Doing Some Dirty Work This Weekend? Put Soap Underneath Your Nails First

There are so many reasons to love getting your hands dirty, whether it’s from repotting your plants, beautifying your indoor or outdoor space with a good DIY, or nurturing living things in the garden. It feels good to get in there and get stuff done. What’s not so fun is having dirt under your nails after your work session is over.

True, gloves will keep your hands clean (and should definitely be worn if you need to avoid exposure to things like toxoplasmosis, especially if you’re pregnant), but sometimes it’s therapeutic to just dig in the dirt. And we also know that simple hand-washing doesn’t get it out. You need to find a little scrubby brush or get that pointy part of the nail clippers out and try not to poke yourself. Slowly but surely, all that relaxation you got from gardening is gone.

Enter the humble bar of soap. Before you head out to the garden, or get started cleaning out the basement, scratch your fingernails over a bar of soap. The soap will fill the crevices between your nails and your fingers, not allowing any dirt to get in there. Don’t overdo it; you don’t want to feel uncomfortable either. Just enough soap to fill that space.

When you’re done, all you’ll have to do is wash your hands. The soap will dissolve and rinse right out and your fingernails will be clean as ever.