11 Ways To Keep Sand Out Of Your Home This Summer

For many people, summer is synonymous with long days at the beach. This is especially true for those who live close to the ocean. There are few better ways to stay cool and enjoy a beautiful warm day than to spend time relaxing and playing in the sand. The only issue is that you often end up bringing the beach home with you, and find sand all over the floors in your home. If this happens to you, then you should try some effective ways to help keep sand out of your home.

To help keep sand outside your home, build an outdoor shower, or leave a hose by the entrance of your back door. Institute a no-shoes policy inside your home, or add outdoor mats and an indoor rug that are easy to shake out. Make sure you wash off your pets before they enter the home, and always wipe off sand or add a container of water by the door to dip your feet.

A day at the beach is an incredible summer activity. Even if you are obsessed with the sand, you probably don’t want it on the floors of your home, on your carpet, or in your bed. If you are a beach lover looking to keep the sand from the beach outside where it belongs, then this article is for you. Below is a list of the best ways to keep the sand outside and keep your inside floor clean all summer long.

11 Ways To Help You Keep Sand Out Of Your Home This Summer

1. Start A No-Shoes-On-In-The-House Policy

One of the best ways to keep your floors clean and free of sand or dirt is to institute a no-shoes-in-the-house policy. Believe it or not, wearing shoes in the home is frowned upon in many parts of the world. Many Asian countries, for example, do not allow the wearing of shoes in the home.

Leaving your shoes and sandals outside your front door is a fantastic way to keep sand out of your home in the summer. It is also likely to keep your floors cleaner in general. You might quickly find that you need to sweep and mop less frequently after instituting this rule. Just make sure you have a safe and secure place to keep your shoes if you leave them outdoors.

2. Wipe Off Sandy Feet

One of the main ways sand enters the home is on your feet and ankles. It might be cumbersome to remove sand from your feet, but it’s essential if you want to keep it out of your home.

Some sand can be stickier than others. For extra sticky sand, you can use one of the additional methods below to help remove it from your skin. Either way, make sure you diligently wipe your feet up to your ankles before entering your home.

3. Have One Entrance For Sandy Feet

If you have several entrances into your home, it’s a good idea to designate one entrance as the sandy entrance. There are several reasons this is a good way to keep sand out of your home. First, if you have one entrance, you can more easily contain the sand with rugs and preventative measures. It also means that if sand does make it in the home, it is only coming from one source. Therefore, even if sand does make it into the home it will likely come from a more contained area.

4. Shake Out Towels And Bags Before Entering Your Home

Sand on your feet and other parts of your body might be the main way sand gets tracked in, but it isn’t the only way. Sand can also sneak into your home on beach towels, blankets, and beach bags. One way to keep this sand outside is to shake out all these belongings before entering the home.

It is a good idea to have a mesh beach bag, so sand can easily escape. Consider having hooks for your beach gear outside, where you can rinse it and let it dry before giving it another good shake. The more diligent you are at leaving beach gear outdoors or cleaning it thoroughly before bringing it inside, the less sand you are likely to find in the home.

5. Build An Outdoor Shower

If you love a good DIY summer project and find yourself struggling with sand on the floors of your home, then building an outdoor shower could be a great solution. If you live near a beach or are simply an avid lover of getting dirty in the outdoors, then an outdoor shower is a great asset. It can also be an asset when you try to sell your home.

You can build an outdoor shower on nearly any budget, and you can make it a temporary or permanent structure. An outdoor shower will hose off all the sand on your body, as well as any sand in your bathing suit. You can also use it to wash off beach or snorkel gear, and even rinse out a beach bag.

6. Sweep The Spots By Entrances More Frequently

It’s important to remember that just because sand makes it into your home, it doesn't mean it needs to find its way all over your house. If you notice sand in your home this summer, you should make it a point to sweep more frequently.

Sweeping outside and inside your home during beach season will prevent you from tracking lingering sand into your home. It will also keep you from tracking it into every room in your house.

7. Wash Your Pets Before Entering The Home

If you have pets, especially dogs with lots of fur, then you probably know they are sand magnets. You must give your dogs and other furry pets a solid bath before allowing them to enter the home.

You might think a quick rinse is enough, but sand can often stick to fur and the oily skin of your pet. Therefore, washing with soap or dog shampoo is ideal. The lather will help wash away any sand that is stubbornly sticking to your pet.

8. Purchase An Indoor Mat That’s Easy To Shake Out

A long floor runner or indoor mat is a great final line of defense against sand in the home. A good floor runner can catch sand before it makes it onto your floor. The key is to purchase a runner that is long enough to catch sand, but also very easy to shake out. Make sure it is light and easy to handle, and you should be able to minimize the amount of sand that reaches your floor.

9. Keep Your Garden Hose By The Entrance

If you have a yard with a garden hose, then simply repositioning the hose can help keep pesky sand outside where it belongs. Place your garden hose with the shower nozzle setting by your designated sandy entrance.

Before entering the home, use the nozzle to spray off your legs and any other sandy part of your body. This is a good option for those who have an outdoor water hookup but don’t want to spend the time or money investing in an outdoor shower.

10. Ensure You Have Outdoor Mats At All Entrances

One way to keep unwanted sand and dirt out of the home throughout the year is to have quality door mats at every entrance. You want to have something durable that can collect dirt and sand from your shoes at every point of entry. This will not get rid of all dirt, but it is a great first line of defense, especially if you allow the wearing of outdoor shoes in the home.

11. Prepare A Container Of Water By The Door

Lastly, if you know you are going to have a big beach day, try to remember to put a large tub of water by your outdoor entrance. A tub of water by the door can be used as a foot bath. You can also add a little dish soap as a cleaning agent and a way to prevent mosquito larvae from forming. Just remember to dump the water once you are done with it.

Final Thoughts On Keeping Sand Out Of The Home This Summer

Sand is an important part of an enjoyable day at the beach, but that doesn’t mean you want to take it home with you. If you keep tracking sand into your home after summer days at the shore, consider building an outdoor shower or placing your garden hose by your entrance. Use a good doormat, and consider placing an easy-to-shake-out floor rug inside. Remember to wash your pets thoroughly after they accompany you to the beach.

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