How does one effectively/safely clean-out or wash their belly button to prevent omphalolith-umbolith (navel stones)?

Question

This may sound silly, but a few weeks ago, I received a gag gift in a White Elephant gift exchange and received a belly button brush brush like this:

It was good for a few laughs, but it got me thinking... When was the last time I've ever cleaned my belly button? For reals? And how do you clean your belly button specifically? I wash with soap and water around my abdomen, but do I need to do something more? I shower every day like most people, but is that enough?

The person who gifted me with the novelty item of a belly button brush, recently posted this article about omphalolith, umbolith, navel stones onto my facebook to make me squirm and maybe laugh?

And while I found this YouTube video about omphaloliths, that confirms that this indeed happens... Neither the article ^ or the video ^ explained how to properly clean your own belly button. Or how often. Or explained how that impacted dirt starts growing its own hair?

Answer 1

I had never heard of these things and never had them. I had to find out what they are and came across an article in Volume 21 - Issue 7 - July 2013 edition of The Dermatologist.

The article says that

An omphalolith – also referred to as an omphalith, omphalokeratolith or umbolith – is a keratin and sebum containing stone-like mass found in the umbilicus.

Sebum is a light yellow, oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands that keep the skin and hair moisturised, and as indicated in the Dermatologist article, these solid masses are a result of poor hygiene. The hair shown in some pictures is hair from the umbilicus. It is not something the omphalith is growing.

If you shower or have a bath regularly and ensure the umbilicus is clean whilst washing, you should have no problem.