How To Get Dirt Out Of Your Fingernails After Gardening

Gardening is a great way to stay active and get in touch with nature. While there are all sorts of ways to connect with the earth, there is no substitute for feeling dirt in your hands as you plant something new. Unfortunately, a day in the garden can also cause some damage to your body. It can leave your fingernails filthy and raw. You’ll need to remove this dirt from your fingernails to keep your hands clean and sanitary and avoid a potential infection.

To remove dirt from underneath your fingernails after gardening, try soaking them in warm soapy water, Epsom salt water, or a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. You can use a toothbrush or nail brush to scrub under your nails, or use a Q-tip to remove the dirt. Try a soapy sponge to get hard-to-reach dirt, or scrape your nails against a bar of soap. 

Dirt under your fingernails is a very off-putting sight. It looks dirty and unsanitary. It suggests poor hygiene, even if it's just the result of a day spent in the garden. To avoid walking around with dirt under your fingernails, you’ll want to address the problem right away. This will keep your nails healthy and happy. Below is a list of ten fantastic, easy, and effective ways to remove dirt from underneath your nails after a long and productive day in the garden.

10 Ways To Get Dirt Out Of Your Fingernails After Gardening

1. Soak Nails In Warm Water

One of the easiest ways that anyone can try to remove dirt from underneath fingernails involves warm water and time. After gardening, prepare a large bowl, or plug your sink, and add warm or hot water, whatever is more comfortable for you. 

Next, simply soak your hands in the water for about 20 minutes. You can periodically move your fingers around, and rub your nails. Feel free to use tools like a washcloth or sponge. Over time, you will notice the dirt slowly fall away. The warm water will also feel soothing on your tired hands.

2. Use A Toothbrush

The odds are you have a travel toothbrush, or a toothbrush left over from a dental visit. Instead of letting it rot away in your medicine cabinet, you can put it to good use when you have dirt under your fingernails.

First, prepare a bowl of warm water, like in the method above. Get your hands and nails wet, and as they soak, you can softly brush under the nails. The bristles of the brush will help to quickly remove the dirt. 

Make sure you brush softly to avoid any unnecessary irritation under your nails. This is a great method for those who don’t have a long time to allow their nails to soak after gardening.

3. Apply A Sponge, Dish Soap, And Water

If your hands are particularly dirty, you should reach for soap right away. While hand soap is an option, the grease-fighting qualities found in many dish soaps can be even more effective at removing dirt from under your fingernails.

Wash your hands as normal, but after completing the normal washing process, grab a clean sponge and dish soap. Lather the sponge with the soap and lightly scrub under the nails. The dish soap lather will help to lift and remove the hard-to-reach dirt under your nails. 

Dish soap is often antibacterial as well. This, combined with the clean new sponge, are both great ways to help prevent an infection under your nails.

4. Scrape Nails Against A Bar Of Soap

If you plan to shower after a long day in the garden, make sure there is a bar of soap waiting for you in the shower. One technique to remove dirt from under your fingernails involves scraping the dirty nails against a bar of soap.

This motion allows soap to get under the nail. In turn, it pushes the dirt out, and then can slowly clean your fingers as you continue to wash up in the shower. Just be careful not to push dirt further into your nails. If your nails are already in pain from compacted dirt, consider a soothing soaking method instead.

5. Use A Q-Tip Or Cotton Swabs

Sometimes it’s best to use a sanitary and trusted cleaning tool to remove dirt from under your nails after a day in the garden. A cotton swab or Q-tip is a great way to get the last of the pesky dirt out from underneath your nails.

To make this method most effective, you should first soak your nails. This will help loosen the dirt under the nails and will make it easier to remove the dirt with a cotton swab or Q-Tip.

6. Utilize Your Nail Grooming Tools

If you have a manicure set, then you can use it to its full capacity after a dirty afternoon in the garden. Most nail grooming sets come with nail clippers and a nail file that has a small pick at the end.

You can use the small pick to remove the dirt that is under your nails. Because these tools are usually metal, make sure you take your time and don’t puncture the skin under your nails. Furthermore, sanitize the metal by placing it in boiling water or soaking it in sanitizing alcohol.

7. Create A Hand Bath With Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has all sorts of unique household uses — you can even use it to remove dirt from under your fingernails. To use this vinegar, pour equal parts apple cider vinegar and warm water into a bowl.

Soak your hands for up to twenty minutes. The vinegar has cleaning and anti-fungal properties. Therefore, it can help lift and remove dirt while also preventing a fungal infection.

8. Soak Your Hands In Epsom Salts

If you have leftover Epsom salts, remember that you can use it for your hands and fingers — and not just for your feet and toes. These salts have a lot of great properties. Not only will they leave your hands feeling silky smooth, but they can also help pull dirt and splinters from your skin.

Epsom salts are great at removing small foreign objects like tiny splinters and even compacted dirt from under the skin. If you have dirt that is incredibly difficult to remove from certain portions of your nail, see if an Epsom salt soak releases it.

9. Mix Baking Soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, And Warm Water

A mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and warm water can also work wonders if you have hard-to-remove dirt underneath your fingernails after a day of gardening. This method is particularly great for those whose fingernails are stained from dirt. This can happen in areas with red clay soil, or particularly dark soil.

Combine these two natural stain fighters with the warm water you were planning to soak your hands in. You will notice dirt fall away and stains lift. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda also have natural cleansing and bacteria-fighting abilities, so this soak will also help reduce the risk of a nail infection. 

10. Wear Gloves To Keep Dirt Away

Lastly, instead of going through the lengthy (and sometimes painful) process of removing dirt from underneath your fingernails, simply wear gloves. There is a reason gardeners wear gloves — it’s to protect their hands. Don’t make the common gardening mistake of spending a day in the dirt without quality gardening gloves.

Gloves are handy for preventing thorns from pricking you and to protect your skin from plants that cause an allergic reaction. Gloves are also highly effective at protecting your nails, and keeping them clean and safe. Next time you plan on getting your hands dirty in the garden, get your gloves dirty instead.

Summing Up How To Clean Dirty Nails After Gardening

Gardening is a therapeutic hobby that brings many people immense joy. If you aren’t careful, however, it can damage your body, and it can take a particularly harsh toll on your hands. If you find yourself with compacted dirt under your fingernails after a day of gardening, soak your hands in warm water, and consider adding apple cider vinegar, Epsom salts, hydrogen peroxide, or baking soda. You can use a toothbrush, Q-tip, or a clean soapy sponge to remove hard-to-reach dirt. You can even grab your manicure kit; just remember to disinfect it before digging under your nails.

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