We’ve all been on the subway when some random guy lifts up his arm and releases enough body odor to burn everyone’s nostril hairs. It’s really not that hard to prevent BO. If you’re homeless, ok, you have no shower so I can give you a pass on the BO. But for the rest of us with running water and the means to buy soap, how hard is it to wash your armpits everyday?

For many of us on the right side of cleanliness though, we can overdo it. For example, you might slather on antiperspirant after the shower, and then because it’s hot outside, you throw a couple more swipes on at lunch. Throw a little more on before a workout so the poor girl next to you on the treadmill doesn’t get sick. And so on.

Fragrances in antiperspirants and deodorants can be harsh and cause allergic reactions, such as red, itchy, bumpy armpits that are anything but attractive, especially if you’re a woman and don’t have a forest of hair to cover up. Sometimes the fragrances can have more severe side-effects, but only if you plan on breathing deeply in a closet over an uncapped roll-on in an attempt to discover the latest high using household products.

A little more concerning is the aluminum-based compounds found in many antiperspirants that block your pores from releasing sweat. Every time you spread an antiperspirant under your arm, you absorb aluminum throughout the day. Aluminum is a neurotoxin, and amounts of it in your blood can affect your brain, perhaps increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s. If there was a conclusive link between aluminum in antiperspirants and Alzheimer’s, the antiperspirants would be taken off the shelf faster than a cat can lick its ass, but it’s sketchy enough for me to choose deodorants that don’t contain aluminum. Besides, sweating is the body’s way of cooling itself off and getting rid of toxins that are built up on the skin. It’s not the sweating, but the BO we’re worried about. There’s also been some concern about parabens (preservatives used in deodorants and antiperspirants) that have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen in the body’s cells. Estrogen promotes the growth of breast cancer cells. So some researchers have speculated that the use of these products cause an accumulation of parabens in breast tissue, which could lead to breast cancer.

But no one wants to be that guy who smells like a zoo. Especially if you’re looking to get laid sometime this century. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: wash yourself, including your armpits, everyday with soap and water. Just that step guarantees you won’t be offensive at least beyond a couple of feet. Next, if you’re skin isn’t too sensitive, wipe them a couple times with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol before putting your shirt on. This will kill any bacteria and help prevent any smells from occurring in the first place. And preventing underarm smell is always better than just covering up by spraying cologne under your arms. If the washing/alcohol trick isn’t quite enough for you, opt for a deodorant that contains all-natural ingredients, such as Tom’s. And if you think you might be getting it on later in the night, go ahead, grab the trusted antiperspirant under the sink…using it once a year can’t be that bad right?