The most common cause for unpleasant belly button odors is dirt and sweat. In most cases, washing up with a little soap and water will clear up any unwanted smells. If it doesn’t, you might have an infection. Look for symptoms such as:  Scaly red skin Tenderness or swelling in or around your belly button Itching Yellow or green fluid or pus leaking from your belly button Fever or general feelings of illness or fatigue If you think you have an infection, make an appointment with your doctor right away. They can evaluate what kind of infection you have and tell you how to treat it properly.  The appropriate treatment will be different depending on whether your infection is caused by bacteria, fungus, or yeast. Don’t try to guess what kind of infection you have, since using the wrong treatment could do more harm than good. Your doctor may swab your belly button to get a sample for testing. This can help them determine what’s causing your infection. If it turns out you have an infection in your belly button, you may need to use an antibiotic or antifungal ointment or powder for a while to clear it up. Your doctor may prescribe a medication or instruct you to buy one over-the-counter. Treating the infection should also get rid of any nasty odors or discharge! Follow any other home care instructions your doctor may have, such as:  Resisting the urge to scratch or pick at your infected belly button Changing and washing your bedsheets and clothing regularly to prevent reinfection Avoiding sharing towels with other people Wearing loose, comfortable clothing to help keep your belly button cool and dry Cleansing your belly button daily with a saltwater solution Sometimes a cyst can form in your belly button, potentially leading to swelling, pain, and bad-smelling discharge. If you have an infected cyst in your belly button, your doctor will probably drain the cyst in their office. They may also prescribe oral or topical antibiotics to help clear up the infection. Follow their home care instructions to help the cyst heal properly.  Ask your doctor for detailed instructions on how to clean and care for your cyst at home. They may recommend putting a warm, dry compress over the area 3-4 times a day. If they applied a dressing, you will need to change it at least once a day until your doctor says you can stop using it.  If your doctor packed the cyst with gauze, you’ll need to return to have it removed after 2 days. Wash the wound with warm water once a day until it heals (usually within 5 days).  If the cyst comes back, you might need to have surgery to remove it completely. For deep cysts, such as urachal cysts, the surgeon will probably make a tiny incision and remove the cyst using delicate instruments, guided by a camera.  You will likely need to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days after the surgery, and should be able to return to your regular activities in about 2 weeks. If you have a deep belly button and don’t clean it often enough, dirt, lint, and oils can build up inside it. Eventually, these materials can form a hardened mass, called an omphalith or navel stone. If this happens to you, make an appointment with your doctor. They can use forceps to gently pull out the stone.  In many cases, navel stones don’t cause any symptoms. Sometimes, however, they can cause sores and infections to develop. You can prevent navel stones by cleaning your belly button regularly with soap and water.

Summary: Look for signs of infection if regular washing doesn’t work. See your doctor for a diagnosis if you have infection symptoms. Use topical medications to treat a bacterial, fungal, or yeast infection. Ask your doctor to drain a belly button cyst if you have one. Visit your doctor to get navel stones removed if necessary.


Sharks have several different attack methods. Sometimes they swim right up and charge, sometimes they circle for a while before lunging, and sometimes they sneak up from behind for a surprise attack. To be able to defend against the shark, you must know where it is, so make every effort to watch the animal, even as you are working out your escape. When you first spot the shark, chances are it will swim away without bothering you. You cannot out-swim a shark, so trying to sprint to safety may not be your best option, unless you are already very close to shore. It is important to keep your wits about you, so you can continuously appraise the situation and figure out how to get to safety.  Move slowly toward the shore or a boat; choose whichever is closest. Do not thrash your arms or kick or splash while you swim. Do not block the shark's path. If you are standing between the shark and the open ocean, move away.  Do not turn your back on the shark as you move. Remember, it is important to keep the shark in view. If you cannot get out of the water right away, try to reduce the shark's possible angles of attack. If you are in shallow enough water, keep your feet on the ground. Slowly back up against a reef, piling, or rock outcropping or any solid obstruction so that the shark cannot circle around behind you. This way you only have to defend attacks in front of you.  If you are diving near the shore, you may need to descend to find cover. Look for a reef or rock on the bottom of the ocean. In open water, get back-to-back with another swimmer or diver so that you can see, and defend against, an attack from any direction.

Summary: Do not take your eyes off the shark. Stay calm and do not make sudden movements. Get into a defensive position.


If the bees are on a large branch, gently shake the branch to get the bees to drop into the box. If the bees are clustered on small shrubs or flower stems, clip the vegetation and place it, with the bees, in the box. If the bees are swarming on a fence or wall, use a bee brush to sweep them into the box. Close the lid when you’ve got them inside. Be sure to keep your gloves, veil, and other protective gear on in case the bees get agitated! When the bees stop buzzing it means they’re eating the food you provided. Usually, when you open the box the bees will fly out immediately, but if they don’t, wait a few minutes for them to finish eating. The bees will likely be confused and fly in circles at first. Then, they’ll head straight for their colony. Leave the box open so the bees can return for more food. When the bees leave the box, they’ll head to their hive. Use a stopwatch to track how long it takes the bees to make it to their hive and back to the box. Bees generally travel less than a mile from their hive to look for food.  If the bees return in 3 minutes or less, the hive is likely less than 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) away. If the bees return in 5-10 minutes, the hive is probably 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) away. If the bees return in 10-20 minutes, the hive is up to 1 mile (1.6 km) away. Once the bees return for more food, you’ll know how far away their hive is. On their second or third trip, follow the bee line to the hive. Keep a close eye on the bees so you know which direction to travel. You may want to use a compass to ensure you are heading in the right direction. You can measure the distance with GPS, such as on your phone, if you’d like. Keep watching the bees to ensure they are traveling in the same direction you are. As you follow the bees, inspect each tree that you pass, looking for holes or cavities that could hold a hive. Some hives can be found in fallen logs or even on the ground, as well. Listen for buzzing to direct you to the right spot. If you lose track of the bees, return to the box and wait for a bee to feed on the nectar you provided. Then, try again to follow the bee to its hive.
Summary: Capture a cluster of bees in the box. Release the bees when they stop buzzing. Mark how long it takes the bees to come back to the box. Follow the bee line to their hive. Look for their hive in a tree or other sheltered place.