Cramped legs, a sore butt, fatigue…and body odor. Hours of sitting in an airplane, train or bus can leave you smelling a little funky. Usually, it has nothing to do with your personal hygiene. It’s caused by a combination of factors including the kind of clothes you wear and dehydration. 

To ensure you get to our destination feeling and smelling fresh, here are some tips to avoid body odor on long trips. 

What Causes Body Odor on Long Trips?

• Sweating - This is the most common cause of BO when traveling. It might be too warm in the bus or train or it’s just a build up of normal sweat. And if you are wearing synthetic clothes like polyester or nylon, you’ll have a stronger BO. Some people also experience stress sweating when traveling.
• Dehydration - Yes, not drinking enough fluids can give you an unpleasant smell. This includes bad breath. Dehydration also makes your sweat more concentrated and smellier.  
• Alcohol - Drinking wine, beer or any other drink while traveling not only gives you alcohol breath, it can also make you sweat more and make your sweat smellier. So limit or avoid alcohol altogether while traveling. By the way, coffee and other caffeine beverages can also cause more sweating, so avoid chugging down too many cuppas. 
• Food - Some foods like garlic, cruciferous vegetables and red meat can give you an unpleasant body odor. Limit or avoid these foods when traveling.  
• Personal hygiene - It’s harder to keep up with personal hygiene when you are trapped in an airplane for 12 hours. It’s perfectly normal to smell a bit funky when you step off the plane or train. It doesn't help that you interact a lot with unsanitary environments. 

5 Ways to Stay Fresh When on Long Trips  

Thankfully, it’s fairly easy to stay fresh when traveling for hours. Here are five things you can do on your next trip. 

1. Wear the Right Clothes 

Probably the biggest determining factor in how fresh you smell at the end of your flight or trip is what you wear. 

One, wear clothes that are cool and breathable. They ensure you don't overheat (thus reducing sweating) and they allow any sweat on your skin to evaporate quickly. Clothes made with natural fabrics like cotton, bamboo, silk and merino wool are the best for breathability and temperature regulation. 

Two, wear moisture-wicking and quick drying clothes. They absorb sweat from your skin and allow it to evaporate quickly. Here, bamboo, wool, silk and linen clothes are the best. Cotton is good, but if you tend to sweat a lot, it holds onto moisture and can give you a stronger BO.

Athletic wear is also great for traveling. It’s designed to be highly breathable and it dries quickly. Just keep in mind that if you are a heavy sweater, athletic clothes can get quite smelly because of the synthetic fabrics.   

I also recommend trying antibacterial clothes like the Hercleon HercShirt or Kribi underwear. They kill odor-causing bacteria, ensuring you stay fresh for hours. 

2. Layer Your Clothes to Avoid Overheating 

When traveling you’ll usually encounter changes in temperature. It might be hot and stifling in the airport or train station, but chilly in the airplane. 

If you dress too warm with no way to adjust your clothes, you could find yourself overheating and sweating. 

The trick is to layer your clothes. Have a light shirt as the first layer, a warmer sweater as the second layer and a jacket as the top layer. You can then adjust these layers depending on your environment. 

3. Watch What You Eat and Drink 

Avoid excessive alcohol and coffee. They will worsen your body odor. Also watch out for spicy foods, garlic and onion heavy foods, cruciferous vegetables and red meat. 

Some people can also get body odor when they eat something they are not used to. So maybe stick to familiar stuff and experiment with new foods when you get to your destination.

4. Stay Hydrated

Drink lots of water both before and during your trip. Carry a large reusable bottle and refill it just before you board. 

Note that coffee, while it can be hydrating, should not be your primary source of hydration. Too much of it can worsen your body odor. Just stick to good old water. 

5. Take a Nap

Sleep? Really? Yes, really. 

Fatigue and sleep deprivation, which are common on long flights, can make you sweat more. This is because they increase stress levels, which triggers increased sweating. And that kind of stress sweat is actually smellier than the usual sweat.

Sleeping will make you more relaxed, less stressed and help you stay fresh.