really dirty nails :-)

[mandyballantyne]

Hi,

I have been off work this week so been doing a lot of gardening

Back to work soon and I just can't get the dirt from under my nails, which I have cut short now and scrubbed like mad. I work with vet practices so they need to be clean!

Any ideas for a mad Sunday night clean??

Thanks, Mandy

[Nicos]

wash your hair first- thoroughly!
then.....Make some bread dough...then bin it!!!!

It works a treat!!!

[Two_Sheds]

If that fails, get a Rimmel white nail pencil (you dampen it, then clean your nails with it: it leaves a bit of white under your nail)

[mandyballantyne]

You've seen my hair then! Dirt, dust and probably chicken poo!!

Will have a practice run as the hair does need washed

M

[Alison]

Pastry is good too for cleaning nails - often tend to have a few scraps in the fridge for that very purpose. Other than that, it's worth remembering to put a good dose of handcream on before you start gardening and it really does help to wear gloves too but it's a bit late for that now

[vicky]

Bleach the bath (and your nails) Harsh but effective!

[Bren In Pots]

A good soak in the bath usually gets mine clean.

[jackie j]

You can get some tablests that you put in water and they fizz then soak your fingers, not very expensive in superdrug, boots, asda or similar.

[SarzWix]

I use a toothpick, and a 'firm bristle' toothbrush (kept specially for my nails ). Seems a lot easier with a toothbrush than a proper nailbrush for some reason?!

[mandyballantyne]

Thanks everyone, off to get toothpicks, fizzy stuff, bleach now, but will need to pass garden centre on way home ;-) .................

[Jeanied]

One tip I have heard is to scrape your nails across a bar of soap before going out gardening. This means that the dirt can't get in there because of the soap.
However this doesn't work for me because I can't stand having anything lodged under my nails - even soap!

[miffy]

ecover hand and nail wash, it is all natural and has grains in it and gets all the dirt out of my hands and nails when I have been in the garden.

[snohare]

I was taught by my father as a boy that to get your hands properly clean when in the great outdoors, the best cleanser was...wait for it...water from the same soil as had made your hands dirty. Why ? Because it is exactly the same pH. (Same reason that you wash your tatties more effectively in a bucket at the allotment than at home.)
Works for me...but if I couldn't, I'd go for the dough !

[Jeanied]

Just remembered the olive oil and sugar hand scrub - a teaspoon of each in the palm of your hand and use that to scrub your hands all over by rubbing them together.

[Gardenwitch]

In future to save you from all the agro, paint your fingernails with polish BEFORE going to lotty. I know that sounds like a lot of work too but the nail varnish seals in your cuticles, skin, nails etc.. I always have people comment on how fab my nails look and people know I'm an avid gardener and always wonder how I keep my nails so clean; secrets out now