TMI I Know, but at What Age Do Kids Really Master Wiping Their Butts?

Updated on March 17, 2012
T.V. asks from West Orange, NJ
18 answers

No matter how many times I teach my kids the method, they still miss some spots. I have resorted to using the moist wipes at home, but that's no good for elsewhere! They need to learn how to get their butts clean. Ugh, what age do they start doing a good job? Any advice lol?

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Featured Answers

M.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

inquiring minds want to know!!! how many wipes does it take to get to the center of a tootsie tush? No one will ever know. I still clean an adult males shorts.

5 moms found this helpful
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S.L.

answers from Champaign on

My son is 5 - and does really good, now if he could teach my husband - we would be set. My husband has more skid marks in his underware then my son by far, so therefore - my husband washes his own clothes - seperately.

5 moms found this helpful

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J.S.

answers from Columbia on

Wait. WHAT??? Nobody mention this in the parenting class at the hospital? This wasn't in the videos.

I have to...

WHAT?

Until they're...

Holy schnickys.

Devil's in the details, i guess.

3 moms found this helpful

R.A.

answers from Providence on

Haha. Ugh, my son is 8, and still sometimes it's a miss. Usually though he is pretty good. It's the whole package though, making sure they wipe AND wash their hands afterwards that gets me. At least my son washes his hands.

We have a cesspool, so we cannot use the moist wipes. It's a very sad thing. :(

2 moms found this helpful
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D.M.

answers from Chicago on

I think my 8 1/2 yo finally has it. My 6 1/2 yo is still hit or miss.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.L.

answers from Chicago on

Hmm I have a 40 something husband who still doesn't do a great job. I have to remind my 8 year old a lot, but at least everyone washes hands afterwards. We have a special underwear laundry load that goes in all by itself.

2 moms found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

My son is 9....sometimes I am still a little puked out when I get his underwear in the wash.
My other son is 6....most of the time his underwear are a bit streaked too.
ick.
L.

1 mom found this helpful

A.L.

answers from Dothan on

In my experience, if they are good wipers by age 6 or so, if they are bad wipers...NEVER...if they are boyz...wellllll the skid marks tell the 'tail', it must be the way they are built with their 'outdoor' plumbing that makes it difficult for even grown men to achieve complete cleanliness in that department....

Good luck, in my 'child rearing' life I have seen the good, the bad & the ugly @ ALL ages & in both sexes, just teach them the proper way & keep your fingers crossed that the lesson 'takes'! ;p

1 mom found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

So, my son used a mirror for a while to make sure he understood the proper places - he is visual. We DO use the wet wipes at home and have some at school for when he needs them but for the most part he tries with regular TP, he is 5. I think it takes practice honestly and sometimes I like to use the moist wipes - I feel much cleaner!

1 mom found this helpful
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H.P.

answers from Houston on

Do we ever really master that? Lol, I was in my late 20s when I saw my clean-freak boyfriend going in from the front. (TMI for real, huh?) I tried it--from the back it was all clear; from the front it was almost like starting all over, if you know what I mean. Different angles plus wet wipes is how I do it. Of course, we women have to be careful to stay in the back when we start in the back.

(That's one positive that I took from that crazy relationship.)

1 mom found this helpful

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

I don't think there is a specific age, but I helped my kids in some degree for a quite awhile. Keep those flushable wipes by the toilet and try not to worry. Wash those undies on hot, and try to let it go. Soon enough they won't let you see their butts at all....... only the laundry will talk to you.

1 mom found this helpful

M.M.

answers from Chicago on

My son is 3.5 and he's doing a pretty good job, now.
I bought him the disposable toddler wipes (wet), so as long as he gets back there, he gets pretty clean.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.E.

answers from Provo on

My oldest sometimes didn't do well until age 8, middle was sooner than that, like 5 maybe?, youngest has to be bribed to wipe at all. Fun!

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J.H.

answers from New York on

I think my son was 5 when I no longer had to hear the "MOM - I'M DONE" coming from the bathroom. Wiping your own butt is one of those milestones I now tick off when I tell people that yes, I'm done having kids. He used wet wipes up until a few months ago (he's 7 1/2), and has now decided to just go with toilet paper. Which I'm happy about because out of the four of us he was the only one using the wipes - one less thing to remember to stock up on!

He had his first skid mark last week, in fact. "Um, Mom...I think I farted too hard. Must have been those lima beans you made me eat last night." Sure it was.

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M.P.

answers from San Francisco on

Umm 30? 40? There are some tasks that are never mastered. That's why we keep wet wipes on the back of the toilet. They seem to have a problem with flushing too!

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C.S.

answers from Chicago on

Haha. My son is 4 and just recently started not telling me he had to poop and taking care of business on his own. The other day I was helping him get dressed and when he took off his underwear and saw the skid marks he looked absolutely terrified there were stains. GAG! He now wipes himself but then comes and asks me to double check. UGH! I don't which is worse.

H.G.

answers from Dallas on

Well.....my son will be 16 in September and that dang boy still don't do a good job :( no advice here really but don't feel bad if the little ones still aren't getting it!

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M.T.

answers from New York on

My kids were expected to do this at age three. Once they were toilet trained, using the bathroom on their own (right after their third birthdays), I did not stay in the bathroom when they went, I didn't return for wiping. They were expected to manage this. I taught them to wipe til the paper was clean. Good luck

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