# Why doesn't your belly button get dirty? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 1999, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194 "1999-03-20T20:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 1999, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/1 "1999-03-20T20:22:00Z")
Mine sure don’t. Hey, not even one product directly made for this either. They must have some special antibiotic properties perhaps. Do they really get lint? ‘Lint-ed?’ ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 1999, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/2 "1999-03-20T23:37:00Z")
Mine gets lint, that’s for sure. I think you might be in the minority, with your magical lintless self-cleaning model. Are you an “outy” perhaps? My lint-collecter is an “inny”. A good question might be: Where does the lint come from? Perhaps from my clothes? I assume it’s coming from the external world, and not being generated in my body and exiting via the belly button. – Revtim ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 1999, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/3 "1999-03-21T03:09:00Z")
I think lint comes from your clothes . If I wear sweatshirts , I alwyas find lint in my (inny) bellybutton . I think this because it’s usually the color of the cloth I was wearing ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 1999, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/4 "1999-03-21T06:11:00Z")
I think belly button lint is a combination of some fuzz from your clothes as well as some dead skin cells that have just gotten trapped down in there. I often wear really old T-shirts that don’t shed at all, but I still have a li’l bit of lint and I think it’s just because the skin is shed and gets caught. Of course I have no real reason to believe it. Just my hypothesis… * * * ~_brandie_~ “Free thinkers are dangerous.”~Serj ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 1999, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/5 "1999-03-21T14:05:00Z")
This might sound pretty gross, but I used to get a great deal of foul-scented crap built up in my belly button from day to day. However, I’ve found that if I dry inside with a Q-tip or a bit of alcohol (or both) after showering, a lot less crap accumulates. I began this practice after I pierced my belly button, because I feared that the aforementioned foul-scented crap would contaminate the piercing and cause infection. Pippy (happily pierced for 2 months) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 1999, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/6 "1999-03-21T15:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > This might sound pretty gross, but I used to get a great deal of foul-scented crap built up in my belly button from day to day. Not to be an alarmist, but you might want to talk to your doctor about that. My newborn’s cord remnant just fell off a couple weeks ago, and the doctor specifically told us to be on the lookout for, well, foul-scented crap. I figure you’re probably just a bit older than he is, but it still could be a problem. * * * “It’s a very dangerous thing to believe in nonsense.” – James Randi ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 1999, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/7 "1999-03-23T06:58:00Z")
I read that your bellybutton is one of 2 places on the body that collects moisture and the moisture doesn’t evaporate and that creates the lint. the other place is between your toes. * * * MaryAnn Women are like velcro, Men are like teflon ([Time4atrim@aol.com](mailto:Time4atrim@aol.com)) ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/8 "1999-09-09T09:27:00Z")
Based on personal observation the lint comes from the shirt. My data is collected from my dads old work T-shirts. He is a blue collar guy and wears the same dozen T-shirts everyday to work year round. Some of his older shirts are noticably thin and see through right around the belly button. Weird, huh? He likes to bring the lint bunches home to my mom, occasionally when he has a real fat one he’ll leave it sitting on the counter for my mom to see when she gets home from work. Yes, my family is disturbed. ---
**Author:** ![Temujin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Temujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temujin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/9 "1999-09-09T10:16:00Z")
How long do you suppose it would take to fill an empty peanut butter jar with the stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Babar714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Babar714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babar714)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/10 "1999-09-09T12:44:00Z")
I had a friend who did see a doctor about the foul smelling crap in his button. Apparently, gastric acids and all were leaking from his guy. Don’t know how that happened, bet he was very self consious about it. And being poor like Kenny, there wasn’t much to do about it. Next time I talk to him, I’ll update you all on his leaking belly-button. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/11 "1999-09-09T14:10:00Z")
Here’s the link to Cecil’s column on belly-button lint: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_080.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_080.html) Handy started this thread by asking, Why doesn’t your belly button get dirty? and then by saying, “Mine sure don’t.” Hmmm… how many do you have? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/12 "1999-09-09T15:12:00Z")
Great CKDextHavn, you know, I did search the board before asking that question but it appears they just put that Cecil article in the archives. The archives are catching up with the board. yes! ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/13 "1999-09-09T15:30:00Z")
Also, Handy, as we’ve learned: the search engine in pretty badly flawed. We’re promised it will get better. ---
**Author:** ![Leslie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Leslie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leslie)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/14 "1999-09-09T15:44:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Not to be an alarmist, but you might want to talk to your doctor about that. My newborn’s cord remnant just fell off a couple weeks ago, and the doctor specifically told us to be on the lookout for, well, foul-scented crap. I figure you’re probably just a bit older than he is, but it still could be a problem. Leaking gastric juices aside, I don’t think this is as much of an issue for grown-ups as it is for newborns. The reason your doctor wanted you to be on the lookout for foul-smelling crap in your newborn is that the umbilicus is still a very recent portal for your baby, and they want to make sure it all closed up right away. If it didn’t, and things get dirty down there, that’s a quick trip for bacteria and infection to enter the baby’s gut. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/15 "1999-09-09T19:26:00Z")
\*Temujin:How long do you suppose it would take to fill an empty peanut butter jar with the stuff? \* My wife’s cousin is working on it. I think he’s been collecting it for about 4 years now. (He makes little “footballs” out of each days collection and puts it in a jar.) If you’d like, I can ask him how big his collection is so far. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/16 "1999-09-09T21:55:00Z")
I’m just worried how Handy knew my belly button doesn’t get dirty. * * * Don’t let the loveless ones sell you a world wrapped in grey. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/17 "1999-09-09T23:24:00Z")
Well, mine doesn’t get “dirty” but if I rub my finger around it, it sure comes out smelling kinda yucky, same thing between the toes. Maybe it has to do with moisture not evaporating, like she said. I think it’s probably because most people shower nowadays rather than soaking everything (toes and belly buttons) in the tub. Are we saying belly button cuz no one’s sure how to spell “navel”? Naval? Always have to look it up. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 1999, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/18 "1999-09-09T23:57:00Z")
Its odd mine doesn’t get dirty, never has lint, just sits there forever content. Im an outie, though, maybe that’s the trick? ---
**Author:** ![NanoByte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecc23a/32.png) [@NanoByte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NanoByte)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 1999, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/19 "1999-09-10T00:34:00Z")
Odd nobody mentioned that the solution to any problems is. . .navel jelly (or is that ‘naval jelly’) 😉 But since you all grossed me out, let me instead respond to a signature: > [@](#): > > Women are like velcro,. . . So we have a choice between hooks and wool? OK, so maybe now I don’t have _any_ choice. Ray ---
**Author:** ![Temujin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Temujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temujin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 1999, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194/20 "1999-09-10T04:18:00Z")
> [@](#): > > My wife’s cousin is working on it. I think he’s been collecting it for about 4 years now. (He makes little “footballs” out of each days collection and puts it in a jar.) > > If you’d like, I can ask him how big his collection is so far. OK. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-your-belly-button-get-dirty/3194.md?page=2)