Easy natural ways to deal with body odour in your 60s

Body odour is never pleasant, especially when we realise it’s coming from us!

If you’re sick of using products that say they will last 24 hours but never do, here are some simple home remedies and tricks to make you feel and smell fresh.

Causes of body odour

Body odour starts with certain types of sweat. Our eccrine glands pour out clear, neutral-smelling sweat, which cools your body as it evaporates. Unfortunately this means that the subtance is a breeding ground for bacteria, which causes a smell.

Other causes can be from our diet, which can increase the pungency of the smell. This is why we need to bathe often and take care of our hygiene as keeping sweat on our body to the point where it smells a lot is unhygienic and unhealthy.

Natural remedies for body odour

1. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a powerful bacteria-fighting ingredient. It also helps eliminate body odour by balancing the pH level of your skin.

Simple soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and rub it on your underarms. Wait two to three minutes and rinse in the shower. Do this twice daily, once in the morning and again before going to bed, until you notice improvement.

2. Witch hazel

You can splash it directly on your skin or apply with a cotton pad. The clean-smelling liquid has drying and deodorising properties.

You don’t need to wash it off, and can apply as often as you like.

3. Bi-carb soda

As bi-carb soda helps absorb moisture from the skin, it can absorb sweat and reduce body odour. Plus, it kills bacteria and works like a natural deodorant.

Mix one tablespoon each of bi-carb soda and lemon juice. Apply it to your underarms and other body parts where you sweat excessively. Leave it on for a couple of minutes and wash it off with water; do not scrub. Then take a shower or bath. Do this once daily for a few weeks.

4. Rosemary

Rosemary inhibits growth of odour-causing bacteria. It also contains menthol and chlorophyll, which have natural deodorant properties that neutralise strong body odour. Plus, it has zinc, of which a deficiency can cause body odour. It also smells great.

Add one-half cup of dried rosemary leaves to four cups of hot water. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes, and then add it to your bath water. Soak in this for 15 to 20 minutes then pat dry your skin. Follow this remedy once daily to smell good throughout the day.

5. Tea-tree oil

Tea-tree kills bacteria due to its antiseptic properties, and controls sweating. Add two drops of tea tree oil to two tablespoons of water.
Pour the solution into a spray bottle and use it as a deodorant.

6. Lemon juice

Lemon juice is great for treating body odour. Lemon juice helps lower the skin’s pH level so there’s no odour.

Cut one fresh lemon into two halves. Rub one half of the lemon on your underarms, making sure the juice gets onto your skin. Allow it to dry on its own, and then take a shower. Do this once daily. You can dilute with water if you have sensitive skin and apply in the same way with a cotton ball.

Combatting the problem

Apply natural, aluminium-free deodorants – Crystal deodorants formulated from ammonium alum are especially popular. Many deodorants and antiperspirants are made with aluminium in order to halt the perspiration of your sweat glands. It’s important for your armpits to breathe and for the glands to be open.

Wash regularly – Bathing at least once a day can help limit the bacteria on your skin, which is the source of most body odours.

Wear natural, breathable clothing – Wear natural fabrics like silk or cotton, and ones that allow for greater breathability and air flow to keep your skin drier and drive away the humidity and moisture in which odour-causing bacteria thrive.

Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables – especially spinach, chard and kale, which are rich in chlorophyll

Buy tablets containing chlorophyll – Many brands are available, made from plants like kelp, barley grass, and blue-green algae. Check the label for the dosage recommendation.

Do you have any other BO fighting tips to add?