Summer heat can make it harder to keep yourself smelling nice all day long. Sometimes, such as on really hot days or when you are outdoors, even deodorant might not be enough to completely prevent body odor. 

The good news is that it’s possible to smell fresh even in sweltering heat. Here are our best tips to smell nice all day long on hot summer days. 

Start With the Basics

To beat the summer sweats, you need to cover the basics. Otherwise, you’ll start giving off a smell the moment you start sweating. 

• Take a shower before you leave home, even if you took a shower before bed. Your body sweats in sleep. A morning shower refreshes your body and keeps you smelling nice for longer. 
• Apply deodorant and/or antiperspirant to control sweating. Even if you are not a particularly heavy sweater, you should still use deodorant. 
• Wear clean clothes. Dirty clothes or clothes that have not been washed properly can make you smell worse once you start sweating. 

Apply Deodorant to More Places in Addition to Armpits

Most people apply deodorants only on their underarms. But that’s not the only place they were designed for. Sweating from your thighs, underboobs, or back can also give you body odor. 

Applying deodorant or antiperspirant to these areas will keep you smelling fresh when it is hot. In fact, you can apply deodorant just about anywhere on your body. Whole-body deodorants exist.

For certain areas, though, such as your groin or face we recommend getting a deodorant formulated for sensitive spots. 

Wear Breathable and Sweat-wicking Clothes

Avoid clothes that trap sweat on your skin or make you sweat even more. Wear lightweight clothing that is breathable and moisture-wicking. 

Breathable clothes keep you cool in the heat, which reduces how much you sweat. They also make it easier for sweat on your skin to evaporate, which is important for cooling. 

Moisture-wicking clothes move sweat from your skin and allow it to evaporate quickly into the air. This keeps you dry and reduces or prevents sweaty smells. 

Natural fabrics like cotton, wool, linen, bamboo and silk are highly breathable, making them great for hot weather. Just make sure you wear something light. A thick cotton shirt is still going to make you hot and sweaty. 

Natural fabrics are also moisture-wicking. But beware cotton if you sweat a lot. It dries slower than other fabrics and can leave you uncomfortably damp. 

If you opt for synthetic clothes like polyester, look for lightweight ones with good ventilation. This allows sweat to easily evaporate. 

It goes without saying that you should wear loose clothing when it’s hot. It keeps you from overheating and provides extra space for air to move and carry away heat and sweat.   

Beware Synthetic Clothing 

Synthetic clothing is great for hot weather, particularly when doing anything active like running, walking or sports. You can easily get high-performance synthetic activewear that is breathable and wicks away sweat. 

Synthetic clothes also dry quickly, which keeps you comfortable when you sweat a lot. But synthetic materials like polyester and nylon have a big downside — they quickly develop an odor. There’s actually a science to it, which we discussed in a previous article.

The short of it is that synthetic materials hold onto the oily compounds that make your sweat smell. This attracts more odor-causing bacteria. 

If you want to stay as fresh as possible, natural fabrics like cotton, silk, linen and wool are the best. They don't smell as much or as badly when you sweat. 

Wear Anti-odor Clothes 

If you want to be totally sure you won’t give off even a slight whiff, get anti-odor clothing. This is clothing that has been treated with antibacterial materials such as silver chloride to prevent the spread of odor-causing bacteria. 

Hercleon sells several anti-odor clothing including the HercShirt, Kribi underwear and HercSocks. You can wear these all day or for several days and they stay fresh. 

Additional Tips

• Watch what you eat. Things like alcohol, spicy foods, coffee and cruciferous vegetables can make you sweat more or make your sweat smell worse. 
• Stay hydrated. This is not only important because of the heat, it also makes your sweat more dilute and reduces unpleasant odors. 
• Take care of your mental health. Stress can make your sweat smellier.