Okay, I've always been a socks and sneakers summer person, hence my socks and feet have always remained clean. My girls, however, have been bitten by the Crocs bug and both looove to wear their Crocs both barefoot and with socks. For the uninitiated, Crocs are similar to sandals in that they are backless and the fronts are full of deco holes where dirt and gravel and grass and such can get in the shoe and dirty the foot.

The girls' socks are FILTHY when they wear socks and Crocs, and when they wear no socks, then their actual FEET are filthy. This presents a problem...HOW do you handle this?? I'm serious...I've never had this issue and it's making me crazy! Not only are their socks permanently stained, but what am I supposed to do about walking around the house in dirty socks or feet?? One can't change their socks or wash their feet ten times a day as they go in and out all day long on a summer day!! The dirt all comes from running around outside and at the school playground. They step into the shower and these filthy footprints are everywhere and I just cringe!

So, for all you barefeet lovers, how on earth do you handle the dirty feet in the house?? I feel like I need to keep a huge supply of baby wipes at the door but goodness, I'll spend a fortune on them as they'll go thru them so fast with the in and out!!

By Nicki on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 11:46 pm:

My little dd can get some pretty dirty little feet from wearing sandals in the summer. We have hardwood floors throughout, so I don't really stress. As long as it's dry dirt, which it usually is, I just figure it gets cleaned up when I mop. If she's especially dirty we go into the shower and rinse her feet. We have one of those removable shower heads, so we can just get her feet wet. It also feels great on a hot day if we use cool water.
Do you have light color carpets? That would be different. I hope someone has some better advice.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 01:11 am:

I don't think there is any way to keep bare or semi bare feet clean. I personally have just learned not to sweat the small stuff. I plan to replace the carpet in my house as soon as my kids are all grown, until then I have four kids and all of their friends running in and out with dirty feet... It is one of those worth it situations to me. A little dirt is so worth a lot of fun memories for my kids...

By Enchens on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 01:13 am:

I'm constantly in and out of the house, I walk around barefoot all day and sometimes I forget to put shoes on when I go outside. What I have are a pair of outside shoes (for when I remember) and a pair of comfy shoes for inside (slip ons). My outside shoes do not come in the house, period. The closest they get is the garage. My slip ons are for the times when I forget to put shoes on to go outside or I go out in a hurry and happen to step in water or dirt and I need something to get me around the house without dirtying my floors and carpet until I can wash my feet. I have noticed that my feet do tend to get dirtier in the summer, though I don't really wear shoes all year.
Hope this helps a bit.
(Oh, btw, I do wear shoes when I go out to stores, parks, etc. lol)

By Sandysmom on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 05:35 am:

Get them a pair of slippers, and leave them at the door so that they can slip out of their crocs and into their slippers when they come in. I kind of know how you feel. When my husband comes home from work, I make him take his boots off at the door because God only knows what he stepped in while at work and little dd plays on the floor so it is important to keep things clean for her, but the indoor/outdoor barefoot thing doesn't really bother me.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 07:06 am:

I have my kids wash their feet outside with the hose before they come in. We keep a beach towel in the garage for this very purpose. That at least removes most of the grime before they come into the house. I like to go barefoot at home during summer months, and often sit on the edge of the tub to wash them before going out in public. Dirty feet are part of summer fun.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 07:09 am:

Oh, almost forgot...

Ditto Bobbie.

By Dana on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 07:14 am:

Kate, I started wearing crocks a few weeks ago because I take shoes off to enter my playroom. So I have indoor crocks and outside crocks that I switch between. And even in the playroom where I mop and mop and steam clean, I still find dirt on my feet or socks. Nothing I can do about the socks, but when I have bare feet, I just grab a baby wipe from the changing table and clean my feet. It works great and keeps my feet from going beyond a little dirt.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 08:08 am:

I don't sweat dirty feet. I think it's just part of summer, too!

By Tonya on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 11:11 am:

If I tried to clean dirty feet that would be all I did all summer. I hate shoes and hate socks. I wear crocs or nothing at all on my feet all of the time. Right now at work my barefeet are under my butt with my crocs on the floor by my chair.

We vaccuum and sweep more in the summer but dirt and bare feet is part of summer.

If they are really gross they hose off outside and then come it but otherwise just brush them off at the door and on you go.

By Eve on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 11:50 am:

I'm the Queen of flip flops, so I feel your pain. DD wears the Crocs too. LOL I just wash my feet before climbing into bed....The kids usually take a bath. I just say "No dirty feet on the couch." LOL That's the best I can do. So much dirt is tracked in our house lately with the kids going in and out, in and out...

I think the baby wipes are a great idea and I think if it bothers you that much, I would spend the few extra dollars. Good luck.

By Karen~admin on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 12:18 pm:

Another vote for don't sweat the small stuff. Dirt washes off.

By Cocoabutter on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 12:21 pm:

My son and his friends wear sneakers and take them off at the door. He's never been much of a sandals person.

But it's the dog that brings in the dirt, even though I wipe her paws at the door.

Good luck.

By Debbie on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 12:37 pm:

Well, my dks hardly ever go barefoot. They are always on their bikes and scooters, and my rule is that they have to wear shoes when they are on them. Also, we have lots of fire ants here, so they would rather wear shoes. All of the neighborhood kids kick off their shoes when they come in, everyone just does it here.

Now, when we lived in Chicago, we had black top driveways. I would make those that went barefoot wash their feet before they came in my house. It would turn everything black, and the tar would not come off the carpet, floors, etc.

My house does tend to get dirtier in summer. Thankfully, we have lots of tile in our house. And, I just always clean my carpets in the fall.

By Tsa on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 02:11 pm:

"FOOT BATH" That's all i have to say and the kids go out and hose down or sometimes even need to scrub their feet. But it is only dirt so it washes. Have a fun summer.

By Kate on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 02:12 pm:

Wow. It sounds like dirty feet are expected and accepted in summertime. That really surprises me!! No one walks around with dirty hands...why feet? It seems like such a huge hassle to clean them each time yet it's a bigger hassle to try and clean carpet, or couches, or pants from feet tucked under them!! I didn't grow up ever ever EVER going barefoot (OUCH!! I don't know HOW people do this!!) and we still don't go barefoot, but those sandals and crocs definitely allow 'nature' to touch feet!! Also the Crocs get filled with grass and mulch and sharp twigs poke thru the holes or the sides...I truly don't get the appeal!! Okay the LOOK of sandals is far better than socks and sneaks, I'll grant you that!! But for pure comfort I really hate shoes that make your feet so vulnerable. And dirty.

But thanks for all your input...at least I've learned that if my kids go to someone's house wearing their Crocs or sandals, and they then sport dirty feet in their house, it won't cause all sorts of shock and dismay. Except at my house.

By Nicki on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 03:15 pm:

Actually my dd's hands aren't so clean during the summer months! She's having a so much fun with a big metal tub of mud as I type. We were going to start some seeds in it, but she decided mud soup was the special of the day. We clean her hands well before she eats anything, and before she comes in now we'll probably hose her hands off. I guess it just seems to go with summer around here. Shed the extra clothes and shoes and run carefree and get dirty! I figure she's only going to have the chance to be worry free and young once. I want her to enjoy the summers like I did when I was little.:-)
I'm off to have some mud soup.

By Yjja123 on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 03:28 pm:

We live year round in sandals. I do not see anyone with dirty feet. I guess between swimming and showers it is not an issue.
I remember, when I was a kid, my mom had a foot bath by the door to rinse your feet off before coming in. My mom is definitely a neat freak.
I clean my floors enough (vacuum and swiffer daily) that I am not worried about stuff getting tracked in. With my kids, their friends, the dogs, cats, etc...I would go nuts if I started worrying about it. The kids take showers before bed every night. It just isn't an issue.
I do agree with the phrase "don't sweat the small stuff". Life is too short.

By Missbookworm on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 03:51 pm:

I agree with not sweating the small stuff...

my kids are in and out all day and I now live with 5! I vacuum and wash the floor because I like tidy, but I couldn't imagine making them wash their feet just to come in the house.

Nicki my dd's hands seem to be always dirty too! The only time I see them clean is before dinner and bed and in the morning before she goes to school!

By Missbookworm on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 03:52 pm:

p.s. I'm a barefoot, sandal wearing person too so about the only time my feet are clean is until I get home from work and kick off my sandals to run around with the kids and I'll clean them before bed

By Bobbie~moderatr on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 05:05 pm:

Kate, actually my kids have both dirty feet and hands during the warmer months.. My girls get up as soon as the sun rises and they are out getting into something in the back yard until we make them come in.. When they come in they are covered with all kinds of fun stuff, dirty feet and hands and they smell of sweat.. But they are good and wore out and the memories they are making are worth having to go over the kitchen floor a couple of times a day to me..

Callie and Dillan were the same way.. And they have survived to be 17 and 15 so I guess a little dirt doesn't hurt much...

I remember coming in at night with black feet, dirt under my nails, a splinter or a scrape and a sunburn on my face and I was as happy as happy can be... My summer memories are my best memories...

By Nicki on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 06:42 pm:

Lol, Bobbie, I still come in the house some nights like that if I've been doing yard work all day! One great thing about it, a shower never felt better, and I sleep like a baby.:-)

Kate, do you ever go outdoors in the evening after a really hot day and walk barefoot on the cool lawn? It's especially nice if you've worn dress shoes all day and your feet are tired. To me, there is nothing that feels better on my feet! I think we were meant to feel things such as soft grass and soft sand with our feet just as we have the pleasure of feeling different sensations with our hands. Wouldn't you agree that sometimes it's nice to let 'nature' touch our feet? I don't mean to be picking on you, honestly, I just wondered if it might help you see where your girls may be coming from with their desire to go shoeless.

By Karen~admin on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 07:41 pm:

I'd not be welcome at your home, Kate. LOL I LOVE to go barefoot! In fact, the only time I put shoes on is when I'm going somewhere.

By Kate on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 07:45 pm:

Oh my girls don't have a desire to go shoeless! They really don't. They've seen enough bees hovering over the grass to never want to do THAT! Plus they've had sharp rocks and thorns just poke thru the holes in the sandals.

Walking on sand with barefeet is fine but other than that I only want indoor carpeting or hardwoods touching my feet.

You should probably understand that even inside I wear slippers and on rare occasions when I don't, my feet HURT from the lack of cushioning from the slippers.

Yes, I am wimpy. But clean!!

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 09:27 pm:

LOL Kate! I am barefoot around the house most of the summer, or in flip flops. Natalie is the same. I've never noticed REALLY dirty feet...a little dirty here and there I guess, but not really dirty so it's not a concern. I don't think I've ever seen a dirty footprint on my laminate or stains on the carpet. Shoes leave way more dirt spots on my carpet than feet ever will. I've got the needs-to-be-replaced carpet to prove it, LOL!

I noticed when Natalie had faux-leather bottom sandals though that her feet got VERY sweaty and yucky last summer. Her shoes looked filthy and so did her sweaty, dirty feet. I dumped them and learned the lesson to get a different material in the shoe. Now her sandals are mesh or leather and there's not a problem.

It's funny how the differences in how people think about feet! I'm with Nicki...walking on the cool grass in my backyard is like heaven to me. I'm barefoot most of the time, and I was as a kid alot as well. It's a joy of summer.

By Hol on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 11:30 pm:

I agree that dirt and summer go together. I remember when my DK's were little, they would play outside all day in the summer. They wanted to eat breakfast and lunch at the picnic table, and pick fresh blueberries and raspberries on our land, for their cereal. Heck we didn't even wash the berries because DH doesn't use pesticides or anything harmful on them.

I have always been a sandals and barefoot girl, too. When I was pregnant with Danny, over thirty years ago, I went three weeks overdue. I was so huge and uncomfortable, and my feet were swollen. He was born in June, and I had been wearing sandals since April that year, even in New England. The last two months, I couldn't even SEE my feet. I told DH to make sure that, if I went into labour, to remind me to step into the shower and wash my feet. I had this awful vision of dirty feet up in stirrups! LOL!

Summer is about eating popsicles outside, getting sticky, and getting dirty. A bath and clean jammies before bed made you feel like a million bucks! LOL!

Oh, and by the way...I wear Crocs all the time, and I have yet to have anything sharp stick me in the feet, or be stung by anything on my feet.

By Jjb on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 04:19 pm:

We usually just go with the dirty feet- but if they are really bad I'll wipe them down with a wipe or wet paper towel (wipes work best). GL!

By Karen~admin on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 06:05 pm:

I *live* in sandals, probably 10 months of the year. I don't notice my feet being particularly dirty, if at all.

I've always said *a dirty kid is a happy kid*. LOL When mine were little, I'd let them get as dirty as they wanted, and when playtime outside was over, they got washed.

You guys will cringe when you read this: MANY years ago, my X, who was/is a musician was playing at Jazz Fest. This was before we were married; I had Jules and Jason with me in the crowd - they were so excited to see Daddy play music on stage. We had heavy storms in New Orleans for a couple of weeks prior to this Jazz Fest weekend, and the Fairgrounds where it is held, was one giant mudhole. The kids and I spent the first 30 minutes trying to keep our shoes from sinking into the mud while walking around. After that, we (and the other thousands of other people out there!) just gave up, took our shoes off and walked in the mud.

After X's band's set was over, he joined us - jeans rolled up to his knees, and there were the 4 of us, jumping in the mud and mud puddles. I can still remember the giggles and the sound of their laughter and the look in their eyes!

Yes, we were a HORRIBLE mess, but we had such fun, and the kids (now 34 and 35!) STILL talk about that day! We hosed feet and lower legs off before entering our home, then everyone went straight to the showers. The mud washed off and we still have the memories of that wonderful, albeit DIRTY afternoon.

By Kellyj on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 06:34 pm:

In high school, one afternoon after softball practice for "team bonding" we took turns diving and sliding through the huge mud puddles that had formed on the field. We were disgusting! But it was so much fun and very memorable.
I don't care much for barefeet on the grass. It always irritates my feet. Plus we had three dogs growing up that shared the back yard...enough said! I do like sandals and don't really care if dd goes barefoot outside.
I don't care if dd plays outside and comes in caked in dirt from head to toe. If she's outside and getting exercise and experiencing nature I'm happy. A little dirt is nothing that a warm bath and a good broom can't handle.

By Cocoabutter on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 06:40 pm:

With all the talk about bare feet, I feel I should add that, although I always went barefoot as a kid, I can't allow my son to do the same. I don't know what the land was used for before my house was built on it 50 years ago, but I always find shards of glass ALL OVER. Everytime I pick up dog poop, I find at least one teeny piece of broken glass that apparently comes up through the ground as it erodes. Shoes are a MUST in our yard.

By Karen~admin on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 08:11 pm:

Wow, that would freak me out! I don't blame you for that!

By Juli4 on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 10:57 pm:

we are a barefoot family. If we stay home all week I won't even have to find their shoes until church on Sunday. I love to go barefoot also. Sounds like I am with all the "bad moms". I am sometimes embarrassed when someone comes to the door because my curious 3 year old will come and see who it is and a lot of the times if it is nice outside she looks like one of those kids you would send money to in a third world country. But they go outside at like 9 in the morning and come in for lunch and bathroom breaks and then come in for good about 5 for baths (I have been known to take off their clothes and put them in bed without a bath if I know I have to wash sheets the next day). But they have so much fun. Today they found a slug and brought it in to show me. Other days it is rolly pollies or worms. I just make them take them outside. I have to watch it or my 4 year old will try to sneak my spoons outside to dig with. I love summer and dirt.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 11:07 pm:

I don't mind so much being barefoot in the grass, during the day, but at night, in the summer, the grass is so wet and I hate my feet getting wet, so sometimes I wear my boots outside, to take Jasmine potty. Also, at night, if I need to pick up poop, I really don't want to step in any surprises, so at night, I'm more likely to wear something on my feet. (Yes, I know my feet will dry again, but why get them wet in the first place?)

By Nicki on Friday, June 1, 2007 - 01:20 am:

"...she looks like one of those kids you would send money to in a third world country."

Julie, this has me laughing out loud! Lara fits this description some days as well. Glad we're not alone.
Who knew a thread about dirty feet in the summer would bring on all these fun facts about each other. :-)

(Julie, I've put Lara to bed on occasion without a bath, as well. I've even snuck in and taken a warm washcloth to her just to get the worst off! It makes me feel better, but I think she's too tired to care one way or the other.)