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What is a Pouch Deodorant?

Pouch deodorants are designed to eliminate ostomy odors from inside the pouch.

Some of them kill odor-producing bacteria, while others are scented; lubricating products help to prevent pancaking (when stool gets stuck on the top portion of the bag).

How Pouch Deodorants Are Usually Sold

You’ll mostly find pouch deodorants in bottles, varying in size from 1oz travel size to 8oz bottles you can keep in your bathroom. Some manufacturers also sell little packets of deodorant that you can carry with you in a purse or ostomy travel kit.

You may notice that many brands of liquid deodorant will color their products blue, while others are clear – I’ve found that this makes no difference to the effectiveness of the product.

While there are a few do-it-yourself recipes (often involving mouthwash, essential oil and even fabric softener), I do not recommend using them, as they carry risks beyond what you’d expect from something that may come in contact with your stoma.

Prices for deodorants quite often depend on the size you get, with large bottles being the least expensive and travel packets being the most.

In Canada, deodorants can range anywhere between $12 and $30 for 8oz bottles, and depending on how often they are used and in what quantities, they can last several weeks to many months.

Some insurance companies cover deodorants, so if you have medical insurance, check to see if they cover these before paying out-of-pocket.

Purchase on Amazon

You can purchase ostomy pouch deodorant on Amazon (affiliate links): USA | CANADA

How to Use Pouch Deodorants

Each manufacturer lists their recommended quantities to use for the products they sell, but I find that most will suggest close to 20 drops or so; lubricating deodorants often require that you use more for it to be effective.

Pouch deodorants and lubricating products are added to your pouch when you empty it; you can add them to closed pouches, and they’ll help to reduce odor when you do an appliance change.

Lubricating deodorants quite often come in a gel format, and all lubricating deodorants work best if you massage the product around the inside of your pouch (especially on the top half).

Tips When Using Pouch Deodorants

• Just because a manufacturer gives you guidance for the quantities to use, it doesn’t mean you can’t use a little less (or more) of their product. I’ve found some brands to be extremely effective using far less than the suggested quantity, while others (especially lubricating gels) often require a bit more.
• Blue deodorants can stain clothes, so be careful when using them.
• Some deodorants are effective after more than one pouch empty (like the Just a Drop Lightly Scented product). A neat trick I use for these particular deodorants is to add a bit more than I normally would in a single application just before I leave the house to go out; this will keep my pouch odors down without the need to bring extra deodorant with me to the toilet.
• Request samples from different manufacturers to see which deodorant works best for you; you may find that some work better than others for your output. You’ll often get a small 1oz sample bottle (keep it for the next tip…)
• If you’ve purchased a large bottle, but would still like to bring some with you during travels, simply refill the small sample bottles you’ve received, and you’re good to go!

Are Pouch Deodorants Vegan-Friendly?

Most deodorants are free of animal ingredients, and I’ve listed a few brands in my vegan/non-vegan supplies list HERE.

Additional Resources

Dealing With Ostomy Pouch Odors

You can also check out the many pouch deodorant reviews I’ve published HERE.