While I was busy collecting my plastic waste last week, I was also running another experiment: testing if baking soda works as a deodorant.The Hypothesis
Baking soda deodorant will leave your armpits smelling fresh and clean.
The Methodology
From Monday through Sunday last week, I replaced my usual deodorant with baking soda. To apply, I pressed an old powder brush for makeup, which I'm basically giving up, into a bowl of baking soda and dabbed it onto my damp skin directly after I exited the shower. Over the course of the week, I figured out how much baking soda to put on the brush based on how much would actually stay on my skin.
The Data
- Six out of the seven days, I was pretty much smell free. No strong odors were noticable at all, even though I biked 10 miles round trip to work on three of these days. Note that I could detect a very, very slight odor of sweat by the time I went to sleep, but it was so hard to notice that it's almost not worth mentioning.
- On one of the seven days, I could smell some odor under my arms. That particular day happened to be incredibly stressful at the office.
- I've heard that some people experience skin irratation from the texture of baking soda, but I did not experience this.
Baking soda is indeed an effective underarm deodorant. By the end of each day, I could only detect the slightest odor, which I would guess is usually there but is difficult to recognize because of the strong fragrance of most deodorants.
Even on days when I biked long distances, I also noticed little or no odor. On the other hand, when I was under stress, the soda wasn't quite up to the task.
The Conclusion
Baking soda deodorant is great! It's prevents odors and is inexpensive and easy to use. Just use caution if you anticipate high stress situations.
Further Exploration
Since I've never been someone with horribly smelly armpits, my very informal experiment doesn't prove this will work for everyone. What we need is a larger sample size!
Anyone willing to try this out and leave a comment about how it worked for you? Any men interested in trying it out?
Art courtesy of Sweet Babboo.
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65 comments:
Hey, this is great! I've been trying non-aluminum-containing deoderants for about a year now and can't find one that works. I will give the baking soda a try - I already brush my teeth with it so it's right there in the bathroom ready to use.
As a scientist, I'm curious about the 'control' here: how much of an odor do you notice without any deodorant?
I ask because I've noticed (from anecdotes, conversations and personal observation) that people's b.o. output varies hugely from person to person and also across stages of life.
LOL Oh my goodness that is about the funniest graphic I have ever seen. Is there lightening coming out of his armpit??
Shadowedreamer, You're definitely right. Even thought I explained my experiences with the scientific method, my informal experiment definitely isn't proof this will work for everybody.
Soooo...in response to your comment, I slightly altered the Further Exploration section of my post :)
Thanks for your comment!
Ruthie, The drawing got me pretty good too. I think the lightening armpit is his superhero power.
I've been using a deodorant stone for quite a while now and I'm very happy with it. These suckers last forever too! If you decide the baking soda isn't working for you, give the stone a try. Shannon
I've never tried baking soda. But I just bought WELEDA which comes in a glass spray bottle. It's a bit pricey but it works all day and has a nice citrus scent. I have a more thorough review on my blog.
w/o any sort of b.o. protection, I smell awful. And I often will wear a sweater or button up my shirt all the way to avoid exposing my odour to others.
I began using baking soda a few weeks back and have had no problems. I am thinking of adding lavender oil to baking soda to just smell a bit lavendery.
I am currently testing baking soda for myself. I normally stink even with anti-perspirant, on a sweaty day. I work in a high-stress environment. At home doing housework on a cool spring day (i.e. minimal sweating), baking soda works just fine. One application in the morning seems to do it. I have not worked up the courage to try it on a workday yet, however...
This sounds like a great idea that I'm afraid to try!
Much like quitting Ambien and chucking my refrigerator, blowing off deodorant is one of those things that sounds great in theory, but the potential outcomes scare me.
My mother doesn't use any deodorant and doesn't smell. That kills me. I sweat like a man.
I have used a deodorant stone for a year and I am reasonably happy with it. It doesn't really work on sweaty, hard-working, hot days. I find the baking soda works BETTER.
Actually, what I have found is that it's my clothing that smells, not me. I can get all sweaty and stinky, but as soon as I dry off I don't smell anymore. If I change my t-shirt, I'm totally fine. My clothes hold onto the odour.
Beth at Fake Plastic Fish tried thie recently with baking soda and tea tree oil and she said that it acted as an antiperspirant, too. I have recently purchased the tea tree oil and am ready to get it together. I am pretty sweaty and need to use the full plastic - chemical option while at work, but have used the deodorant stone at home, which sometimes works. Glad to hear that Correne's experience is that baking soda works better than the stone.
~ Molly in NH
Anonymous, Very interesting! I personally find tea trea oil a bit strong smelling so I wouldn't want to use it, but I bet people who actually sweat a lot would find the antiperspirant thing really great. For me, though the baking soda does an amazing job by iteself :)
I have tried oodles of "natural" deodorants to no avail -- they actually make the smell worse/more pungent -- I am a pretty smelly girl.
I do, however, have sensitive skin, and repeated use of baking soda can cause irritation to the point of skin shedding.
What I am going to try is mixing the baking soda with an oil of some sort, maybe jojoba or coconut, and a couple drops of essential oil. I did discover a nice coconut deodorant ( http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/deodorant.htm )but who wants to spend that much and buy into more packaging...
I must say, baking soda is one of the most useful household products and the start to a cleaner life, in many ways.
Keep up the green work!
I have now spent over a week 'testing' baking soda. It works. As a control, I already know that even with deodorant/antipersperant, I am often smelly by the end of the day. I have not needed to 'reapply', and this has been a very stressful week at work - I am a definite convert...
I have tried the baking soda for the past two weekends with great success! Most days I can't smell a thing, and only once did I even smell a the smallest hint of b.o., which happens sometimes even with commercial deodorants. I will be trying it again this weekend under a bit more challenging condidtions (i.e., stress, exertion) and if that works then I'll be a definite convert.
This is an interesting solution to try. Currently I use a deodorant stone (no plastic packaging, no aluminium) and it works well and has lasted ages already with a lot of life left in it still, but once it disappears i may try baking soda.
I love your blog and baking soda is great for stinky feet too!
I wanted to let those who use the deodorant crystals know that they're made of alum, so they're not an aluminum-free alternative...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum
Change of subject, sorry, but i was just given a gift of an aluminum bottle as a replacement for polycarbonate...
hmmm not sure I want to soak my water in Al OR bisphenol... I will stick to old juice bottles (glass)!
What do you think of that? do you have a metal bottle?
;-)
Another baking soda convert here. I read about it on some website or other a couple of months ago and thought, what the heck. I was AMAZED at how well it works. I walk to work every day (about 25 minutes either way) and it is HOT here in the summer. I'm dripping with sweat at the end of the walk ... but no odour whatsoever.
I used to use ordinary deodorants/anti-perspirants, which worked to a point, although I hated how they built-up on my clothes (even the "clear" ones). Then of course I heard about the health concerns, so I tried lots of different natural deodorants, including the rock, which sometimes worked for a while, but usually didn't. I am so glad I never have to waste money on any of that junk ever again!
I have been using baking soda for 5 to 10 years. I have tried other "natural" deodorants, but have always come back to baking soda. It's the cheapest and the best. After years of trying, I have finally convinced my wife to switch. She loves it. However, my kids refuse to even try it. Let them live and learn!
this is sooooo awesome!!
reading all of these comments (& blog) got me so (stinkin') excited to try baking soda!!
I've tried a bunch of natural alternatives to alum, and they never work- always have to resort to my aluminum anti-persp at about mid day when i realize that the natural stuff i've tried is a joke.
anyway, thanks for posting this- it was extremely helpful to read.
spencer
san diego
What a great idea, to use baking soda as deodorant.
I have heard that anti-perspirent deoderants casue brest cancer so I quit and tried baking soda and I love it! It destroys the smell and is healthy and no cancer!
If I do not put deodorant on in the morning, by the afternoon odor definitely becomes a problem. I've been using baking soda for about 2 weeks and have detected no smell, and I walk 1.3 miles to work every day and bike to all other destinations, which inevitably involves sweatiness. Additionally, baking soda feels so much cleaner and fresher than even non-anti-perspirant deoderants. It just kills the terrible odor of my old running shoes too!
My father was an adept of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) as a deodorant and I know it works well. Could anyone, however, assure me there is no influence of baking soda in high blood pressure... it is an idea I have since I think the skyn could absorb the sodium...
Does anyone know about this?
I gave up chemical deodorants after a young colleague of mine developed breast cancer. There's no proven link between the two but all of a sudden I realised just how much crap I put on my body.
To those of you saying you sweat too much - stop using anti perspirant and your body goes crazy for a while. You will sweat like mad. Then it seems to find its own rhythm. I now sweat what I would call a normal amount but I do smell really bad unless I can use something.
Baking soda so far is the best performer out of everything I've tried. I tried some scented deodorant bars from lush.co.uk which are based on baking soda and they did work, but not as well as plain baking soda. The key for me is that without any fragrance at all, it's easier for me to tell if I need a top up.
Sweat doesn't cause the smell. Bacteria does, so keep clean, stick at it for a month and you'll notice that you sweat less and less.
is there something baking soda can't do?
i have a few friends who stopped using deodorant all together... who are surprisingly non-hippy...
they said at first it was hard, but after the detox period, there's no smell.
and i can attest these friends aren't smelly girls. or maybe i've never been to close to them.
Thanks for your post. I am on day 4 of using just baking soda. I am amazed at how well it is working. It does a better job for me than the commercial stuff I have been using. At the end of the day there is NO odor. So easy and talk about cheap! This is my kind of deodorant...
baking soda works great( I am very stinky and have been using it for months now) BUT do not use it after shaving your pits! It will cause quite a rash and skin peeling( last about a week). Other than that , it is much better that any other natural product or crystal deo that I have tried.
I have also switched to baking soda! I stopped using dove about 3 weeks ago and tried the crystal and Tom's natural deodorants and they didn't work at all, then I read online to use a cotton ball to apply a bit of baking soda paste and I could not believe how well it worked! I used it in the morning and same night no stink even after going for a 5 mile walk. I feel so good about using baking soda, it never felt right using the aluminum deodorants and was always at the back of my mind...now I don't have to worry anymore!! :)
Thank you for posting this! I've especially loved reading the comments from others who tried it and were hooked. I went out of town for the holidays and returned late in the night; next morning I discovered that we had left my deodorant behind when we packed our suitcase to come home! Our religious convictions prevented us from going to the store to buy anything on a Sunday morning, so I searched for a homemade way to not fill the chapel with the smell of my armpits :D I was getting discouraged at all the "recipes" for homemade deodorant that called for essential oils and alcohol, then I found this! I used it today with no smell whatsoever by the end of the day. I'm especially loving that I don't have that funky "deodorant mixed with sweat" smell. I'm really looking forward to not staining up my shirts anymore with my old antiperspirant, as I'm not planning on buying new deodorant as long as baking soda is working so well! It was a good thing we forgot to pack my old deodorant yesterday!
For safe deodarants you can also have a look at www.goodguide.com
It's still a beta-version, but once it will be finished it's gonna be a great source to find healthy and environmentally responsible products.
The best deodorant ever, and I have tried pretty all ranges of the fancy organic stuff onward, is this homemade recipe that my husband found somewhere on youtube. You just mix equal parts cornstarch, olive oil and baking soda, and then add a drop of essential oil for fragrance, if you like. You also have to keep it in the fridge (which makes mornings fun because you get to put your deodorant on in the kitchen). By far the most effective deodorant I've ever used.
This sounds crazy, yet it works. I read online that eating organic dairy products eliminates underarm odours. Since I have been unable to find a natural product that has worked, I decided I had nothing to lose. Sure enough, when I eat only organic cheese, yogurt and milk for a week or two, my sweat has no odour at all. When I return to eating "conventional" stuff, the odour returns. Everything really is is connected... :)
I notice that certain clothes store that awful smell no matter how freshly laundered and how much deodorant I use. When I sweat, it just mixes to that stubborn sweat smell in the clothes. I googled "how to get rid of sweat smell on clothes" and there were a lot of links about bicarb soda...Then I thought what if I try it on my underarm as well as adding it on my clothes when I wash?! I'm on day 2 now of bicarb soda trial on my underarm...so far so good! I have to convince myself every now and then that I don't have that awful smell! Will keep you posted after a few days!
Happy armpit.
Happy armpit again!! And yes, smell free for nearly a month!!!How good is that!
I was googling this topic because I have been using baking soda as deodorant for a month now and wanted to know if others were as well. It is the greatest thing I've ever discovered! I just put it on dry, saves LOTS of time inthe morning not having to wait for deodorant to dry! The only drawback I have found is that when I use it while doing aerobics, it scratches my skin since I am moving my arms around so much. I might try to disolve it a little with water, as others have suggested, but I love how quick I can get ready by just putting it on and going!
I used to use antipersperant/deoderant every day. I still had breakthrough stink. Especially premenstrually.
Over a year ago, I started eating a vegan diet. Something I noticed is that I stopped having the breakthrough B.O. After a while, I noticed that even when I forgot to use deoderant I didn't stink. Now, I rarely use it at all. I simply don't need it.
Someone else mentioned dairy products (said organic is better). I don't know if it's my diet or what. But there's a good chance that there's a connection. I really don't eat much refined sugar, refined flour, or packaged foods.
To be honest, I'm pretty lazy about shaving too, so it might have something to do with that as well.
I have been using baking sode mixed with a bit of clay and essential oils. I first apply a layer of cream or oil on my under arms and then a layer of the baking soda mixture. without the cream or oil the thing doesnt work for me. it is the best and cheapest deodorant ever and has solved my 15 year old odour problem fully. now i can wear the same t-shirt for three days!
Hi guys,
So do you say it is enough to apply just baking soda to your armpits and that's it? But baking soda is a powder ... How does it stay in your armpits?
Most of people commenting here were talking about bad odour - that baking soda helped them to get rid of it. But I have another trouble... I sweat like hell. Does baking soda help sweating less? Or do you know about anything that can will make me sweat less?
Thanks for any advice
Kristina
Hi guys,
So do you say it is enough to apply just baking soda to your armpits and that's it? But baking soda is a powder ... How does it stay in your armpits?
Most of people commenting here were talking about bad odour - that baking soda helped them to get rid of it. But I have another trouble... I sweat like hell. Does baking soda help sweating less? Or do you know about anything that can will make me sweat less?
Thanks for any advice,
Kristina
Hi everyone. Thanks for the tips. I tried baking soda this morning because I don't want to use the aluminum-based deodorants on the market for a number of reasons.
Kristina, here's my mix:
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp aloe vera gel
3 drops peppermint oil
So far so good. And it dried real fast. I think the mix should last me a week. My only question is--should I refrigerate the mix?
I am a clinical microbiology technologist. One of the points that seems to be forgotten in all these posts is the role bacteria has to play in the production of odor. The skin has many microbes that inhabit it. I would suspect that the underarm area supports a certain microflora that may differ with the person. I do know that we get cultures of axillary abscesses fairly often. Besides Staphylococcus aureus (which can cause abscesses in any part of the body) I tend to see the growth of a genus called Proteus. Common species seen from human specimens are P. vulgaris and P. mirabilis.
http://tinyurl.com/c2hx5m
The organism stinks when growing on a Petri plate. One of its biochemical reactions is that it uses urea. The breakdown of urea produces ammonia (same reaction you get with an old wet diaper sitting around for hours). I would think that the cleaner you can make your underarms, and the cleaner your clothes next to your underarms, the less you will smell. I don't think you have to become absolutely fanatic about it, but in the summer months you'll probably want to change your T-shirts more often, especially if you've worked out.
Some people have the condition that is called hyperhydrosis, which is excessive sweating all over the body. I wouldn't begin to know if baking soda would work on something like that. Hormones and pheromones make a difference also. People who don't shave are going to have hair under there that will catch more sweat, dead skin, etc. that have the propensity for odor than people who shave.
I personally have not made the move to get rid of plastic in my life yet - just started reading this stuff - but I thought I'd throw in my comments from a microbiology standpoint.
Hi there! I have tried baking soda as well only I used the old fashioned powder puff and container I scored at a thrift store. It worked pretty well! I also just wanted to mention I have also used vinegar, and it worked EVEN better! I just dab some on a cotton ball and onto my pits and thats it! ---ecomome.info
we use to use baby powder as deodorant and that seems fine to me. We used to wash our armpits every morning with a light dusting of powder. I am not really sure that we are saving on the plastic but this was softer than baking powder which abrades the skin.
This is day one, but I agree with all of the above comments - I'm converting. I was using a baking soda spray to get the smell out of clothes pre-wash. As I was doing my daily after work spray down I had an idea. Would this work on me? A spray of baking soda water in the pits totally eliminated (neutralized) the smell from a long days work. Nothing else does that. I'm sold. Ditching the crystal for baking soda.
I'm gonna try this tomorrow, but I STILL wonder about the mix.
I guess I'll try each one - I bet the baking soda alone will hurt for me (red head, fibro, sensitive skin, etc.)
Which oil to use? Or put on dry? Or mix with corn starch (what IS that stuff anyway?) or baby powder?
Oy ... decisions decisions.
I decided to try baking soda after reading your posts and I have been really surprised at how well it works in eliminating odor.
My issue with it is that I'm getting razor burn now and I never used to get this. Why is this? What can I do to get rid of it? How do I combat this? Has this happened to you?
My aunt gave me a recipe that included baking soda in it, and it has been the best deoderant that I have ever used, and I have some pretty fonky armpit smell.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/video/25473/how_to_make_a_homemade_deodorant_.html?cat=5
Here is a video of me making the recipe
Lane
www.LaneVids.com
To Lanevids: Does the olive oil leave oily stains on your shirts? That would be the biggest reason I would be reluctant to try this. Oil is very difficult to wash out of some fabrics.
I haven't tried baking soda as a deoderant alternative yet (though I do use it in lieu of commercial shampoos) but wanted to add that sage - either powdered in your coffee grinder or in essential oil form - has been used traditionally to decrease sweating. (Taken internally, it will also cause supply problems in nursing moms, so proceed with caution if that is you)
Otherwise, I would just like to thank everyone - the Life Less Plastic blog goddess, and all of the awesome commenters - for the many options I have to chew on for cutting down on plastic use in our own home. You're all exceptional people!
I've been deodorant free now for 6 months. What has worked for me is using rubbing alcohol on my pits. The rationale is that alcohol kills bacteria and bacteria is what makes you stinky. I'll give the baking soda a try for those extra sweaty days though! Great tip.
I have been using baking soda and corn starch for the last two weeks. By trial and error I found that a 2 parts Baking Soda and 1 part Corn Starch mix was the most effective at keeping me odor free. A 1/1 ratio just did not cut the mustard, so the odor neutralizing concentration of the baking soda was increased into the mix. Compared to all the other deodorants (as a series of Controls) I have used, this was the most effective. I apply it after a shower while in the tub with a makeup brush my wife purchased for me. I will never go back to other deodorants again, though you need to be in the tub when applying it. It can get a bit messy.
I have been using baking soda for a month and it has been the most effective thing! However, it has been irritating my skin and my underarms have become very dark until the dead skin peels off. Does the cornstarch and olive oil mixture remedy this? Please advise on what other remedies I can take, I really hate to think I would have to go back to toxic deodorants.
I have suffered BO and sweating since I was 9y.o, it really affect my self esteem, and so far BAKING SODA is the most effective deodorant ever and its cheap!!!I cant live without it, also I apply APPLE CIDER VINEGAR first before applying BS, it gives right PH balance to your skin.
You know what? Baking soda gives me back the confidence to socialize with people. I have been aloof for many years because I'm afraid they would smell my bad odor. Thanks so much to baking soda.
Here's another tip I can give you guys, particularly with those whose clothing are already infected with it. WASH YOUR CLOTHES VERY WELL PARTICULARLY IN THE UNDERARM AREA. Spray or soak the underarm area first with white vinegar to neutralize the odor. Brush the area for some strokes. Then toss it in the washer. Dry the item immediately.
THANK GOD, HE INVENTED BAKING SODA.
I would split have two groups of people. One using flour, and one using baking soda. Also, I would ask to several people to smell them.
I've used baking soda as a deodorant for over an year. The results are just amazing, I've never used a better deodorant in my life. The problem is it can be very irritating on the skin, I also got burns and the skin of my armpits got dark and peeled off... Now I'm trying the combination of baking soda and cornstarch (proportion is 1/1 so far). This is the first day and it seems as effective as when I only use baking soda, and I'm amazed with how gentler the mixture is on my skin... I'll keep on trying but I always have some baking soda in my purse, just in case !
i also use this to exfoliate my skin. I think its great! check out my blog ilovedominguez.blogspot.com
I love baking soda, but it gives ma a rash...at least I can still brush my teeth with it!
I stunk, stunk, stunk! That WAS the truth. I mean I had a bad rep with people at work, school and everywhere else I'd go. Even with family members. I have tried Mitchum, Secret, Sure, Teen, Baking Soda stick deoderant, Arrid Xtra Dry-even the clinicals-none worked! If it was on the market, I tried it. I mean I stunk like a skunk. It didn't matter how many times I'd take a bath, my armpits stunk like sweaty stinky horrible pits. Ever see Pepe La Pue? (however U spell it-green vapors?) That was me. I was so embarassed. I have always wanted to be carefree about raising my arms in public, but wouldn't dare. Not until I tried using baking soda. I just right out of the blues, grabbed a box that I had in the fridge and added a little water to it, then dabbed some under both of my arms. I figured if it could keep the fridge smelling clean, which is bigger than I am, then it should be able to handle my odor. Sure enough, it did. I went all day without smelling, which is a HUGE accomplishment. I've been doing this a week, and I'm still satisfied. My husband and I just finished weedeating and I still smell good (sniffing my pits right now). I would strongly recommend this for anyone out there who has the same problem. You can use this regardless of odor level-it's cheap, and better than the ones at the store that have all the bad "stuff" in them. Iwish u the best in smelling good...trust me, you will not be disappointed.
I just happened to read the ingredients of my "NATURAL" deodorant and the first ingredient is PROPYLENE GLYCOL (the primary ingredient in anti-freeze). I use baking soda as a mouth wash, and just last night as a facial cleanser for the first time. Now I'm using it to replace my "NATURAL PROPYLENE GLYCOL" haha
Now that I've tried it as a normal deodorant, I'm going to try using baking soda as a shoe deodorant.
I always used unscented antiperspirant and would have a bit of b.o. regardless. I switched to homemade about 6 mos. ago -- and the only time I notice even a hint of odor is after I run, and that's as it should be. My recipe is about 75%corn starch to 25% baking soda (I eyeball it), about 3 drops of lavender. Then, to get it on my skin, I squirt a tiny blob of aloe vera gel into my hand, shake a bit in my powder mixture (I store it in an old oregano spice bottle)and then wipe it in my pits. I have pretty sensitive skin and have had little to no reaction. A little irritation sometimes but still better than the itching & redness I got with antiperspirants.
I mix the baking soda with a little lotion to make it creamy making it easier to apply and it works so well!! I've had to try it because I'm allergic to many differant products. My husband though had a bad reaction to it.
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