To put it bluntly, stools have odour. This odour can vary depending on what we eat or drink and this doesn’t change when you have a stoma. Your stoma bag is made from special laminated and odour proof plastic, and when it is properly applied, there should be no odour coming from the bag.
It is right to assume there may be a little odour when you are changing or emptying your bag, this is completely normal, but we understand how it can feel a little embarrassing or uncomfortable when caring for your stoma outside of your home.
Odour can be caused by a variety of factors: bag management, leakage, bag filter not working effectively, dietary intake. All these factors are easily monitored and managed to help you feel more confident. Below we share some hints and tips on managing odour, and some product recommendations you may wish to try. Please remember to discuss any issues you are experiencing with your stoma care nurse who may need to review your stoma appliances and will be able to help you further.
Hints and tips
- Spray the room with an odour neutralising spary before and after each bag change or empty.
- Add 1 or 2 drops of NEUTRALISE drops directly into your clean bag before application (more information below).
- Stoma bag leakage either from around or underneath the baseplate will cause odour. If this happens, change your bag as soon as possible.
- If odour is escaping through the bag filter, try covering the filter with one of the adhesive tabs that comes in your box of bags.
- Stoma shrinkage and skin creases can prevent your bag from sticking securely. Click here to read more on how skin creases and folds can cause leaks and how to prevent them. (LINK TO LEAKS PAGE)
- Eating bio or live yoghurt and drinking buttermilk can help to neutralise odour.
- Make sure to chew your food properly, some foods are more likely to cause problems than others so you may wish to avoid those. Click here to read our nutrition advice booklet for more information on diet and odour.
See below our product recommendations to help manage odour: