How to Wash Armpit Hair

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It happened. You caught a whiff of your armpit, and the smell has you running to the shower. You might be worried that your underarms are extra stinky because of your armpit hair, but that’s likely not true. In fact, armpit hair might help you fight the stink by keeping sweat off your skin, as body odor occurs when bacteria on your skin breaks down sweat. [1] Fortunately, it’s really easy to keep armpit hair clean.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Cleansing with Soap and Water

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  1. It’s important to wet your skin and armpit hair first so your soap will easily work into a lather. Stand under a stream of running water if you’re taking a shower. If you’re bathing, splash the water under your armpits. [2]
    • Use warm water because hot water can dry out your skin.
  2. You can use your normal soap or body cleanser to wash your armpit hair. If you’re using a bar of soap, simply rub it into your armpit hair. If you’re using a liquid cleanser or body wash, squeeze a dollop of the product onto your hand, washcloth, or loofah. Then, swipe it over your armpits. [3]
    • If you experience excessive body odor, you might try an antibacterial soap instead. Only use the soap on your underarms, though, as it can dry out your skin. [4]
    • If you're out of soap, you can use shampoo to wash your armpit hair in a pinch, as it can also clean skin. However, keep in mind that soap formulated for your body does a better job of cleaning your skin than shampoo does. [5]
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  3. Rubbing the soap into your armpit hair helps remove built-up sweat and deodorant so you smell fresh and clean. Use your fingers, a washcloth, or a loofah to gently massage your armpit hair for a few seconds. [6]
    • You may notice suds if your product lathers, but this isn’t always the case. Don’t worry if your cleanser doesn’t form bubbles.
  4. Raise your arm and place your armpit under the stream of water if you’re in the shower. If you’re bathing, splash the water under your arm until the soap washes away. You may want to use your fingers to massage the soap out of your hair while you’re rinsing. [7]
    • If you’re worried your armpits aren’t clean, give them a sniff to see if the smell is still there. You can always wash them a second time if you have stubborn body odor.
  5. Make sure you totally dry your armpits after a shower because water might get trapped in your armpit hair. Sometimes this can lead to skin irritation. Use a clean towel to blot away excess water from your bath or shower. Pay special attention to the area around your underarms to make sure it’s dry. [8]
    • If your armpit hair still feels wet after you towel off, you might want to let your underarms air out for a few minutes so the hair has time to dry. How long it takes for your hair to dry depends on the thickness and texture, but it shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Keeping Your Armpits Clean

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  1. It doesn’t matter what time of day you shower, so it’s okay to do it when it’s convenient for you. For instance, you might shower before bed if it relaxes you or in the morning if it helps you wake up. Be sure to soap up your armpits, groin, and feet, as these areas tend to get smelly. [9]
    • You don’t actually need to use soap on your entire body unless you prefer it. You only need to soap areas that get sweaty and moist, which are your armpits, groin, and feet. However, it's okay to soap up your entire body if you only do it once a day. Using soap too often on these areas will dry out your skin.
  2. You probably don’t need to wash your armpits more than once daily, but it’s totally safe to do so if you’re very concerned about body odor. Additionally, you might prefer an extra wash after a tough workout or manual labor. You can use underarm cleansing wipes for an easy option, but you might prefer to take a quick shower instead. [10]
    • Keep in mind that showering too often can cause dry skin. If you’re showering more than once a day, only soap up areas like your armpits, groin, and feet in your extra shower. [11]
  3. It's totally normal for your clothes to get a little stinky after you wear them, especially under the arms. Always change into a fresh pair of clothes after you bathe so you don’t have to worry about old odors. Be sure to wash your clothes in a mild detergent before you wear them again. [12]
    • Even if you don’t have time to shower, changing your shirt will help keep your underarms as clean as possible, since your shirt absorbs your sweat.
  4. Fabrics like cotton, wool, and silk soak up sweat better than synthetic fabrics, like polyester or rayon. Since the sweat isn’t sitting on your skin as long, this helps control body odor and sweat build-up on your armpit hair. Check the labels on the clothes you buy to make sure they’re made from natural fabrics. [13]
  5. While it’s a common problem, you might be annoyed and embarrassed if your antiperspirant-deodorant is leaving a white residue in your armpit hair. Unfortunately, solid stick antiperspirant-deodorant can leave visible clumps behind. To avoid this problem, try a roll-on liquid, gel stick, or spray antiperspirant-deodorant to control sweat and odor. [14]
    • Liquids, gels, and sprays typically provide better odor protection than solid antiperspirant-deodorants when you have armpit hair because the product can reach your skin under the hair more easily.
    • You may need to try several different kinds of antiperspirant-deodorant to see which works best for you. Everyone reacts to each product differently.
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      Tips

      • If you get ingrown hairs, try exfoliating your underarms every week or two using a body scrub. This will buff away dead skin cells so your hair follicles are less likely to get clogged. [15]
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      • If you’re concerned about body odor, try changing your diet. Limit strong-smelling foods, spicy foods, coffee, and alcohol, which can all worsen your body odor. [16]
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      • You don’t need a special soap or shampoo to wash your armpit hair. Regular soap and body wash will work just fine.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sweating-and-body-odor/symptoms-causes/syc-20353895
      2. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-do-you-really-need-to-take-a-shower/
      3. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/skin-care/art-20048237
      4. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sweating-and-body-odor/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353898
      5. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458934/
      6. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-do-you-really-need-to-take-a-shower/
      7. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-do-you-really-need-to-take-a-shower/
      8. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/skin-care/art-20048237
      9. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-do-you-really-need-to-take-a-shower/
      1. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-odour-bo/
      2. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-do-you-really-need-to-take-a-shower/
      3. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12176-diabetes-skin-conditions
      4. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-odour-bo/
      5. ↑ https://www.thecut.com/2015/06/everything-there-is-to-know-about-pit-hair.html
      6. ↑ https://www.thecut.com/2015/06/everything-there-is-to-know-about-pit-hair.html
      7. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-odour-bo/

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