Win The Battle Against Summertime Sand
Memories are made at the beach. Days spent splashing in the surf and building sand castles in the summer sun are treasured times. That is until it is time to leave and the sand comes with you – in your clothes, shoes, bags, coolers and eventually every square inch of your home. For many that leave near sandy recreational areas, it is an ongoing summertime battle to keep sand out of your home. Try our tips to win this fight.
Leave It Outside
Prevention is your biggest weapon – keep the sand where it belongs, outside.
- Attach a hose near the door or patio to allow everyone to quickly spray off before heading indoors. Use an attachment to spray out coolers and wash off flip flops.
- Consider installing an outdoor shower. Outdoor showers can be as simple (a hose and showerhead) or as complex (a completely new space) as your needs and budget allow. Plus, they allow you to soap up outdoors when sand is really caked on.
- Enforce a shoe-free home. We happen to think every home should be shoe-free, as many other cleaning culturesdo, but especially during summer. Have an area to drop shoes immediately inside and place signs reminding guests of your shoe policy.
- Set out a natural fiber mat. This type of bristly mats help scrub the sand from the bottom of shoes.
- Sprinkle baby powder on hands and feet. Baby powder aids in getting stubborn or fine sand off of hands and feet.
Keep It Contained
Sandy items (and people) should be corralled together in designated spaces to stop sand in its tracks.
- Use a specific basket or bin to gather up swimsuits, coverups and towels. Label the container so no one is confused about where beach gear goes.
- Ask everyone to stick to the laundry room, bathroom and kitchen until they’ve showered and changed. Keeping the sand contained in certain areas lessens the chance it will travel throughout the house.
- Use mesh bags for the beach as their holes allow more sand to fall out. Give the bag a good shake before leaving the beach.
- Install hooks and/or bars on decks or patios to hang chairs, towels and play equipment. Use an area where these items can “live” until your next excursion.
- Have a place to keep pets outside until they’ve dried off and de-sanded. Dogs don’t understand why they can’t jump on your clean bed with their wet, sandy paws. Do yourself a favor and put them in a dry, preferably grassy, spot before bringing them indoors.
Suck Up The Sand That Made It Through Enemy Lines
Grains of sand are so small, from two millimeters to 64 millimeters, that inevitable some will make it past your defenses.
- Plug in the vacuum. Many vacuum cleaners have attachments for hard floors that allow you to suck up more particles. A broom will work in a pinch, but it’s nearly impossible to get all the grains into the dustpan.
- Invest in a hand-held vacuum. These handy little suction machines make it easy to get rid of any rouge sand grains. Perfect for car-use as well.
- Stock up on wet wipes. Use cleaning wipes for sunscreen bottles, sunglasses, phone cases and anything else that’s made it past your defenses.
Staying vigilant against sand will have you ultimately winning the war. When you’re ready to concentrate on summer fun, instead of cleaning, think about hiring The Maids. We will make your home or vacation home sparkling clean so all you return to is relaxation. Contact us for a free estimate!