How to Clean Your Back

Co-authored by Diana Yerkes and Kyle Hall

Last Updated: August 17, 2022 References

Cleaning your back regularly will help keep the skin on your back healthy. Try to make a habit of washing your back every day when you're in the shower so your back stays smooth, moisturized, and acne free.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Your Back in the Shower

1
Take warm showers instead of hot showers. Hot showers can dry out your skin and strip it of its natural oils. Taking warm showers will help you keep your back moisturized.^{[1]
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2
Put body wash on a loofah and scrub your upper back with it. Hold the loofah in your left hand and reach over your right shoulder to scrub the upper right section of your back. Then, put the loofah in your right hand and reach over your left shoulder to get the other side of your upper back.^{[2]
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- If you're having trouble reaching your upper back, get a loofah on a stick so it's easier.
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3
Scrub your lower back with the loofah. Hold the loofah in your right hand and reach behind yourself to scrub the lower right side of your back. Switch hands and scrub the lower left side of your back with the loofah.
- Try a loofah on a stick if you can't reach your lower back.
4
Rinse your back off. Make sure you rinse off all the body wash on your back so it doesn't dry out your skin.
5
Moisturize your back when you get out of the shower. Dry off with a towel first. Then, rub body lotion into your upper and lower back. Moisturizing your back right after you take a shower will prevent your skin from getting dry and flakey.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Exfoliating Your Back

1
Go over your back with a natural bristle body brush before you shower. The brush will exfoliate away the dead skin on your back. Reach around to your back and scrub the brush in a gentle circular motion across your skin.^{[5]
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2
Exfoliate your back in the shower with a body scrub. Body scrubs contain small particles like salt and sugar that can help exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells. Keeping your back exfoliated will help prevent your pores from getting clogged. Use a loofah to gently rub a body scrub into your back while you're in the shower.^{[6]
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3
Use a back exfoliating band if you can't reach your back. A back exfoliating band is a mildly abrasive band designed to make back exfoliation easier. Take an end of the band in each hand and bring the band over your head and down onto your back. Then, move your hands side to side to scrub your back with the band.
4
Exfoliate your back every day in the shower. Daily exfoliation will keep the skin on your back smooth and prevent your pores from getting clogged. Exfoliate gently so you don't irritate your skin.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Clearing up Back Acne

1
Use a body wash with salicylic acid in it to help exfoliate your back. Salicylic acid can help treat your back acne by exfoliating your skin and unclogging your pores. Look for a body wash that has salicylic acid in the ingredients list. Use the body wash to wash your back when you’re in the shower.^{[8]
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2
Apply benzoyl peroxide to your back before you go to sleep at night. Benzoyl peroxide is a non-prescription acne medication that you can find in cream and lotion form. Benzoyl peroxide helps reduce acne by killing the bacteria that cause acne to form. Every night before you go to sleep, rub a benzoyl peroxide lotion or cream into your back.^{[9]
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- Benzoyl peroxide can bleach fabric. Wear an old t-shirt to bed at night if you’re using it on your back.
- It may take up to 4 weeks before you start to see an improvement in your back acne from using benzoyl peroxide.
3
Take a shower after you work out. Working out causes your back to sweat, which can lead to back acne. Right after you do any intense exercising, get in the shower and wash your back with a body wash to wash away any sweat and prevent acne from forming.^{[10]
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