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Original poster

Smelly armpits - any tips?!

95 replies

Heathlay93 · 12/12/2023 22:41

Ok kind of gross I know! But I have a problem with constantly smelling of B.O.

as a teen I suffered with it, mainly only when wearing long sleeve tops/tops that had a sleeve that would touch my armpits.

im in my late 20s, I am very clean, scrub my armpits with a loofa everyday, spray a TON of deodorant (always use mens strong deodorant) but no matter what AS SOON as I wear any top that touches my armpits I stink!

it’s got to the point I’ve had to throw tops away as the smell sticks into the armpit area and doesn’t come out no matter how much I wash them. It frustrates me as my actual armpits don’t smell, the sweat itself doesn’t seem to smell and if I’m wearing a sleeveless top I never get this issue.

are there any tips to stop this? Today at the gym I walked in smelling lovely, fresh, clean deodorant pits and within 2 minutes of sweating my entire shirt smelled so bad. It’s not a strong B.O smell - rather a strong ‘musty’ smell.

I’m wondering if there any natural remedies? I’m not a big fan of hearing that deodorant is bad for us ladies, especially as I’m spraying so much of it… I feel like bleaching my underarms!!

OP posts:
HRTQueen · 13/12/2023 00:39

Use an old fashioned soap like Pears not shower gel

i noticed the difference within a few days

debbrianna · 13/12/2023 02:56

Cotton fabric is your friend. ditch synthetic fibres.

OneMoreMyWay · 13/12/2023 06:30

I've always had this. Use a mix of driclor and sure max protection.
Never wear anything with polyester close to the skin. For sportswear look for merino stuff. Else 100% cotton.

And randomly, it has improved noticeably since i started epilating my armpits after a lifetime of shaving.

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Beauty
LadyEloise1 · 13/12/2023 07:28

All that spraying of deodorant can't be good for you or the environment @Heathlay93.
Do you ever use roll on deodorant?
What has your GP said ?

borntobequiet · 13/12/2023 07:35

Put your tops on a rinse cycle with a good handful of bicarbonate of soda before the normal wash.

usernother · 13/12/2023 07:39

I'm a v smelly person OP. Spray deodorants are rubbish imo so I use mitchum roll on and that stops me smelling by the end of the day.

SharonEllis · 13/12/2023 07:46

I dont think a loofah is a good idea - doesnt your skin get sensitive? Try www.thegreenwoman.co.uk/fit-pit-woman
Its incredible. You still sweat but it neutralises the smell. The only thing that works for me. Also natural fibres essential.

Fraaahnces · 13/12/2023 07:46

I used to be a stink bug and I live in a hot, humid part of Australia. Everyone is right suggesting that it is bacteria reacting to your sweat and clothing and all the antibacterial advice is great.

The thing that really sorted me out was consistently waxing my armpits instead of shaving. Years of antiperspirant had built up around the hair follicles and they were huge. Over time a couple of years, it seems to have reduced the hair to virtually zero, definitely minimized sweating and I have no pong at all.

Eating food like garlic, heavily-spiced curries, etc can also affect your body odor but that Is usually fat-soluble smells and they come out of your sebaceous glands. (T-zone, hair, chest, shoulders and yes, armpits.)

I suspect that waxing would help with that too.

Noicant · 13/12/2023 07:49

Anti bacterial wash, make sure your armpits are completely dry before you apply anti-perspirant and use a roll on.

SparklyStone · 13/12/2023 07:50

Napisan is good for smelly gym clothes

Wolfpa · 13/12/2023 07:52

Have you been to the Drs? There may be a reason to this/ if you sweat a lot they can give you Botox in areas to help

TheBeesBollox · 13/12/2023 08:13

I used to have exactly the same problem OP, ended up throwing away tops I really liked. As you say it's not you, it's the tops that smell. Also this is worse if it's an "anxiety" type sweat as apparently that's more concentrated!

Eventually found a solution: soak the armpits of the tops in white vinegar. (I pour some in a bowl and sort of dip the armpits in until they're sodden.) Then chuck in the washing machine and leave them all for an hour or several before washing. You may want to do this the first time when the tops are clean, although to top up I just do it before they go in the wash if I've particularly sweated in them.

As a side note, I found, incidentally, that this doesn't seem to happen much any more since I started using a natural deodorant. I actually switched to solid deodorant from a well-known smellies chain because I wanted something without plastic packaging. It didn't seem to work as well as normal deodorant at first (maybe a few days/week?), but it's as if my body got used to it and doesn't seem to produce so much stinky sweat now ... Or rather, as the smell was largely in my clothes it doesn't do that any more!

MumOfOneAwesomeHuman · 13/12/2023 08:18

Another vote from me for switching to natural deodorant. You have to almost detox your armpits of the chemical kind first so will smell for a few days but then you'll cone out the other side stink free. I use Pitrok. The berry one is lovely.

TheBeesBollox · 13/12/2023 08:24

Just to add - you may need to do the vinegar soaking/wash a couple of times for full effect, for the really bad tops. But once you're on top of the problem, or with new tops, a quick soak before normal washing will be fine.

You can test if it's worked by ironing the tops - heat is what causes the smell to start emanating from whatever bacteria is there.

Lifeasiknowitisout · 13/12/2023 08:32

I agree it’s most likely to be what you are wearing. Especially in the gym. you get warm the smell comes out.

as op said if you ironed the armpit area you may smell it too.

the vinegar wash usually gets it out.

But to prevent sweating excessively or it impacting clothes too much, I wash with bar soap, use the Mitchum stick (no sprays) swipe over my arm pits after I have showered with glycolic acid.

I also do a clothes wash everyday. I am a single parent so easier to keep on top of it. But clothes aren’t sat with the sweat on for a few days before I wash them. Also my ds is a teenager and if I leave his shirts for a few days, it’s hard to get smell out of. So I do a wash each day. We don’t have the problem anymore.

yikesanotherbooboo · 13/12/2023 08:38

It is likely to be in your clothes. Do they smell when you iron them? If so soak in a biological solution, scrub any deodorant residue off the armpit area with a nail brush. Then wash in bio washing powder in low heat. You may need to do this a few times if they are bad. Then, a stick deodorant and always wait until it is dry before putting your clothes on.

notapizzaeater · 13/12/2023 08:41

Viviennemary · 12/12/2023 22:55

That driclor deodorant is meant to be very good. Also for clothes that smell dettol laundry added to wash is good.

This !

I buy it from boots and it's brilliant- it stops my ASD teens BO dead

Bearpawk · 13/12/2023 09:42

Anti persperant (not just deodorant) try roll on
Proper soap not shower gel
Natural fabrics - cotton/ linen/ wool rather than polyester or acrylic
Shower daily and apply deodorant afterwards when dry

If that doesn't work I'd go to docs

Bearpawk · 13/12/2023 09:42

Oh and try anti bacterial laundry liquid

gemloving · 13/12/2023 09:45

Don't use spray. Use antiperspirant and a roller, wait until dry. See you how get on x

MustyPits · 13/12/2023 10:01

It’s not a strong B.O smell - rather a strong ‘musty’ smell

I’m not sure how many posters are picking on the difference in smell and it not being a typical BO smell

I have the same and not sure what to do other than using anti-fungal dandruff type treatments, sulfur soap etc.

It started a couple of years ago just after I’d been ill with flu so sweating in bed a lot. I guess it must be fungal 😢

Theforeverhome · 13/12/2023 10:03

I’ve not read all suggestions but I wonder if the amount of deodorant you are using is contributing to the issue. My DP slathers stuff on and the shirts he puts on in the morning before it has dried properly have armpits that can stand up on their own. There is no comparison to shirts he changes into later in the day (without showering again).

It then becomes a washing issue to get the deodorant out of the fabric and it’s not just about the temperature you wash at, you have to treat the area in some way before you wash it. White vinegar is good and I also use Ace sprayed onto the armpit.

Chilicabbage · 13/12/2023 10:06

https://www.boots.com/perspirex-strong-antiperspirant-roll-on-20ml-10210513
Absolute star of antoperspirant. Beats even the famous mitchums

Agree with others about washing of clothes. Try to add bit of dettol or laundry sanitiser. It might be the clothes restarting rather than you

ReadyForPumpkins · 13/12/2023 10:07

I have the same problem and it's old sweat in clothes. Fast drying fabrics are worst. I'd suggest wearing a tank top for the gym. And a loose fitting jacket to keep warm before warm up.

Soak the gym clothes in something like dettol laundry sanitizer.

You also need a antiperspirant, not a deodorant.

For normal day to day wear, switch to looser fitting cotton tops. They help a lot. Nothing tight fitting.

Winifredduck · 13/12/2023 10:09

I randomly started having this after my last child. I switched deodorant to mitchum cream stick and it solved it. Was amazed.
I hope you find something that works.