I have a love/hate relationship with gardening gloves…sure, I like using them, but when it comes to my vegetable garden I like to get my hands in the dirt. I don’t like the dirty nails that comes from a day of fun in the dirt, though. It’s a conundrum—I mean, what’s a girl to do?
If you are torn between getting down and dirty with your garden and still being able to serve cupcakes at the next PTA function without everyone thinking you are a dirty bird, here’s a tip on keeping nails white and clean while gardening:
Grab a bar of soap and wet it down a bit. Then, scrape your fingernails along the soap, creating a barrier {or force-field, if you’d rather} that keeps dirt from getting trapped down deep under your nails. When it’s time to clean up, just grab and nail brush and scrub out the barrier. Manicured nails and a manicured garden—it’s win-win.
How about you, do you have another fool-proof way to keep hands clean while gardening {besides gloves, of course}?
~Mavis
Ani says
Avon’s Silicone Glove Cream works well too, just apply under nails before gardening
Brenda says
I love this stuff, too!
Also works great on your heels, especially if you like to run around barefoot (I wear shoes when I’m gardening) like me!
Tammy says
I’m totally going to try that next time I go out to weed!
Cathrin Morgan says
I have always used vaseline under my nails easy to wash out also
Sheila says
I wear gloves and STILL manage to get dirt under my nails. Don’t ask me how. I have some serious crazy talents.
anna@green talk says
I have the same problem. No matter which gloves I use my nails are dirty.
Deborah says
I use those blue medical gloves for most of my planting and garden work. It helps keep your nails clean and it is easier to work in them than the cloth garden gloves as the medical ones are like a second skin. When 1 rips or tears, toss it dry your hand off and use another one. Of course, there are times when using your bare hands is the only way to go too.
Joy Burnsworth says
This is the way I look at it some women have beautiful nails all the time and some have garden nails and they have
great veggies and beautiful flowers. Just a little soaking and they will come clean.
Laura says
I wouldn’t be able to stand the feeling of soap under my fingernails! Or anything. I just let them get dirty and clean them when I’m done.
If my nails are polished with a top coat (my daughter is in manicuring and esthetics school, so she does my nails the right way!) they are strong and don’t seem to break even if I poke beans seeds down into the soil with a fingertip! If any dirt remains, you can’t see it under the polish!
Karen at A Glimpse Into My Reveries says
I use several coats of Sally Hansen nail hardener in clear. I coat both sides of my nails–topside and underside. If I get a little sloppy around the cuticles it doesn’t matter as it serves to keep my cuticles from getting stained, too!
Occasionally I have to soak my nails in hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes to whiten them.
Vy says
During garden season I cut my nails super short, because I can’t stand wearing gloves and having anything between me and my soil. It probably is due to having super small hands, all gloves I’ve ever tried are too big. Also, I like dark nail polish, so that helps too 🙂
Cynthia says
I find if I set my hose fitting on jet I can spray under my nails and clean out all of the dirt. It’s as if I’ve just come out of the shower, really clean.