While not as effective as bleach, it is capable of killing a large number of bacteria and germs.Īll you need for this is pure distilled white vinegar (again, 1 gallon should be more than sufficient) and a large pump sprayer jug. The Vinegar Methodįor those who are reticent about using a potent chemical like bleach to sanitize their sandbox, distilled white vinegar is a safe and effective alternative.Īmong its many other handy uses, white vinegar (also known as acetic acid) can be a powerful disinfectant. And of course, it’s best not to undertake this task during an especially rainy week. A secure yet breathable cover should work fairly well to keep critters out and let air in.īut if possible, you may want to leave the sandbox uncovered during the day and give it a few hours of direct sunlight each day to help speed the drying process along. Letting the sand dry without allowing animals or debris to get into the sandbox may be a little tricky. Let the sand dry for at least 2 days – turning it periodically – before letting kids play in it again.Once the top layer is dry (~ 1 hour), turn the sand once again.Repeat steps 3 & 4 about 3-5 times, but don’t turn the sand after the final spray, leaving the top layer wet.Mix and turn the sand with a rake or shovel to expose the dry layers.Spray the sand with your bleach/water solution until the top layer is damp.Carefully combine 1 part bleach with 1 part tap water in the spray bottle.Clean and sift the sand to remove debris, then smooth it out again.You’ll also want to make sure you’re not wearing anything you don’t mind getting bleach stains on!
Bleach is an extremely powerful disinfectant – look at any household bleach bottle and you’ll see a boast along the lines of, “Kills 99.9% of Germs, Bacteria, and Viruses” – so while it won’t render your sandbox completely germ-free (nothing can do that), it’s about as powerful a weapon as you can hope for.įor this method, you’ll need regular household bleach (1 gallon should be more than enough for most home sandboxes) and a large spray bottle (a 2 or 3-gallon garden pump sprayer is ideal). Of the two methods, bleach is undoubtedly the most effective. There are two main methods for sanitizing play sand – the bleach method and the vinegar method.
#Play sandbox sand free#
Once the sand is free of debris, it’s time to sanitize or disinfect it to get rid of any germs, fungus, or other unwelcome contaminants that have moved in. Smooth the sand out again once you’ve finished.īe sure and wash any excavated toys with soap and water and wipe them down with a disinfectant – the ones you plan to keep, anyway. If you want to be extra thorough (which, if your aim is sanitization, you probably do), you can move all the sand to one side and then carefully move it all back to the other side, sifting it as you go.
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