How does deodorant work

Get a whiff of this! James May delves in to the mechanics of deodorant.
Did you know that our sweat doesn't smell? Made up of various things like our diet and genetics, it actually does not pong. Rather it's when your sweat mixes with the bacteria on your skin that it releases an odor that can sometimes clear a room. Your armpits and pubic areas contain thousands of hairs which then hold on to your sweat and bacteria.

Us humans aren't alone in smelling, many animals have some serious BO too. It's not such a bad thing for them, it helps them mark out territory, repelling enemies and, most importantly, attracting mates.

Deodorants work by killing the bacteria on your skin and they also work as an anti- perspirant by reducing the amount of sweat.