Twitter Reacts To Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis’ Controversial Comments About Bathing Their Kids

“If you can see the dirt on them, clean them.”

It appears Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have a surprisingly weird philosophy regarding their kids’ personal cleanliness that only other hassled parents of little ones might understand. 

The celebrity couple guest on the Armchair Expert podcast hosted by Dax Shepard and Monica Padman to talk cryptocurrency, but the conversation segued into they got into how their whole family takes care of their skin.

On the subject of daily showers, Kunis pointed out she didn’t have hot water as a kid (her family left then-Soviet Ukraine in 1991) so not jumping in a steamy shower daily was normal—many who grew up in poor homes might understand. 

Kutcher then followed up with the statement that apparently had much of Twitter, in particular, reacting with what could politely be called consternation.

Regarding making sure his kids are clean (the pair have two together, a six-year-old daughter and four-year-old son), Kutcher said, “Now here’s the thing, if you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there’s no point.”

That was likely enough to raise some eyebrows. Then Kutcher continued, “I wash my armpits and my crotch daily, and nothing else ever. I got a bar of Lever 2000 that delivers every time. Nothing else.”

Social media reactions to this revelation didn’t necessarily amount to what might be called a “cancellation,” but people definitely had jokes regarding the way others might deal with the outcome of what they see as the celebrity couples’ somewhat gross parenting choices. 

Some responses were damn funny:

https://twitter.com/richardpls_/status/1420146361861906432

In the couples’ defense, here’s the American Academy of Dermatology’s recommendation regarding bathing kids ages 6-11:

If your child is in this age group, taking a daily bath is fine. Children in this age group, however, may not need a daily bath. Children aged 6 to 11 need a bath:

* At least once or twice a week.
* When they get dirty, such as playing in the mud.
* After being in a pool, lake, ocean, or other body of water.
* When they get sweaty or have body odor.
* As often as directed by a dermatologist if getting treated for a skin disease .

Emphasis added. Based on the limited information from Kutcher’s offhand comment on a podcast, it sounds like he and Mila Kunis are pretty much following medical guidelines, whether intentional or not.

The American Academy of Dermatology says it’s when kids are tweens and older that they should begin bathing daily. 

Maybe everyone is missing the point in worrying over how often the couple bathes their kids. 

The more troubling question might be: What’s it like to share a crowded elevator with 6’3″, 180-lb “armpits and crotch wash only” Ashton Kutcher after a tough workout? 

To quote the title of Jordan Peele’s next horror movie: Nope.