Ditch the gardening gloves — expert shares the 3 reasons you should be rubbing a bar of soap under your fingernails instead
Gardeners will love this clever hack

Whether you’re a green thumb or simply like to maintain a beautiful yard this summer, gardening can be a rewarding and enjoyable task.
However, if you end up getting your hands deep into soil, or you don’t have one of the best gardening gloves at hand, there is one thing that many of us hate after doing our chores.
Luckily, TikTok expert Andre The Farmer shared his quick and clever hack of how to solve this problem, with a simple bar of soap.
Why you should rub soap under fingernails
Dealing with dirt under fingernails after gardening can be a chore in itself. And to save you the time of scrubbing away, this TikTok hack is a clever idea.
In his TikTok video, Andre starts by explaining, “If you’re like me and don’t like to wear garden gloves, this tip is for you.”
He then demonstrates by scratching into a bar of soap to get the soap under his fingernails.
“This is going to do a number of things, “ he explains.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
“One, it’s going to prevent dirt from getting under nails, two, it’s going to be easy to wash off when you're done and three, soap actually repels insects.”
We recently shared the benefits of using soap when gardening. According to experts, soap is a great, non-toxic repellent in the garden to deter common pests including aphids, slugs, and mealybugs. This is because such destructive bugs hate the sweet fragrance and soap residue, and will either kill bugs on contact, or keep them far away.
What’s more, the soap disrupts the outer coating of soft-bodied bugs, which will suffocate and dehydrate them, causing them to die.
So, while the main benefit of rubbing soap under your nails is to keep them clean when gardening glove-free, it will also have the added benefit of repelling common pests, protecting your plants.
This gentle soap is made from plant-based cleansers without heavy perfumes, parabens or harmful additives. Making this safe to use around the home and yard.
This unusual tip was met with impressed comments saying how ‘clever’ it is, and one posting, “Thank you, That is a Supreme Tip….. Love it”. Another user even mentioned, “My granny taught me this as a kid.”
What’s more, using a bar of soap in the yard can protect your plants from destructive bugs such as aphids, mealybugs and ants.
Who knew that the humble bathroom staple could do so much more than just clean and freshen your skin?
More from Tom's Guide
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.

As the Homes Content Editor, Cynthia Lawrence covers all things homes, interior decorating, and garden-related. She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features.
Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. and House Beautiful, amongst many.
With a rather unhealthy obsession for all things homes and interiors, she also has an interior design blog for style inspiration and savvy storage solutions (get rid of that clutter!). When she’s not testing cool products, she’ll be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain!
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.