Why do teenage boys smell like feet?
And why don’t they want to brush their teeth?
Why are they opposed to deodorant and combing their hair?
Just wondering. I came home tonight at 11:30 p.m. (from cleaning up and decorating my Sunday School classroom) and when I walked into the Boy Cave, the smell of feet assailed my delicate nasal passages. Are the boys hard of smelling?
Anyway, they have a friend spending the night and I predict that they will not sleep most of the night and that furthermore, they may be dead from inhaling foot odor in the morning, which is known to be a deadly killer.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
“I’m ruthless sometimes, and only later when I hunt for a white queen-sized bed-skirt do I conjure up a fuzzy image of a box destined for Goodwill and taste bitter regret.”
Ah, that would be your quote when talking about rummaging through your closet ‘martha’ style. *grin*
Thanks again for your beautiful post about your father…
… you’re a talented writer because you do so from your heart.
-Amy & Ruby Cate
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When the 10 year old son came home from school yesterday-took off his shoes-i practically fainted. WHen I commented that the smell of his feet could actually kill small animals-I asked him how long he had those socks on–he said “only a couple of days”-UGH! He said he couldn’t find any others that morning–gee, I wonder if the TOP DRAWER WHERE HIS UNDIES AND SOCKS HAVE LIVED FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS-was even checked-I seriously doubt it since I looked and there were plenty of fresh smelling socks sitting in plain view! (I also have 2 more boys–one would be a perfect husband for Martha Stewart-Mr. Neat, Clean and Tidy- the other one…well that is a blog in itself!)
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As a teacher of teenage boys (and a worker at a boyscout camp where there is no maternal influence on cleanliness for eight weeks… and they do their own laundry) I would say nine out of ten boys go through this phase. It gets better when they start to really take girls seriously (more than just the passing lust/obsession of middle and lower high school). I teach ninth graders. All of us at that grade level have noted that if we walk into an empty classroom we’ve never been in before we can usually guess about the general grade level and be right just because of the smell of the room. They will grow out of it. Eventually.
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My boys are 10 and 12. Recently we switched some bedrooms around in our house and the boys switched their room to the upstairs bedroom (previously inhabited by my girls). Well, it only took a few days before that “boy smell” appeared. I just don’t get it! Their clothes are clean and I make them bathe but their room smells kind of like puppies and feet! Aargh!
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I’ve had those moments with my 13 year old son. I’d walk in his room and the stinky odor would knock me back out. His problem is sweaty feet so I got him some foot spray and that solved that problem. I can always tell when he runs out because I’ll walk thru the living room and say “what is that smell” and he will smile and say “i took my socks off, by the way i’m out of foot spray” i know he cant help it but the boys feet stink!
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My house has smelled that way for at least 6 years now. I go around all day refusing hugs from those who insist on lifting their arms and cramming my head in those stinky pits of theirs.
I can say it’s getting better. My 16yr old now bathes daily because he can’t stand to smell himself. YAY!!!!
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It isn’t just boys. One of the girls removes her shoes and I gag. She bathes and I check her socks in the morning so I guess her feet are just smelly by nature.
I’ve begun using foot powder with her.
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I have an 18 year old son, Jon. Bugs canot even live in his room because of the BOY SMELL. It’s pervasive. And it’s scary.
🙂
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My 4 year old son’s feet smell like this! Four years old! I have three pairs of little boy feet in this house. What will happen later if it’s this bad NOW?
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It starts young. When my boys are little they smell like wet puppies. As they get older they smell like old dogs that rolled in something dead. I must say purely out of love, “Uhg! You stink!” every other day.
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Instead of doing laundry, my 19 yr. old son will take his dirty clothes outside and shake them vigorously, or even hang them on the line. He says the sun kills germs, so you don’t have to wash them all the time. It drives me nuts, but I refuse to do his laundry, since it’s been his responsibility since he was 12!
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I know the smell very well…my sons are 19 and 16!
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I have a 15 year old. I can tell just by walking into a room whether he’s brushed his teeth or not. Gross. He also apparently only needs one clean pair of undershorts per week. I cannot wait for him to outgrow this stage!
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Three boys in a closed room all night! Smelly!
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It’s not just their feet. After my 5 year old has been out running and playing with all the other little boys on the street, he will sometimes invite them all to come over and play. I literally gag when they all come in the front door with their wet sweaty heads and reaking of that dirty little boy scent.
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Even the young ones. I make them sleep with their window open since their room gets so stinky/sweaty at night. EEW!
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LOL!!
I have one that I have to ask everyday, “Did you brush your teeth, have you showered, and do you have your deodarant on?” Yes, I smell you pain.
Tonya
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Boy feet & BO
No, I have no advise other then one day it will get better.
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lol
one of life’s great mysteries….
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I also have twin boys, who will be 13 in two months. I constantly nag about the teeth and deoderant thing. One of them will take a shower and I still question whether or not he actually uses soap and shampoo in there. I have threatened him that I will wash him if he doesn’t do it right himself!! 🙂
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