7 Tips For Making The Switch To Baking Soda Deodorant

Container that I use to store my baking soda

Why Make The Switch?

In this post, I'll share the tips and tricks that I've learned throughout my journey switching to straight baking soda as my underarm deodorant of choice. Trust me when I say that I have a few important tips and tricks to make your switch to baking soda as smooth as possible. Don't make the same mistakes that I did!

Like many people, I was raised to believe that the only solution out there to keep my underarm funk at bay was store-bought stick deodorant. After spending many years trying to find an agreeable scent, or an unscented that doesn't fail, I decided to explore other options. Since baking soda was already my household cleaning and deodorizing product of choice, it only makes sense to slap some under my arms to see what happens, right?

Saves Money

I've saved a ton of money by switching to baking soda because it's cheap cheap cheap! I'd imagine that a large box of baking soda would last me many years if used exclusively as deodorant, but it just so happens to be one of my favorite and most used household cleaning products. 

Healthy Choice

Most regular store-bought deodorants have some pretty questionable ingredients in them. There are some health conscious options out there but they are more often than not expensive and usually don't work as well in my experience. Here's what the EWG (Environmental Working Group) has to say about one of the leading stick deodorants (and let's compare to baking soda).

Compare To Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)

The Best Way To Apply

1. Don't Mix With Water

When I first started this adventure over a year ago, I started by mixing baking soda with a bit of water in my hand as per many tutorials out there on the web. What I've discovered is that some days you'll apply too much (more on this later) and other days you'll apply too little. Don't mix with water because you'll be less able to reliably control the amount applied and you'll just make a mess of your bathroom. 

2. Apply Powder Directly After A Shower

I apply powder directly with one swift pat on each side after I dry off from a shower. I find that it sticks a bit better after a shower but I've also found that I can apply just as easily when my underarms are dry. Don't worry if it doesn't apply evenly; surprisingly, I've found that even when my application ends up all in one area it seems to distribute itself as I start to move around.  

What About Shaved Underarms?

I've not had much luck in convincing my wife to make the switch so I can't tell you how well my methods work for shaved underarms. I'd guess that it makes it a little harder for the application to stick when dry because there's no hair for it to stick to. If anyone out there with shaved underarms gives this method a try, please leave a comment and let me know how it goes. 

3. Less Is More

What I've found is that I can get good results even when applying a lot less than I ever expected. Please note that everyone has different body chemistry, so I can't claim that this is the correct amount in all cases. What I can tell you is that I would call myself an average stinky person; I can go for a few hours without deodorant before I start to stink, and at the end of a day of light work I'll be downright ripe. 

Here's an example of what I'd apply on a regular day. If I'm going to be out working hard in the hot sun, I'll apply at least double (risks of applying too much next). Please note that not all of the baking soda will transfer over to your armpit, there will still be some left over on your hand, but that's okay; one swift pat is all you need and then just rinse off your hand. I do this over the sink but it really doesn't seem to make much of a mess even if I don't.

Start with less and work your way up to more

Why Not Use More?

When I first started I wanted to be sure that I'd stay fresh all day but I quickly learned my lesson. If you apply too much, you'll end up with white stains on your shirt. Don't worry though, they'll come out in the wash. I've also found that t-shirts of certain colors and fabrics will have some pretty big problems. You will see (below) what one of my favorite red shirts does if I apply too much (this also washes out). I think it has to do with the color and fabric makeup.

Stain comes out in the wash but is embarrassing

Might have something to do with the poly content...

Additional Tips For Success (Lessons I've Learned)

4. Start On The Weekend(s)

Start experimenting on the weekend(s). You don't want to find yourself in the middle of a stressful or important meeting worrying if others can smell your body odor. Start slow and experiment over the weekends when you're staying at home or doing things with friends that won't judge. When you're confident you've found exactly what works best for you, then try away from home at work. 

5. Bring Along Your Old Deodorant

Until you're experienced with just how much you'll need to apply, I'd highly recommend bringing along your old deodorant and extra baking soda as backup. Worst case scenario, you can simply fallback to your old deodorant for the remainder of the day. Trust me, you don't want to find yourself awkwardly trying to fix your odor problem in the public bathroom with hand sanitizer. You'll quickly find that your shirt holds just as much stink as your pits!

6. Pack An Extra Shirt

Along with backup deodorant, you'll want to bring an extra shirt. As mentioned above, some shirts can have an unexpected reaction to the baking soda, especially if you use too much. Pack an extra shirt that you know works well just in case. If you start to stink too much, your shirt has a bad reaction, or you just need to fall back to your old deodorant, you'll appreciate having that extra shirt on hand.  

7. Fix Problems With Raw Or Chaffing Skin

I've had a few problems with raw or chaffing skin and I was able to solve the problem by simply applying less (back to the less is more philosophy). Your body may also have a bit of trouble adjusting to the new chemistry during the first few days. Don't give up, and keep trying to see what works for you. If it gets really bad, you may need to lay off the baking soda for a few days until you recover.

How Did It Go?

Have you given this method a try or have different methods worked better for you? Maybe you just have additional tips or constructive comments? Please drop in your comments below and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!