Kids and Clothes---can you keep either of them CLEAN?

[Ottakee]

We live out in the country on 5 1/2 acres of mostly sand and dirt right now. We just had 3 1/2 acres of it cleared for horse pasture but all that is there now is dirt and tree roots, etc.

 

My girls, yes girls, are outside almost all day playing. We are almost done with our barn and hope to have our horses home here in a few days or very early next week.

 

Problem is that they are so DIRTY. Even after soaking in the tub their fingernails (kept clipped) are DIRTY, their hands are STAINED by the dirt, etc. Their clothes are impossible to keep clean.

 

Any hints for cleaning either kids or clothes? I try to stress having PLAY/BARN clothes and shoes/boots but still, everything is looking so grungy and it is only about 2 weeks into spring here.

[FO4UR]

I can't do it - my dc are 6, 4, and 2. They are dirt/mud magnets, and I have showered them down more than once only to find their skin is orange from the red clay mud:glare: You can try those scrub brush things for cleaning under their nails....lava soap if they still make it LOL.

 

They've got plenty of years to be clean. Enjoy the spring and the land while you can:001_smile:

 

eta: see my avi - that is my dd at her favorite mud puddle....sigh!

[MamaT]

Just no. We live in the country on acreage with a barn also. I gave up trying to keep them clean! They get a bath before they go to bed, but in between they are always dirty. We have play clothes, go-somewhere clothes separated. Their play clothes look awful. Oh well, they're having fun and not watching TV, right?

[DarlaS]

Kids and Clothes---can you keep either of them CLEAN?

 

Not all of them that's for sure.

 

My five yo ds likes to be clean but his eight yo sister... well... swamp girlie just doesn't care. She's always been this way and I actually have a picture of her at about age three covered in mud from head to toe and grinning ear to ear. It was cute then, but now she's nearly nine.

 

Just today I bought this child a new pair of New Balance sneakers for an upcoming vacation. They're muddy already. She has choices in footwear. These are not the only ones that fit and she decided to put them on to go play outside. I was cooking and didn't see what she was doing. Now, I'm not overly picky about my kids clothes, but it would have been nice to put them in her suitcase without the rest of her clothes ending up smelling like funk. She'll be scrubbing them tomorrow. I almost wonder if she did it on purpose as little brother also wore his new shoes (He'll be wiping his down a bit too as mama has a point to make)--and his are much more clean. :001_huh:

 

I don't get it. I remember getting new things when I was a kid and actually caring about what it looked like at *least* for a little while. I can see I have some work to do with her. She seemed to think it was funny. :glare:

[Kay in Cal]

No.

[katilac]

They're supposed to be clean? Huh.

 

A swimming pool or other water play can help with the soaking off of dirt, *g*. Other than that, I have no advice, but a slightly funny story.

 

My kids just spent several days on their own at the grandparent's house, their first time. Grandma is very much from the baths every single day school, while I am more relaxed. They bathe quite often, I promise you, but we'll skip it some days when they're pretty clean, or some days when they're actually pretty dirty but we're at the camp.

 

So, ennywayz, Grandma has one of those fabulous huge tubs with the water jets, etc and it is NO PROBLEM for my kids to bathe every day there. But when we show up to join them, and ask if they're having fun, the littlest stinker sez, "Yes, it's been GREAT. And we've had more baths than we usually take in a month!"

[Karen sn]

I have never even tried.

In the past I've used Oxyclean powder - baking soda - borox - -seems to help clean the clothes a little.

Also, swim suits and shorts are great to play in. Clean up nice.

[chickenpatty]

A swimming pool or other water play can help with the soaking off of dirt, *g*. Other than that, I have no advice, but a slightly funny story.

 

 

 

 

ROFL! A swimming pool was the very first thing that came to mind! Summer seems to be the only time when my kids' fingernails are clean. :)

[Chris in VA]

I think I've posted this story before, but here goes--

 

When my now-17 yo was about 4, he got mud all over his shoes. They were fairly new, and I didn't have much money, so they were his only pair of shoes. I lost it, and truly yelled at him. His little face crumpled, and I know he felt so bad. Later, I apologized, and said that it was his JOB to get dirty--that's how God made little children!

 

I cleaned his shoes and later, he went back out to play. I checked on him only to find him up to his elbows in mud, again. "What are you DOing," I said, shocked that I'd made no impression upon him!

 

"Just doin' my job, Mom."

 

Don't sweat the clothes or the dirt. It's good for their immune system, it's healthy to be outside, and they are building wonderful memories of carefree childhoods. Scrubbing with oatmeal helps, a little.

[Impish]

I *wish* I were in your shoes! I'd *love* to have that sort of room and land for my children to get muddy and horribly dirty in! We live in the city, have a postage stamp sized yard, which our landlords have done in interlocking brick, and that's that. We take them to the parks and such, but I long for an acreage...My dh and I have talked about escaping the city for years and getting on a small acreage where the kids can tear about, have fun, get dirty, without worrying about noise, neighbours, cars, strangers...

 

Enjoy the dirt, from someone who wishes she were!

[SheWillFly]

Nope. My children look like children who enjoy playing in the dirt. Why? Because they do.:) I keep two outfits for each child in my own closet that are only worn when they must look clean. Otherwise it is play clothes. They get regular baths but that doesn't mean they look clean after 9 am anymore. Goodness they start their day outside at 8:30. I wouldn't have it any other way.:D

[Ottakee]

Glad to hear I am not alone. It is not as common for 12 and `13 year old GIRLS to be this dirty though. They DO get baths and showers and pool season should start in another month or so here.

 

I am trying to train them to wear their rubber boots or OLD tennis shoes outside but that doesn't even always work.

 

They ARE much healthier now that they are out a lot. They both have a lot of medical issues including immune deficiencies. They though have not been to the doctor for illness for 2 years now.

[rafiki]

.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

They would fit right in at the barn where I stable my horse. There are many teenage girls there who look like they have been bustin' broncs as opposed to riding in an indoor arena. It's just part and parcel of living in the country and having horses.

 

Just think - if they are this dirty now what will they look and smell like when the horses arrive?

[Susan in KY]

Nope. My children look like children who enjoy playing in the dirt. Why? Because they do.:) I keep two outfits for each child in my own closet that are only worn when they must look clean. Otherwise it is play clothes. They get regular baths but that doesn't mean they look clean after 9 am anymore. Goodness they start their day outside at 8:30. I wouldn't have it any other way.:D

 

:iagree: This is the best answer! I wish we still had rep. :001_smile:

 

We had three little boys over last week, and we all went playing in some springs the next field over. It was an afternoon of mud and water, crawdads and bugs. Both of the eldest boys commented independently (but within my earshot), "This is the best day of my life!" I loved it, too.

 

On my blog is this picture, the result of a delightful day which cost two families several articles of clothing and five absolutely filthy kids. :001_smile: