Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis caused quite a stir when they shared a surprising revelation into their home life and parenting style that led to a rumour that the pair do not shower, and they don't bathe their children.
During an appearance on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast nearly five years ago, Mila shared: "I didn't have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn't shower much anyway. But when I had children, I also didn't wash them every day. I wasn't that parent that bathed my newborns. Ever." Meanwhile, Ashton added that he cleans only his "armpits and crotch daily and nothing else ever," in the same interview.
However, the That '70s Show star finally addressed his older comments, and the misconceptions that they caused. In an interview with PEOPLE in January 2025, he explained that "it was the craziest thing of all time". He added: "We made a comment at one point, and people were like, 'Does he stink? Does he smell?'"
He then turned to his co-stars, Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope, who were also present and explained the context, saying: "There was a comment on a podcast, so long ago… and people are like, 'They don't shower.' I'm like, 'I shower, I go to the gym, I shower'." Laughing at the story, Anthony then added: "I can confirm my boy showers".
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' controversial child bathing routine
In a later Instagram video, Ashton and Mila poked fun at critics of their hygiene standards, as he joked about washing the kids. In the clip, their son and daughter can be heard in the background splashing around at bath time.
The whole debate prompted us at HELLO! to ask a crucial question: how often should we bathe our children? Is every day just right, too much, and what's enough?
Dr Anita Sturnham, a general practitioner with more than 20 years of experience, explained to us: "Parents often ask me about the frequency of having a bath. For infants, I recommend having a bath every other day using lukewarm water to wash with.
"As your child’s skin is not fully developed yet, it can be helpful to use a cloth to cover your child to help to keep them warm whilst in the bath," she continued. "Your baby's face, hands and genital regions may need to be cleansed more often but this can be done with a soft textured cloth and soap substitute, as required, rather than bathing.
The medical expert concluded: "For toddlers and older children, bathing should be no more than once daily. A child should not spend too long in the bath as this can dry out the skin, 10-15 minutes is usually adequate. The same advice applies for hair washing."