The easiest way to prevent bacteria and dirt from collecting in your belly button is to clean it every day. Here's how: Put a little bit of antibacterial soap on a washcloth when you're in the shower. Using your index finger underneath the washcloth, gently wash the inside of your belly button.
Dip your finger or a soft washcloth in a solution of saltwater (about a teaspoon of table salt in a cup of warm water) and gently massage the inside of your navel. This should loosen stubborn germs that can cause odor. Then rinse with plain water and pat it dry.
When your belly button smells, it is usually because of a hygiene need or infection. The belly button contains several tiny skin folds that can trap sweat, dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Possible infections include candidiasis, bacterial infections, or an infected urachal cyst.
Washing your belly button should stop the unpleasant smell if it's from a buildup of dirt and germs. However, if the odor persists even after cleaning, you may want to see a health care provider. If you develop redness, swelling, aching, or discharge, your belly button may be infected.
Most bellybuttons have crevices that can collect dirt and breed bacteria. Aim to clean yours about once a week.
“The number one cause of unpleasant belly button odor comes from poor belly button hygiene,” says Dr. Minars. Forgetting to clean the area during showers or baths can cause a buildup of dirt, sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells that gifts the area with a funky aroma.
Without getting in there and cleaning your belly button on the regular, the lingering gunk — e.g. dirt, sweat, dead skin cells, clothing fabric, and bacteria — can collect and "cause odor or even an infection," says Dr. Goldberg.
You should regularly be giving your belly button a little extra TLC to make sure it stays clean and infection free. “I recommend patients clean their navel daily in the shower with gentle soap and water,” says Dr. Bard.
What's a Belly Button? Your belly button marks the spot where your umbilical (say: um-BIL-ih-kul) cord was once attached. This cord is a soft, bendable tube that carried nutrients — vitamins and minerals — from your mother to you, back when you were in her belly (womb). A belly button is also called a navel.
There's no medical mandate requiring you to clean your belly button with any specific frequency. “I recommend patients clean their navel daily in the shower with gentle soap and water,” dermatologist Dr. Susan Bard told Teen Vogue. Other sources say one to two times a week will suffice.
Deep-clean an innie with a washcloth or cotton swab.
Swab out the inside of your belly button gently with soap and water, and make sure to rinse it well afterward. Don't scrub hard—you could irritate the delicate skin in and around your belly button.