Ds still smells, even after a shower! What do I do?

[Dauphinois]

Ds (12) has just returned from an overseas scout trip, and when I picked him up he was exhausted and stinking to high heaven, as only (pre) teenage boys can!

I sent him off for a shower, hair wash and change of clothes, which he's done.

But he still smells! I suspect not a lot of washing went on in the shower...

What do I do? I don't want to give him a complex and I'm aware he's knackered but he really honks

Do what I do.

Tell him he smells like a goat and to try again using soap this time.

Give him a bar of soap and a flannel and send him to wash again. He needs to dislodge the dirt before it will wash off. Every bit of him, back of his neck, nails etc.

DS1 is 11yo and goes through whiffy stages. I fear it may well get worse

Tell him he stinks and to get back in the shower and wash properly.

Maybe buy some kind of teen style wash so he is enticed to use it?! Like that original source Mint one or whatever?

Tell him he smells and to get a second sbower.

Coal Tar soap is great for unstinking boys.

I know he’s a boy but get him to use some kind of exfoliating mitt or puff. It sounds like he’s just stood in the water stream. He needs to rub everywhere with shower gel, especially armpits, groin and feet.

Soap is better than shower gel. Good scrub with a flannel.

Switch to soap, it is better than shower gel. Tell him he has to go back and wash again and when he comes out he has to pass the smell test (you are the tester) if he still smells, he will have to go back in a third time. Its best to nip this in the bud now as it will only get worse (and they get more stubborn) as he gets older. I have 2 teen ds, so speak from experience.

Bar soap is much better than shower gel, give him his own flannel and tell him he has to soap everywhere then rub his skin under the shower with the flannel to rinse off.

It’s one thing getting in the shower/bath. However is he actually washing himself.

Get him to clean his ears, belly button, toe gaps and then another full shower with soap!

Threaten to go on there and wash him yourself?

I wouldn't worry about giving him a complex.

If you don't tell him he stinks someone will and pre-teens/teenagers can be cruel.

He needs to get back in the shower, wash properly with soap/shower gel and if he still stinks after he'll go back in again.

Tell him, but I'm the nicest possible way!

I had the exact same conversation with shower dodging DS(11) on Friday

"No I don't smell mam"

"Er, yeah you do!"

I just say ' bums, bits & pits' to mine so he remembers to do those as they're most important. I also provide bar soap and a konjac sponge. And he's told to wash, rinse, wash, rinse so he does it twice.

And failing that, I have no qualms in marching in there myself and scrubbing him.

He doesn't smell but he would if i didn't enforce the above

Jesus just tell him he smells he will have more than a complex if you don’t tell him and other people stink him.

To add to the advice given already.. Towel check. Has his towel been washed at 60 or above recently? 40 degrees or eco wash won't kill off the bacteria and both him and towel will stink.

I have some dettol soap (from home bargains) which is anti bacterial. Great for stinky pits and bits!!!! Worth a try for only 99p ish

Coal Tar soap smells like public toilets, give him any other soap but that, it is disgusting.

Definitely bar soap is the way to go, and hammer home that he needs to actively wash in the shower as opposed to just standing there in his own little world getting wet which is what my DS had been doing!

I have a soap dodging DD. She's only 9, so hasn't started to smell yet, but cokes out of the shower with a grimy face and the towel is barely wet. I think she stands under the water for less than a minute. I send her in again and have bought a sponge so she washes everywhere properly.

Tell him he smells. Send him back into the shower until he doesn’t

Make sure he’s using anti pirapirant, not just deodorant.

Shield soap smells nice and clean, and yes they still sell it!

Agree, get him to try again and threaten him you will scrub him yourself if he doesn't wash himself properly.

I stayed in a holiday cottage once and the bed, although 'clean', still stank of teenage boy. I needed to strip it and wash the bedding on 60 degrees to get rid of the stink 😡

He's tired, he just got home, he had a shower... I would feed him get him to bed early and get him to shower again tomorrow more thoroughly. It's not worth it for today, at least he got in the shower. I am assuming you aren't going anywhere the rest of the day though!

Send him back. I've done it before with mine.

And told them if they fail to wash properly again I will go in their and wash them myself.
I would never but the threat is usually enough!

I have 3 of mine returning from scout camp next week. Must find nose pegs!

I feel your pain. My DS came back from the world scout jamboree in japan 4 years ago humming like nothing on this earth. He had to have 3 showers and only the threat of me coming in and actually scrubbing him got him to actually clean himself. It’s ingrained sweat from the whole trip!