Asked on Jan 15, 2017

Tip: Cleaning your hands after gardening

Margaret Powell
by Margaret Powell
To help clean your hands after gardening even though you wear gloves. Dirt has a way of getting on your hands and drying them out even though you wear gloves. So before you put on your gloves, generously apply coconut oil and put on the cheap clear gloves and than put on your gardening gloves. You will find that your hands are not only easier to clean but are very soft.

Happy to hear your ideas, too!

(re: Cleaning tips challenge-http://www.hometalk.com/diy/e-cleaning-tips-challenge-26729461)
  16 answers
  • Cori Widen Cori Widen on Jan 15, 2017

    This is so smart! I love coconut oil on my hands.

  • William William on Jan 15, 2017

    Super tip! I can do this when I work on my car. Wouldn't have to worry about embedded grease hand cleaner won't even remove.

  • Hillela G. Hillela G. on Jan 16, 2017

    I love this idea! Usually, I feel gross after gardening, but with the coconut oil, I'd feel pampered

  • C Crow C Crow on Jan 16, 2017

    Great idea. Will use today. Love the idea of keeping hands cleaner and having a treatment at the same time. Thank you!

  • Danielle Odin Danielle Odin on Jan 16, 2017

    Well, I love the feel of the earth in my hands, therefore I do not wear gloves. I use a good soap and water wash along with nail brush then I used hand lotion. I might try coconut oil instead but I won't wear gloves. We are part of the earth , after all.

  • Debra Chappell Bell Debra Chappell Bell on Jan 17, 2017

    If your hands still get dirty keep a jar of baby oil gel mixed with sea salt by your sink. It scrubs and softens at the same time.

  • Pallet Man Pallet Man on Jan 17, 2017

    It can help to scrape your fingernails in a bar of soap to put a bit of soap under your nails. This will make it easier to clean out any dirt under your finger nails.

    For a killer hand cleaner, use Boraxo and add some Palmolive or Dawn dishwashing detergent.

  • Tommi L. Perkins Tommi L. Perkins on Jan 18, 2017

    The disposable gloves under the gardening gloves are too hot in the summer time. My hands get hot anytime I put them on summer or winter. Put baby oil on your cuticles and around and under your fingernails. I hate it but I think it is important to wear the gardening gloves. I really like the feeling of my hands in the dirt but the soil outside is full of bacteria and gross stuff like tetanus plus dirt just destroys your fingernails if you are otherwise trying to maintain any semblance of girly or even neat nails.

  • If you want to avoid dirt from getting your fingernails, rake your nails across a bar of soap so that the soap goes under your nails, then put on your gardening gloves or if you chose try it without the gloves. After gardening when you wash your hands just use a nail brush to get rid of the soap.

  • Florida Beachpotato Florida Beachpotato on Jan 19, 2017

    As a mechanic - I need a strong cleaner and found Orange Goop at the auto parts store, and walmart. Biodegradable and cheap. Use it for spot cleaning on shirts I get really dirty. I do rub shaving cream into the hands before work. Amazing that it works so well. I don't know why, it justs does.

  • Lynn Lynn on Jan 19, 2017

    Best way to clean your hands and nails after being in the garden is using Dawn dish soap! It's mild enough for ducks and geese, so why not try it!


  • Cwh6899259 Cwh6899259 on Jan 20, 2017

    Just use a nail brush and hand soap. Then use a scrub made of sugar and olive oil. Using sugar instead of salt stops any nicks or cuts from burning like salt in a wound. Rinse and massage to help oil absorb, This works for mechanic hands too.

  • Joan Vargo Joan Vargo on Jan 20, 2017

    Dawn dish soap is great, but I found the pink one - Dawn Renewal with Olay - is much gentler on your skin, not drying like the original formula, and just as effective.

  • Dixie Dixie on Jan 21, 2017

    Before you garden, just rub your fingernails over a bar of soap so it fills up under them. Then, when you're finished, you can just wash them!

  • Karen Reilly Karen Reilly on Jan 26, 2017

    I use Castile and baking soda

  • Ble11606692 Ble11606692 on Jan 26, 2017

    Want to live Wel - Longer ? Wash your Hands After Gardening 💥