Teen boys and showering. We know it’s often a challenge. They’ve got busy lives. And a gazillion things that are far more pressing than washing their bodies. Of course, they’d rather be doing something more fun/interesting/important - like playing football or Playstation 5.
But the reality is, once puberty hits, skipping or rushing the shower or bath doesn’t cut it anymore. Teen boy bodies have to be washed properly if they want to avoid getting sweaty and smelly. And, as with most other things in their lives, it’s usually the parent’s job to teach them how.
So, here are some of our best Teen boy shower tips:
Have a talk with him
Be sensitive. He might be completely unaware of how he smells. The aim is to highlight the need to start washing himself properly - and wearing deodorant - without making him feel self-conscious. Be prepared for resistance. Plant the idea and then come back to it a week or so later and try again.
Explain what’s happening to his body
You’d be surprised how little he might know! He’ll be aware of getting sweaty before now, but explain that once puberty hits, that sweat changes. There will be more of it and it will smell stronger. Ditto the oil glands on his face, chest and shoulders. The hormones that his body is now producing will mean there is a lot more and it’s going to start blocking his pores if he doesn’t clean it off.
Make sure he knows what proper washing involves
It’s not standing under a stream of warm water and hoping for the best. It means washing his whole body with soap or body wash (ideally a sulphate-free one) and paying special attention to underarms and groins. It means washing his hair a couple of times a week and rinsing it between hair washes. Show him how much product to use to be effective and how to lather it up on a flannel. Seems obvious, but some tweens and young teens don’t have a clue.
How often and when he showers will depend on how active he is
Some teens are sweaty sleepers, so a morning shower makes sense. Sporty teens will need to wash well at night before bed. Once they hit full puberty, showering morning and night might be a necessity.
Buy him is own products!
Not products that you’d buy for yourself or his dad or older brother; but products that look like they’re made for him, smell like they’re made for him and are formulated for his unique needs. A body wash and a shampoo is a good starting point (or, even better for reluctant washers, one product that does BOTH!). Then, leave them in his bathroom and see what happens. In our experience, they’ll magically disappear in a few weeks. And the next thing you know, he’ll be asking for more…
Our Boy body and face products are sulphate-free and gentle on teen skin, but full of clever ingredients that will zap odour- and acne-causing bacteria
Keep his products somewhere he can’t miss them and restock regularly
Put his body wash right in front of his nose on the shower shelf, not in the cupboard. And check regularly if it’s getting low. He’s not always going to tell you when things run out (well, not just yet).
Think about introducing a facial cleanser
Take advantage of the fact he’s already in wash-mode and get him to apply a gentle, non-foaming cleanser to his face before he jumps into the shower or bath. Yes, that might be over-optimistic right now. But baby steps! Once he see the difference cleansing makes to his face, he’ll be more motivated (hopefully).
Try to encourage a daily routine
Having a routine isn’t just great for how he smells. Studies show that doing anything regularly and daily is a game-changer for productivity, creativity and mental health. Be prepared - you might have to remind him - gently - for a few weeks or months, the way you did when he was learning to brush his teeth. You might also have to give him a checklist to follow. There are even hygiene tracker apps you can encourage teens/tweens to download!
If he does all that without too much complaining. Encourage him to get to the next level: which is thinking about how what he does outside his bathroom impacts his body and how he smells:
- If he gets a chance to shower after sport, do it! Leaving sweat and dirt on his body all day is a fast-track to smelling less than great. Ditto walking around in sweaty sports kit.
- Encourage him to be aware of what he eats. High sugar and junk foods are going to impact how he smells.
- Make sure he’s changing his clothes regularly - if his body is clean, but his t-shirt or hoodie has been worn for 5 days, he will still smell!
- Ditto his bed clothes - he might think it’s okay to sleep in the same sheets for a month, but they need to be changed weekly. More often, if he’s a super-sweaty sleeper.
We’re experts when it comes to teen/tween boys’ body care. We develop formulas that are gentle – because teenage and pre-teen skin needs that – but full of clever ingredients that keep their bodies clean and smelling great. Grab him his own body wash and watch him turn into a shower superstar (okay, maybe not overnight, but we’ve seen it happen) here: https://www.spots-and-stripes.
