“Mandilah Singapura” Debate About Showering In The Morning Divides & Amuses Internet
It started from a TikTok user Steph Leong pleading everyone to take a morning shower before taking the public transport to work.


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There’s a viral debate going around in TikTok, especially in the Singaporean community, about showering in the morning.
One of the earliest videos bringing up this issue is by TikTok user Steph Leong (@mianbaobreadpan) who pleaded for people, especially the “millennial men and Gen Z boys” to shower in the morning before joining the morning commute on public transport.
@mianbaobreadpan I did consider if I was just more sensitive because I have an acute sense of smell BUT wayyyyy too many people voted and agree with me, some even shared their personal stories and it's nasty af 🤢 I don't know, what do y'all think? #singapore ♬ original sound – Steph Leong
She described the bad odour from some individuals smelling like unwashed bedsheets and “marinated in layers of sweat and hair oil.”
Showering in the morning is just basic courtesy for the people you’re going to interact with throughout the day.
TikTok user Steph Leong
If you’re unsure whether you smell, she suggested getting a friend to perform a sniff test on you.
The topic spurned many similar videos asking others to take a morning shower.
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Not everyone is on board (or in the shower)
Meanwhile, the topic clearly hit a nerve because some disagreed, stating that they shower every day so even if they skip the morning shower, they still smell fine.
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I shower every day. So, what's the issue here?
— 秦燕姿 (@Alxyvnaborodin) January 27, 2025
Pretty sure 90% of Singaporeans smell fine without showering in the morning.
— Davin (@Plainvanillah) January 27, 2025
I don’t shower in the morning and I always ask for smell checks and ppl always say I smell fine tho. I always use deodorant and generally use cologne before I leave, change my sheets every week & scrape my tongue every day.
— 練 紅炎 (@lianhongba) January 26, 2025
Another TikTok user Xin Hui (@xinderellah) jokingly begged people to stop asking everyone to wake up earlier to shower before work because there’s not enough time to sleep.
She even gestured to her eyebags to drive the point home.
(Waking up early to shower) That’s not happening.
TikTok user Xin Hui
@xinderellah please 🙏🙏🙏
♬ original sound – xinhui
Meanwhile, someone claimed some people have the ABCC11 gene. This gene apparently prevents sweat molecules from reaching the armpit which prevents bacteria from metabolizing the sweat and producing odour.
TLDR: Those with ABCC11 gene do not have armpits that smell, research says only 2% of the world’s population carry that particular gene though.
Even with the ABCC11 gene, a Twitter user pointed out that a person can still smell from oily scalp, dried saliva or sweat, unwashed pillowcases, and yeast or bacteria build-up on the skin.
READ MORE: Netizens Disgusted With American Couple For Not Showering 3 Days Straight
Sg chn ppl who say they don't need to shower in the morning because they have the ABCC11 gene, you can still smell rank even if you hv it dumbasses – oily scalp, dried up saliva/sweat, unwashed bedsheets/pillowcases, yeast/bacteria build-up on skin etc.
— Astafgorilla🔻🪂 (@astaf_gorilla) January 26, 2025
Regardless of which side of the debate you’re supporting, the debate drew amused comments from Malaysian netizens.
Twitter user Rohan joked that he didn’t know Singaporeans were squeezed out of water over there while journalist Hadi Azmi asked if Singaporeans were doing ok.
Meanwhile, a catchy slogan “Mandilah Singapura”, a play on the island republic’s tagline “Majulah Singapura”, seemed to have appeared to encourage Singaporeans to shower in the morning.
Netizens agree that even if one doesn’t shower in the morning, the least they could do is to freshen themselves up and make themselves look presentable in the morning.
TikTok user Kris Kenji (@krismelon) said they’re not asking everyone to go for a deep cleanse. He advised everyone to make sure they brush their teeth, wash their face, and lightly wash their armpits with soap. Last but not least, use a deodorant!
@krismelon if you're a gym bro who needs help with showering hmu #showering #morningshower #sg #yourmumnevershower ♬ original sound – kris kenji
What did Steph Leong think about starting the viral debate? In another video update, Leong said she was surprised that it went viral because personal hygiene shouldn’t even be a viral topic.
She claimed those who went defensive were experiencing a cognitive dissonance. Leong also advised everyone to reflect on their showering choices instead of trolling her in the comments section.
@mianbaobreadpan Today Steph Zeh Zeh is gonna teach y'all about Cognitive Dissonance. Imagine you know bathing in the morning is a good hygiene practice, and you also think you'd rather have more sleep than wake up earlier to shower. Now your brain feels kind of confused and uncomfortable because it’s holding two opposite ideas: “showering is good hygiene practice ” and “I don't wanna shower cos i lazy” That uncomfortable feeling is called cognitive dissonance. It’s your brain’s way of saying, “Hey, these two thoughts don’t match!” So, you might try to fix it by saying, “I showered the night before” or “it's too cold in the morning” to make yourself feel better 😮💨 If you don't shower, at least use body wipes can? 🙏🏻🙏🏻
♬ original sound – Steph Leong
Damn. Didn't know we were squeezing them that tightly on the water issue.
— Rohan Javet Beg (@RohanBeg) January 27, 2025
TikTok is telling me that there’s a debate in Singapore about showering in the morning. It has a catchy slogan too: Mandilah Singapura. You guys alright down there?
— Hadi Azmi (@amerhadiazmi) January 27, 2025
— . (@iamincrypt0) January 27, 2025
It’s one thing to not shower but at least make yourself look like you did shower not with your bed hair coming into work or school.
— hi im teemo (@hippopoteemo) January 26, 2025
i swear most chinese ppl don’t even have this gene 😭😭😭 smelly or not (most likely smelly lol) people should still shower in the morning, or at least before they head out 😔✋
— 🤗 (@xiaomaomeow) January 26, 2025
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