I was once talking with a newly pregnant friend who was asking me about breast feeding and said, "Tell the truth, isn't it kind of gross?" Oh honey, I said. That's about the least-gross thing you'll do as a parent. Wait till you catch vomit in your hands or clean an exploding diaper off the car seat. 

We all know about babies and their special stank but I think adolescence can really give the baby blowouts a run for the money. Luckily a couple of products have crossed my desk in recent weeks that might offer parents and teachers' noses some relief.

When the hormones start kicking in, the stinky sneakers start melting the wallpaper and making your eyes well up. So imagine my delight when the good folks at Febreeze decided the tackle the Greatest Stank of All: smelly sneakers. They sent us several bottles so we gave some to the high school kids who work on our sister publication tb2, which is distributed to all the high schools in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. We also gave some to an adult athlete and my own adolescent boy. So it's really been tested by some stank! I'm shocked at much better my son's room smells.

Febreze Sport Extreme Odor Eliminator ($11.99), was also tested out by Michael Newcomer of Tarpon Springs High who writes: "One B.O. problem I sometimes battle is foot odor. It can be very embarrassing, constantly having to tuck your feet in under your seat to keep others from smelling the monsters that lie within your shoes. The first thing I noticed about Febreze Sport Extreme Odor Eliminator (besides the Extreme in the name) was its surprisingly tropical smell. I sprayed the inside of my shoes with it and within minutes noticed a major difference in my shoes. They no longer smelled like a bacteria-ridden garbage bin, but instead like an exotic paradise in Tahiti. I actually could stand to put my nose close to them. I continued to use the product for the next couple of days, and after about a week my shoes stopped smelling."

Next on the test list was QwikShower Gym Class Wipes (starting at 49 cents each available online). I don't know if you've noticed, but kids really hate the idea of showering in front of each other after gym class and teachers are reluctant to force the issue so classes late in the day can smell pretty ripe.  Instead of spraying massive clouds of Axe body spray, QwikShower serves like an oversized diaper wipe that you can use to clean, well, yourself after gym. Michael reviewed that too and writes, "The only downside is that it looks and smells like one of those moist towelettes you get at the wing house after you eat a load of greasy wings. There you are, dozing off in World History when you jerk awake thinking you left your girlfriend at home for a night out at Hooters. Luckily for you, fella, that was just a bad dream brought on by the lingering scent of your QwikShower."

Pass on your sweet-smelling advice, Mommas. How do you clear the air in your household?

--Sharon Kennedy Wynne

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