Sand in the Shoes!

Updated on March 02, 2009
M.M. asks from Mesa, AZ
14 answers

I am so tired of finding sand everywhere in my house. My son brings half the playground home in his shoes. Is there a brand of shoes that you have found that don't collect as much sand and don't get so destroyed by it.
I have bought $30 shoes and $10 shoes. Both get so worn out from the sand inside. The insouls(sp) just get destroyed.

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So What Happened?

Oh Mamas! I guess I am not the only Mom that feels strongly on this subject. :)
Since we now need new shoes again I think I will try the high tops. I have avoided the Crocs because it was so cold out but geez, 90 deg today?? Winter is over! We'll get one pair of high tops and one pair of crocs, he can wear whichever he likes except on PE day, then it is the high tops.
I will also try to create a new habit of emptying shoes before going into the house.
Thanks for all the great suggestions!

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H.R.

answers from Phoenix on

I have no idea how to solve this problem. My daughter is always getting sand in her shoes and then emptying out on my floor.
Maybe sandals, or no shoes at all in the sand. Goodluck

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C.D.

answers from Phoenix on

I HATE the sand problems from school! I don't understand why they don't just use the rubberized mats, grass and woodchips (with woodchips down far on the list).

The only thing that's worked better here is to let DS wear his Crocs. However, I don't let him wear them on days with P.E. for obvious reasons. All he has to do is kick his Crocs a little on the patio and he's fine. However, when he gets home, he MUST clean his feet, as we don't wear shoes in the house (thank God).

Even when he does wear his sneakers, he has to empty them into a bucket in the garage, along with cleaning his socks. It's not perfect, but better than not emptying them.

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L.F.

answers from Phoenix on

I have not yet found shoes that do not collect the sand....I have found that I need to dump out my sons shoes BEFORE he even gets in the car to come home. This gets out the majority of the sand so that it does not come into the house. I can never get it all out, but this helps. I could bang hem together for hours and they would still have sand in them! I also have to check pockets...my son fills them with sand too. Wish I had a great shoe suggestion, but at least I can share my solution to the problem.

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K.E.

answers from Phoenix on

I sooo feel your pain! I have the same problem. I have sand all over the house, in the car, and I have him dump out his shoes outside and he does it right by the door so there is sand there too. The sand is in his socks too. Even when he doesn't go in the sand he has what I call "perma-sand" in his shoes. When he gets in the car he sits on his feet and all the sand falls onto the seat. At school he is not aloud to wear sandals so I think I might try the hightop idea. I'm glad you asked. I don't have any suggestions for you but just wanted you to know that I understand.

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D.H.

answers from Phoenix on

Six year olds are responsible enough to do the laundry on their own. So they can certainly be responsible enough to make sure there is no sand in their shoes when they come in the house. I would have him play in cheap shoes in the sand, but the shoes stay outside and the feet are washed before coming in. (Have a tub of water sitting beside the mat to leave the shoes in.) It's easy to find something to motivate him - no playing in the sand, unless you follow the rules!

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M.V.

answers from Las Cruces on

I have no idea about the shoes. Maybe strap on sandals so they stay on while he's playing, but the insole is rubber. But what I really love is your SAH(and work my butt off)M. It seems like that has to be clarified more and more! Good luck keeping the sand out of his shoes and your home!

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J.J.

answers from Phoenix on

Good luck ! All we could do was have the kids empty out the shoes outside into the rocks before coming in the house.

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A.A.

answers from Tucson on

I've never heard of special shoes to rid the house of sand... or to keep sand from destroying the shoes... high-tops might work but sand is sooo small, it's bound to get in anyway. :)

What we had to do is everyone sit on a bench or chair(s) outside to take off their shoes, dump out all the sand, and then put them into a basket near the door once inside. No more sand all over the house.

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K.C.

answers from Phoenix on

Crocs will not get destroyed by the sand but you will still have to dump them out.

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A.D.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi M., I worked in childcare and honestly, other than sandals, there is just no simple solution! Crocs work well, but they also fall of easily. I make my neice take her shoes off outside my front door and dump all the sand into our rocks....then she can come inside and neatly set her shoes down and run around barefoot. Before we would just have her take her shoes off when she got inside and, of course, she would take them off and dump a bucketful of sand onto the floor at the same time....taking them off outside has worked wonders for us! Good luck!

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J.J.

answers from Phoenix on

High Tops? both my boys grew up in converse high tops . my oldest is 30 and he still wears them occasionally. my youngest has them in all colors and hes 18. also put a couple of bins by the door. one i fill with all sizes of cheap flip flops from the dollar store the other is for shoes as everyone comes in the house they take their shoes off and wear flip flops if they want.

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H.K.

answers from Phoenix on

My daughter freaks about the sensation of sand on her feet period (hates walking on the beach!)...
We tear out the insoles of her shoes (even new ones) and put in cut down Oder Eaters. They are floppy and easy to remove, then she just shakes out her own shoes at the end of recess and when she comes home by removing the insoles and giving them a good bang.

I totally feel your frustration. Our last house had wood floors throughout the entire house. Every night my bed would be full of gritty sand that had collected on my own feet from walking barefoot in my own house. Such is desert life (I wish the sand were from a tropical one!)

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K.H.

answers from Phoenix on

to alleviate sand in the home , I have my son go directly to the back yard and empty out his shoes and pockets. It is now a habit when he comes home.
K.

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A.S.

answers from Flagstaff on

UNFORTUNATELY I have not found a particular brand of shoes but what does help a little is to have a 2nd pair of shoes that he wears only at the playground and once he gets out of the sand have him take them off and change shoes before you go home, that way most of the sand will stay at the playground and not in your carpets! (those shoes usually dont make it into my house!) it doesnt help when they fill their pockets with the sand tho!! good luck!

A.

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