How to Sanitize Sandbox Sand

Animals and sand can make a nasty mix. The loose sand can make for an outdoor privy for most wildlife. When the children want to play in the sandbox, those little gifts from nature are one thing you may not want your children playing around. By following a few basic procedures and a sunny day, you can sanitize that sandbox for the health and safety of your children.

Things You'll Need

• Kitty litter scooper
• 1-gallon sprayer
• Household bleach
• Water
• Shovel
• Garden rake

Instructions

1. Use the kitty litter scooper and remove any large clumps of fecal matter that may be residing in the sand. You will want to perform the cleaning of the sand box on a sunny day, as the light from the sun will help to dry out the wet sand.

2. Fill the 1-gallon sprayer with a half-gallon of household bleach and a half-gallon of fresh tap water. Pump up the sprayer and thoroughly soak the top layer of the sandbox. You should also spray down the sides of the box.

3. Turn the sand over using the shovel; you will want to bring the bottom sand to the surface. If you find any large clumps, remove them with the kitty litter scooper. Spray down the fresh surface with the bleach solution, thoroughly soaking the sand. Allow the wet, bleached sand to sit for about a half hour.

4. Use the garden rake and work the sand around mixing it together. This action will allow any wet sand to dry out by exposing it to the sun. The combination of wetting the sand with bleach and drying out in the sun ensures that you are mixing the solution into the sand.

5. Fill the sprayer with the last of the bleach and refill the container again with the tap water. Thoroughly spray down the sand and the sides of the sandbox. Mix the sand again with the garden rake, and allow the sand to dry out in the sunshine.

Tips & Warnings

• For future reference, you can cover the sandbox with a thick piece of plastic or a blue tarp purchased from any big box store. The slick covering will keep animals from using the sandbox as their own personal litter box.