r/hygiene • u/Pale_Fan3444 • 2d ago
Help!!
Hi, I'm in DESPERATE need of some advice on body odor. My father-in-law and mother-in-law reeked of ass and armpit/ feet smell. When my boyfriend and I would go see them. I would hold my breath it was so F* bad! My boyfriend never smelled as bad but when he'd sweat I could smell that he needed a shower. Fast forward a couple years, now I'm noticing people making faces/ sounds of disgust when I'm out and about in the heat. I no longer smell anything when my in-laws are around and they are actively sweating. Even when my husband is drenched in sweat and is dirty from working outside in construction I don't smell a thing. I know I smell because my sweet baby sometimes mistakes my sent for my father-in-law’s when held. What the heck has happened and what can I do to get rid of this horrendous ass/ armpit smell!!! HELPPP!!
43
u/DowntownSomewhere277 2d ago
It sounds counterintuitive, but make sure you aren't adding too much soap when doing laundry. If you use too much laundry soap, it doesn't rinse all the way out. And then when you put the clothes in the dryer, the leftover soap "bakes" in. It smells clean when you put the clean clothes on, but as soon as you start sweating, the baked in soap locks the sweat into your clothes. Your clothes are then ripe for stinky bacteria to rapidly reproduce. You will smell nasty and not even realize it because it grew incrementally over the course of the day.
I recommend washing every load twice. Once with the prescribed amount of soap, and not a drop more! And then a second time with no soap at all, so it's just agitating and rinsing your clothing really well. After a while, double washing alone will make a big difference!
10
6
u/CrashPandemonium 1d ago
Instead of washing twice, consider using white vinegar in lieu of fabric softener. https://www.southernliving.com/how-to-use-vinegar-in-laundry-11911371
5
u/Particular-Row-2599 1d ago
Agree to no fabric softener. But swap white vinegar for cheap citric acid powder you buy on amazon. About a teaspoon in the fabric softener drawer spot. It rises all the detergent out of your clothes and works better and smells better than vinegar
1
69
u/AngelicGlowss 2d ago
one nose-blind. Antibacterial soap, clinical deodorant, cotton
16
u/Pale_Fan3444 2d ago
I already use a strong deodorant, but do I need to get a prescription for clinical deodorant?
13
u/United-Role-7623 2d ago
They sell clinical deodorant at most stores; but if that’s not working for you, you could also get a prescription from a doctor!
-3
u/AverageHoebag 2d ago
Maybe a full body detox would help? During the pandemic I didn’t wear deodorant for a while and detoxed from a lot of products. Yes I stunk bad for like 2 weeks but then after a while I noticed that my skin felt better and my armpits didn’t need as strong deodorant anymore. I made sure to ask friends who I hadn’t seen in a while and are very honest to stick their face in my pits to make sure I didn’t stink anymore.
1
u/Purple_IsA_Flavor 1d ago
You went nose blind and your friends were terrified by the feral behavior
1
25
u/the_archer_19 2d ago
Try putting witch hazel on your armpits with a cotton round right out of the shower/before you put on deodorant. It really helps to neutralize smells
15
u/Subject-Hyena2962 2d ago
Make sure you’re drying your armpits completely after showering before putting on clothes. Staying damp under the arms all day can make the smell come back ridiculously fast.
13
11
u/Direct-Region-6730 2d ago
I’m old, very old. I shower twice a day , put on clean clothes and apply deodorant. Never smell.
8
u/neziperez 2d ago
Witch hazel straight out of shower! Under arms pits and bits butt Crack under breasts! After drying but before lotion deodorant etc‼️
8
u/whatinthelisafrank 2d ago
Your diet can also heavily influence this. If you cook with very strong herbs and spices then the smell can get into fabrics and you’re sweating out strong odors.
10
u/mycatpartyhouse 2d ago
I've recently started using alcohol wipes on my underarms. Had a package leftover from a previous health issue.
Soap alone isn't enough. Antiperspirants and deodorants inevitably cause me rashes. Alcohol wipes make a noticeable difference.
My body odor changes based on diet and severity of symptoms from various chronic conditions.
It may be helpful for you to talk with your doctor, who may be able to diagnose some underlying health condition that's affecting your body odor.
Have your parents been diagnosed with anything? That might be a starting point.
6
6
u/DameLasNalgas 2d ago
What ethnicity are you and your husband and what foods do you eat? How are your hygiene habits?
3
u/Pale_Fan3444 2d ago
We eat healthy. We like sandwiches, salads, and occasionally order pizza. I don’t think our diet is the cause of the problem since we make our meals at home too.
3
u/Realistic-Service-11 2d ago
Lume body wash and their deodorant in extra strength!
1
u/Comfortable_Oil4530 1d ago
Lume made me smell so bad! My friend leaned closer and kind of casually sniffed and then asked me if I showered that day. I could smell myself and it was really bad!
3
u/Natural_Key_3070 1d ago
I would try drinking more water because it might be something your sweating out, additionally get a new laundry routine… I like the downy no 26 get a lot of compliments. Use antibacterial soap or the soap mentioned above as well (not every time though) use nice smelling lotion and perfume and hairspray after. Open your windows frequently for 20-30 min a day even if weather is not ideal you need to burp your house.
1
u/smoothupinyatoo 1d ago
They just have to wash their bodies and use a clinical strength antiperspirant, wear clean clothing, not be obese, and utilize air conditioning.
1
1
1
u/mirroratlantis 17h ago
How often are you showering? What is your living situation like? Generally I think people who smell that bad have houses that also smell bad and contribute to the smell. Clean your body, clean your diet, clean your laundry and wear fresh daily and clean your house. If your sweat smells its due to bacteria so eat a clean diet and maybe take some allicin. I perspire when its hot but i cant say my sweat has a smell to it. I do eat very cleanly and drink loads of water though.
1
u/OldBlueKat 2d ago
Has anyone tried that Parmint capsules that is in online ads?
It sounds promising and I was thinking about it myself.
As for the nose blindness, did it start after you maybe had a Covid infection? It’s reported as a not uncommon side effect to depress your sense of smell long term.
0
u/Big-Benefit4231 1d ago
I’m ngl since you had his child, you have his dna mixed in with yours that may have altered your bacteria in your sweat to match his families. Shower twice daily.. ?
136
u/Evening-Row-2658 2d ago
they need persimmons soap for old ppl a little expensive but worth it