Deodorizing Wash

Deodorizing wash? Freshening wash? In Making It we called it cleansing spray. I’ve never been quite sure what to call this. It’s not a deodorant, in that it doesn’t really stay on you, deodorizing continuously. It’s not a body wash in that you don’t use it in the shower. This is a little mix I created, a simple blend of water, baking soda and essential oil. It’s something you can splash on and towel off real quick when you’re in a hurry. I use it when I don’t have time to shower, but suspect I’m a little too fragrant. I also bring it camping to help reduce the fugg. The baking soda cuts through body grease and deodorizes. The tea tree oil kills any stinky bacteria that remain.

To be clear, this is specifically used to cut sweat on the upper regions of the body–pits, chest, neck and back. I wouldn’t recommend using it “south of the equator.”

Deodorizing Wash/Cleaning Spray

You’ll need:

  • Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
  • Tea tree oil, and/or other essential oils*
  • Water
  • A bottle–a recycled shampoo bottle with a flip-top is good, or a spray bottle.

Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 1 cup of water and shake to blend. To that, add about 4 drops of tea tree oil to increase the anti-microbial effect. If you don’t like the smell of tea tree oil, you can use other essential oils with cleansing properties, like lavender or rosemary. You can also add these scents on top of the tea tree oil. The addition of a drop or two of peppermint essential oil makes it feel brisk on the skin, which is nice on hot days. Be sparing with the peppermint, though, as it can irritate the skin.

Shake before using. Splash or spray on your sweat zones, then towel off.

Note: Don’t spray it on your clothes because it will leave white baking soda powder on dark fabrics.)

*Essential oils and tea tree oil are sold in health food stores. If you live near a Trader Joe’s, they sell tea tree oil at a good price.

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5 Comments

  1. I make a similar spray that I carry at work and am running around and find I need a bit of freshening up. Instead of baking soda, though, I use alcohol/witch hazel diluted with some water (with some essential oils added also). It works quite well. I also use it on my clothes when they too are smelling funky (though I try not to overuse it, as I don’t know the effect of long-term alcohol use on fabrics. Haven’t seen anything bad yet, but I don’t want to ruin anything I don’t have to).

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