
It can. Less hair gives bacteria less to cling to. It’s optional, though. Washing and the right deodorant matter more.
Why do my armpits smell so bad all of a sudden?
Common reasons are stress, a change in what you eat, a new deodorant, new clothes, or a life change like puberty, pregnancy or menopause. If it’s new, strong and doesn’t go away with washing, see a doctor.
Should I use deodorant or antiperspirant for smell?
They do different jobs. Antiperspirant cuts down sweat. Deodorant deals with smell. If smell is what bothers you, you want a deodorant that stops the bacteria.