I once brought home so much beach sand in my car that I was still vacuuming it out six months later. The beach is wonderful. Sand is wonderful — at the beach. Sand in your car, your house, and somehow in your bed two days later is less wonderful.

After years of trial and error — mostly error — I have pieced together a sand-removal system that actually works. It starts before you leave the beach and finishes at home.

At the Beach: Stop Sand at the Source

Baby powder is the secret weapon. Sand sticks to wet skin. Baby powder absorbs moisture. Before you get back in the car, dust it on sandy legs, feet, and arms, then brush it off with a dry towel. The sand falls right off. It feels like a magic trick the first time you try it.

Bring a dedicated “beach towel” that stays in the trunk for the ride home. Everyone sits on this towel, not directly on the seats. Shake it out before you put it back in the car for next time.

Keep a plastic tub or an old laundry basket in the trunk for wet, sandy shoes, toys, and swimsuits. Everything sandy goes in the tub, not loose in the car. Line it with a trash bag if you want to be extra careful.

At Home: Rinse Before Entering

If you have an outdoor spigot or hose, rinse everyone off outside before they step foot in the house. No hose? Fill a bucket of water outside and have everyone dunk their feet and shake off. Better to track water than sand.

Swimsuits and rash guards go straight into the washing machine or a plastic bag until laundry day. Do not drape them over furniture to “dry” — the sand will shake off into every cushion crevice.

Cleaning Sand Out of the Car

Vacuuming alone will not get it all. First, beat the floor mats against a tree or fence to knock out the deep sand. Then vacuum. Then use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down the remaining fine dust that the vacuum misses. The damp cloth picks up what dry methods leave behind.

For sand in the carpet fibers, a squeegee or rubber brush pulls up embedded sand better than a vacuum. Run it across the carpet and the sand will collect in little piles you can vacuum up.

Sand in Your Hair and Ears

A sprinkle of cornstarch or baby powder in sandy hair before brushing helps it slide out. For sand in ears, tilt your head and gently pull the earlobe — do not use cotton swabs, which can push sand deeper.