UTIs and other urinary issues
If you experience an ammonia-like vaginal odour, urine might be involved. This can happen if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI). 'This is more likely if a UTI is left untreated and you might be leaking,' explains Dr Rosén.
Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) is an uncommon condition that causes an unpleasant, fishy smell. It's also called "fish odour syndrome". Sometimes it's caused by faulty genes that a person inherits from their parents, but this isn't always the case. There's currently no cure, but there are things that can help.
According to Odors Away, baking something sweet, like cookies or the perfect dessert to complement your fish entree, can replace the fishy smell with something new—and much more pleasant.
Urine is mostly waste products and water and normally has a mild smell and a light yellow color. If you have more waste than water in your urine, it can smell more strongly. In most cases, a strong smell isn't a sign of disease. It's usually from your diet and medications, or it means you need to drink more water.
About 91% to 95% of urine is water. The remaining 5% to 9% is waste (like ammonia, urea, and electrolytes), which contributes to the smell. The smell and color of pee depend on how much water and waste are in it. Pee with more water has less color and less smell.
The bathroom is full of places where water can accumulate, such as in the shower, around the toilet, or even under the sink. These are all ideal breeding grounds for bacteria. When these bacteria multiply, they release a gas that smells like urine.
Hyperosmia is an overwhelming sensitivity to smells. There are many reasons behind this change in smell. Some include genetics, hormone changes, and migraines. If you have hyperosmia, your taste may also be affected.
You see, when you don't clean yourself down there after peeing, the urine droplets stuck in your pubes get transferred to your underwear. This gives rise to a foul odour. Moreover, it also gives birth to bacteria in your underwear, increasing the risk of urinary tract infections (UTI).
“So it's wisest to always wash with soap and water even after urinating. Neither plain water nor alcohol hand sanitizers are effective at removing fecal material or killing bacteria in fecal material.”
In short, yes! If it helps you feel more clean and fresh, that is certainly okay. There are also wipes made for women, sometimes referred to as feminine hygiene wipes but there's nothing wrong with using baby wipes. If they are safe and gentle enough for a baby, they should be fine for a teenager or woman.
Wash your vulva with warm water. Use plain, unperfumed soaps to wash the area around the vagina gently every day. Spread your lips apart and gently clean around the folds with a clean washcloth or your hands.
Vacuuming and mopping should happen at least once a week. Clean carpets every three to six months. Living rooms and bedrooms should be attacked at least once a week.
A strong fishy smell that won't go away is worth seeing a health care provider about. Fishy smells are associated with a type of vaginitis called bacterial vaginosis. Health care providers can prescribe medications to treat it.
Many women become concerned that other people can detect the odor around their vulva and vagina. In reality, women are most sensitive to their own odor, and it's very unlikely that others who don't have intimate contact with them can smell it.