7 Ways to Wrangle Post-Beach Day Laundry, An Expert Shares

Swap Your Towel for a Yoga Mat

No, we aren’t talking about beach yoga for this tip. One of Winokur’s most helpful tactics for cutting down on sand build-up is swapping the beach towel for a yoga mat instead. 

“I love to bring a yoga mat to the beach—it collects less sand than a towel and is made from water-resistant materials, which makes it ideal for the beach," Winokur explains. "It is so easy to shake off the sand, and therefore less sand ends up in your car.”

Rinse Before You Get Inside

Prior to coming indoors, Winokur tells us how important it is to rinse off all of your beach gear to remove most of the sand before you throw your clothes in the wash as your toys in the car.

“Rinse any beach clothes with fresh water as soon as possible until you can get to a washer," she says. "We always rinse any toys, beach chairs, and umbrellas before bringing them inside.” 

Most hotels have a spigot or shower head on their walkway to the beach that you can use to rinse off before going up to your room. If you’re staying in a beach house, public access has spigots most of the time that you can use before loading up your car, or you can use a hose or outdoor shower at the house if you have private beach access. 

Ditch the Fabric Softener

We love fabric softeners for standard laundry days, but Winokur tells us to ditch this step when it comes to your beach day laundry.

“Fabric softener can actually trap sand particles in your clothes or towels, which will cause more build-up," she explains. She recommends using an effective detergent, like Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin or Odor Blasters, since it’s tough on dirt and odors.

“It’s blended with deodorizing baking soda which will leave your clothes and towels fresher for longer without all the sand," she explains.

Try the Baby-Powder Hack

You don’t need a newborn for this useful hack. When it comes to getting sand-free skin, one of Winokur's favorite methods involves using this talcum powder trick.

“If you haven’t tried the baby powder hack, it’s a must," she says. "Baby powder does a great job at absorbing the moisture and makes cleaning sandy feet and toes super easy.”

Sprinkle some baby powder over areas of your skin that are coated in sand and then wipe the power off. This trick will remove all sand from your skin so there’s no left-behind granules you’ll feel later. 

Opt for Non-Sticky Sunscreen

In the past, sunscreen has been the culprit for causing sand to stick to your skin, but not anymore. We suggest using a less sticky sunscreen that protects your skin from UV rays and annoying sand.

If you need a brand to try, Winokur suggests Supergoop. “Their Glow Stick glides on like an oil and leaves a dewy finish without any sticky residue.”

If you have children tagging along, Winokur says you can’t go wrong with sunscreen from MD Solar Sciences. “The mineral kidcreme goes on silky smooth and they also have a convenient kidstick which makes applying sunscreen to little noses so simple. “

Pre-Treat Stains

If you get home and notice any stains in your clothes or towels from your beach day snacks or sunscreen, the best thing to do is treat them like normal stains with pre-treatment.

“I always pre-treat any stains from food or sunscreen,” Winokur shares. “I don’t use a specific stain remover but I prefer to simply apply a mixture of water and detergent directly on the stains."

Apply the mixture to your stains and let them sit for at least 15 minutes before tossing them in the wash. This will help to loosen the stains so they disappear in the wash for fresh clothes.