5 Ways to Control the Dirt This Summer
Have a Shoe Station at the Door
Wearing shoes in the house can track germs in but it can also track in dirt and grime from outside. If you are trying to keep the summer mess at bay, have a shoe station at the door. This could mean letting play shoes stay in a bin by the front door. It could also mean having shoes stored on a rack or in a certain area near the door. By stopping shoes at the door, you will remove a lot of the dirt that gets tracked through the home.
*Pro-tip - If you want to clean shoes before they come into the home use a kid-safe, pet safe, 5-in-1 all-purpose cleaner with a rag or towel to wipe off dirt, mud, and even germs from shoes. It can help to shake off any mud or dirt before using this method. Wipe down shoes well and then store them in the house until they are used again. For extra messy shoes, an outdoor shoe bucket may do the trick.
Have a Laundry Drop Station
Another big source of summer dirt is clothing. Having fun outside means clothes can easily get covered in dirt and mud. Keeping those items from tracking throughout the house doesn’t have to be impossible. In fact, there is a simple way to handle these clothing pieces. Have a laundry drop station. This could mean having a laundry basket specifically assigned to messier items or even having a spot near where the kids change to put these items.
*Pro-tip - Don’t let those clothes get ruined by dirt and mud this summer. Use the Ahh New Laundry Detergent to remove stubborn dirt and prevent staining on clothing. It can help to wash these items when they first get messy to avoid stains setting in. If you end up leaving these items, pretreat clothes and then wash as normal to remove set in mud.
Create a Clean-Up Station by the Door
During the summer months, kids and adults alike find dirt and grime everywhere. Whether it’s gardening in the yard or making an epic mud pie, dirt becomes commonplace. Create a clean-up station outside by the door. This could include a bucket of water to rinse off hands/feet and containers to store messy items. By keeping the mess outside with many of these items, you can avoid tracking dirt through the house. You can then use the end of each day to clean any items that need to be moved indoors.
Pro-tip - When it is time to clean items you can either wash with safe dish soap or use a kid-safe, pet safe, 5-in-1 all-purpose cleaner with a rag or towel to wipe off dirt, mud, and even germs from a variety of outdoor items. Items like waterproof shoes and toys could even be cleaned in a solution of all-purpose cleaner and water. Let shoes and toys dry completely before bringing them inside or have a drying station for them outside.
Create an Outdoor Snack Station
One of the biggest reasons people run inside and track dirt through the house is for snacks. Have an outdoor snack/drink station to discourage tracking mess through the house. Get a cooler filled with ice for drinks and produce. You could also put together snack bins that are for outdoor snacking while enjoying the summer. Having these items on hand outside will save your home as people will spend less time running in and out while messy.
*Pro-tip - Avoid items that will melt in the sun. Instead, choose snacks that will keep well in the sun while also being delicious. Some options might include frozen fruit, fruit cups, snack bars, and even items like jerky that offer protein in a simple on-the-go way. (Have a hand cleaning station near the snack station to avoid eating with messy hands.)
Have a Backup Plan
Even when you put your best plans first, messes can still happen. Instead of letting these messes ruin your day, have a backup plan for cleaning the dirt that does find its way into your home. Dirt that does get into the house can find itself stuck in carpets, on walls, and in a variety of other areas in the home. This can add so much stress to your summer but it doesn’t have to. Instead, have a plan for cleaning these areas.
- Use the 5-minute clean walls bundle - Cleaning the walls doesn’t have to take away from summer fun. With this simple bundle, you can wash down walls in a hurry and get back to the fun of your summer plans. Even better, this will take one cleaning task off of your list on a given week so you can focus more on summer fun!
- Use a 5-in-1 pet odor eliminator and carpet stain remover - As hard as you try, you may still find yourself with stains on your carpet. This is where a quality stain remover needs to be a part of your plan. Using a carpet stain remover that will protect your carpets while removing stains can be a game-changer for your summer. This solution even helps to prevent re-soiling in the future!
- Divvy out clean-up responsibilities - Summertime is meant to be fun for the entire family. Don’t take on all of the summer clean-up on your own. Instead, divvy out clean-up responsibilities. Remind the family that if everyone chips in you can get back to the fun even faster. Make sure to use kid-safe cleaning products that will let your kids chip in safely.