How to stop the smell from a colostomy bag

When you’re living with a colostomy bag, looking after yourself and managing your bowels is really important. That includes monitoring your diet and keeping the stoma clean while making sure it doesn’t leak.

Nobody wants to feel self-conscious about the smell of their bag. So, if having a colostomy bag is new to you or you’re looking for ways to keep on top of smells check out our advice below.

Use an odour eliminator

As long as your stoma bag fits properly, there should only be an odour when you replace it. To tackle any scents that might escape when you change your colostomy bag, you can use an odour eliminator. Bio one™, an enzyme cleaner and odour eliminator, is perfect for the job. It’s vegan, eco-friendly and most importantly, non-toxic so it’s totally safe for you to use.

To neutralise bad smells, don’t spray Bio one™ directly onto the bag – simply spritz it in the air or into the toilet bowl before you empty it. The active enzymes will remove bad bacteria causing the smell. This is a great way to make you feel more confident about changing your bag in public.

Maintain good hygiene

When you have good personal hygiene, it’s much easier to prevent any colostomy bag smells. Your hands come into contact with a lot of items, surfaces and even people which harbour germs and bacteria. It’s time to start singing ‘Happy Birthday’ again while you wash them. Giving your mitts a good scrub for at least 20 seconds, before and after changing the bag, will help minimise odours. If you can’t get to a sink and soap, keep a bottle of sanitiser with you. A quick squeeze should stop you transferring germs to your bag.

Eat a healthy diet

Nutrition is important for everyone. But when wearing a colostomy bag, it’s usually even more vital. As tempting as grabbing some junk food on the way home might be, you have to stay mindful of what you eat. Certain foods may cause your stoma to smell more. And unfortunately, it’s often the snacks we enjoy most.

Stick to what your doctor recommends or a standard healthy diet that can prevent the build-up of gas in your digestive system. A well-balanced diet contains lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products. But, it’s best to stay clear of foods that produce excess gas, such as broccoli, beans or lentils and avoid anything you find particularly triggering.

Watch what you’re drinking

We’re not just talking about alcohol. Beverages like coffee and other caffeinated drinks can dry out your insides. And this could cause a smell. Instead, drink plenty of water throughout the day (and night if you need to). You could try cutting out acidic drinks, with citrus fruits, as some people find these produce an unpleasant smell when they come in contact with their colostomy bag. In fact, any carbonated drinks can expand inside the body, causing bloating and gas build-up.

See your doctor regularly

The best person to speak to about your stoma bag is always a doctor or medical professional. If you’re having any persistent problems, get in touch with them straight away. Check your colostomy bag for leaks and if you find one, they can fix it for you. If you ever have concerns that your stool doesn’t smell quite right, it could be a sign of a problem. Whoever is in charge of your care should monitor your stool to make sure everything is working properly – so always keep up with your regular health appointments too.

What are enzymes?

Don’t be fooled to think that because enzymes are natural they are less effective than chemical cleaners. Enzymes are nature’s very own powerful cleaning tools. Making them the go to choice for customers who do not want to spray harmful chemicals around their home.

Simply put, enzymes are all around us performing millions of important tasks in our bodies and in nature every single day. They are a type of protein that act like a biological catalyst to speed up the break down of organic compounds.

Similarly to how saliva, (which contains enzymes), initiates the digestion process by breaking down food in our mouths, cleaning enzymes use the same ‘enzymatic digestion’ to effectively break down and eradicate the organic proteins present in urine, faeces, vomit, drool, dirt, food, and more.

This process not only makes cleaning easier but also prevents the growth of bad bacteria – the root cause of those unpleasant odours – in the air, on surfaces, and within the fibres of your soft furnishings.

Try out Bio one™ today, vomit and the other nasties is what nature created enzymes for.