When you’ve been on a beach vacation, nothing is more unpleasant than sand in your car, bags, shoes, and everything in between. These techniques for keeping sand off anything at the beach can save you from cleaning sand for months to come. Beach vacations are terrific adventures for the entire family, and this year you may have one without carrying home all the sand.
Here are 12 tips for keeping sand out of everything at the beach.
Line the Car Trunk With an Old Fitted Sheet
Cover the car seats with sheets ahead of time. Wrap your car seats with simple flat sheets before you go to the beach, so you don’t have to vacuum the sand out of them for months. Any sand that remains on your body will fall right off into the sheet, making it simple to remove from your vehicle.
In your trunk, use a fitted sheet turned upside down with the ridge facing up. Then tuck all of your beach stuff into the sheet. Sand is kept contained and out of your vehicle by the sheet’s lip! Lift out the entire sheet with the gear and shake it out in your yard when you come home.
Use a Fitted Sheet Rather Than a Beach Blanket
This trick has been widely shared on social media in recent years, but it is a brilliant option. Allow the fitted sheet to fold up around heavier items such as a rock, your cooler, or something else to fix it in place. It provides a lip around the edges of the blanket to prevent sand from blowing onto it. When you’re at the beach, this keeps sand out of your food.
Don’t Lay Towels on the Sand; Use a Sand-free Mat
Rather than lying your beach towels directly on the sand, use a waterproof sand-free beach mat as a foundation. A quality beach mat doesn’t even require a towel to be comfy. Towels can be kept clean, dry, and sand-free in a bag, making them ideal for drying yourself after swimming in the ocean.
Apply the First Round of Sunscreen Before Leaving for the Beach
Before you go to the beach, make sure everyone is covered with sunscreen. This will allow the lotion to absorb and prevent you from becoming a sticky sand magnet as soon as you get to the shore. Use a spray kind of sunscreen for reapplications to avoid rubbing sand and grit all over your body.
Have Children Use Water Shoes Instead of Sandals
Sand will get all inside and over the children’s feet if they wear sandals. Water shoes will keep sand from getting inside and are safer to run around on the beach and in the water. They’ll just need to be well rinsed before getting into your vehicle.
Bring a Large Make-up Brush and Baby Powder
Sand trapped on your body can be easily removed using baby powder (or even cornstarch). Simply shake the powder into sand-covered feet, wait for it to dry, and then gently sweep the sand away with a make-up brush.
Bring Beach Towels and Drying Towels
After you get out of the water, you’ll want to dry off with beach towels, but towels that are damp from wiping water off your body will stick to any sand on your body. Bring a drying towel with you to brush the sand off your body once you’ve dried.
Bring a Separate Bag for Holding Clean Towels and Beach Cover Ups
Keep a couple of towels and all your beach cover-up apparel dry, clean, and sand-free for when you need them after the beach. Keep these objects in a bag (preferably one that can be zipped or snapped shut) and keep it away from the actual mess. When you go home in clean, sand-free clothes, you’ll feel so much better!
Bring a Wet Washcloth in Ziplock Bag for Easy Hand Clean Up
Always pack a washcloth soaked in water in a plastic bag. It’s a simple way to wash your hands and face, and it feels fantastic on a hot day if you add a few ice cubes to the bag. Baby wipes are also effective, but they generate waste and are not as environmentally friendly.
Before Leaving the Beach, Rinse All Your Things at the Beach Showers
Use the free beach showers to rinse all of your belongings, including toys, mats, and buckets. Before getting inside the car, dry off with some of the clean beach towels you’ve saved.
These showers are also excellent for removing sand from your body. You can even remove your suit and take a regular shower to clean the sand from your body and suit before getting back into your car if you’re lucky enough to visit a beach with private showers for changing.
Set Up a Changing Station Outside Your Home
Allow no one into the house who hasn’t changed out of their sand-filled bathing suit. Create a private changing space with accessible washing bins for dirty swimwear and towels. Have a garden hose and new towels handy if you’re still sandy from the beach.
Pre-rinse Towels and Swimsuits Before Washing
Laundering sand-filled towels and swimsuits might cause damage to your washing machine. Pre-rinse everything outside with a garden hose before bringing it inside for cleaning. This will allow you to get rid of any remaining sand and keep your appliances in good working order.