How to Clean Belly Button Lint

The belly button is just the kind of closed, moist space where bacteria and fungi tend to grow. Here are some tips to keep it clean.

Things You'll Need

• Turkey baster or water syringe
• Antibacterial cream or ointment
• Soap
• Clean rag

Instructions

1. Keep an innie an innie. If you have an innie, don't attempt to pull it into an outie for cleaning purposes. A turkey baster or a water syringe will get water where it needs to go.

2. Rub antibacterial cream or ointment in the affected area. The cream can help reduce the strange belly button smell by killing the germs there.

3. Pick away the lint. If lint is your only problem, digging around for awhile may be enough. Just make sure your hands are clean, or else you may be infecting your belly button.

4. Disinfect and probe. Peroxide and cotton swabs are a good combination for removing unwanted organisms from the pesky belly button area.

5. Scrub away the filth. If all else fails, or if you have an outie, the best bet is simply a finger, some soap and a wash rag.

Tips & Warnings

• Redness does not automatically indicate a fungal infection. It may also be a sign of psoriasis. This skin disorder causes redness in moist areas and scaling in dryer areas. Check the rest of your body for signs of psoriasis.

• Other people may view collecting belly button lint as strange.

• Digging hard may cause irritation and may be unsanitary.