Do all prepubescent boys have a weird smell?

Seems my boys are the minority because no, no weird smell. No she’ll at all really.

My 16 year old DS doesn’t smell anymore unless he’s done loads of sport and then it’s just a normal sweaty smell.

The 14 year old stinks 😂 he has to shower morning and evening and I change his bedding/towel about twice a week to try and help…… however it’s not all negative as the dog absolutely loves the smell of him so happily cuddles up to him when the rest of us don’t want too!

By what age does it wear off? A dd used to share a student house with 5 boys and one other girl (all 19+) she used to say that the boys always smelt rank - but that was at least partly because they weren’t over-fond of soap and water.

I have one smelly 13 year old too and his smell started at about 10, he smelt like hamburgers for a while, really gross and meaty, I could smell when he was home from school!! 😂

I'm a Year 6 teacher and everyone says my classroom always stinks, but I don't notice it and neither do the children! 😂

lol we used to call our now adult son's bedrooms the hamster cages when they were younger as well!

The smell seems to resemble onions/hamster cage. I am constantly airing their room.

Yes. Somewhere around 11/12 they smell weird. I remember immediately after showering I could still smell their scalp.

It passes and other people don't notice it as much.

I read somewhere that they on a primitive level, mothers find them repulsive smelling so we don't mate with them. No idea If this has any truth to it.

Yes, they all go through it. Love the ‘hot rubbish’, ‘off milk’ and particularly‘hamster cage’ descriptions. All spot on. It gets better.

Yes , smelly 13 year old boy here . It’s pretty bad and the warm weather doesn’t help. I’m more worried that mine will get teased for it - but it seems like they all just stink together.
goodness me imagine the smell in their classrooms 😳
it doesn’t help that mines a soap dodger 🙄

he’s better since we established a shower routine of when he has to go in

and funnily enough I put a room air freshener in my online shop bag today for his room - as I said the hot weather must be making it worse this week!

Yes, I think it starts from about 8-9 onwards. DS3 is just moving into that stage now.

Biology’s way of making sure those apron strings are well and truly cut before they reach manhood.

Makes my more sympathetic when I watch animal videos and see the young males having to fend for themselves.

My DS12 goes through phases of not actually shampooing his hair, which builds up a gradual musty smell. He'd come out of the shower with wet hair, but not actually using any shampoo...

Yes definitely pong. Especially his hair and when ds was that age I was barred from the bathroom. No longer allowed to scrub that stinky head scalp. I caught him out as well many a couple of times after his bath. The totally undisturbed freshly run bath and bone dry towels
He progressed from a boys only secondary school to mixed 6th form. He would almost knock me over with the pong going out to school thereon in. Cost me a fortune thereafter in shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes toothpaste and lynx 😁
This too will pass.

A dermatologist Dr Andrea Dray recxomends Benzol Peroxide facial wash BUT apply to the underarms.for a couple minutes then rinse off.

Could it be the fabric of his school uniform, eg polyester/nylon mix tends to trap sweat against skin, so it has more time to grow smelly bacteria.

I switch my son to pure cotton shirts in summer, a pain to iron but they wick sweat away so it can evaporate.

Mine often smells of 'school' but it's more a sort of playground smell. Like old rubber that's been in the sun, or gym mats mixed with smell of school dinner hall. It reminds me of the smell of my own primary school sports hall!

I guess they lie on the hall floor for PE and probably fall over or tackle each other in the playground, judging by the mud and wear and tear on his uniform! So those smells will rub off on him, plus the smell of other kids if they've played contact sports?

As @DramaAlpaca says
"Normal. It's hormones, and apparently nature's primitive way of starting to separate boys from their mothers - because the mothers find the smell of their sons unappealing. It's a bit yucky really, when you think about it, but makes biological sense."

And it's also the same with daughters/fathers.

Biology is really amazing when you think about it!

definitely hormonal

my son is 13 but very big for his age at 6ft1 already

the last few months he's been smelling like gone off milk
no bath ,deodorant or change of clothes are helping
voice is changing so a growth spurt is on the way

my nephew is 6 months older
last week he smelt like rubbish left in a bin bag that got hot
now i know he was clean as 2 hours before he showered, used 48 hr deodorant and clothes were clean out of the dryer

we were al at a pub for a family meal and they were sat together
one smelling of old milk, the other hot rubbish but both sparkling clean and clean clothes

Yes it's a bit hamster cage, we're fastidious with showers and deodorant to keep it at bay!

Is it his blazer? Would recommend antibacterial spray on the armpits of blazer / shirt if necessary….. and disinfectant laundry liquid in the wash. And daily washing….boys sometimes need to be reminded to use actual soap and shampoo, not just get wet!

My DD is 13 and yes does smell by the end of the day. She showers daily, washes with soap (not shower gel) and wears deodorant, but still smells . I think it's their hormones going mad, I'm hoping it settles down soon!

I have two teenage DS. One was often smelly as a 12 year old, the other never was. Both same washing habits, I guess it affects them differently.

😂