Stop Tracking Dirt Inside: Use This Bathroom Staple For An Outdoor Upgrade

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Whether you're an avid gardener or you have little ones who love to play outside, you've probably had to scrub dirt and grime tracks off your floors more times than you can count. And while there are fairly simple ways and common household ingredients to clean muddy footprints in your house, who wants to do that chore? Well, Instagram user Erin Berkyto (@theknottygarden) certainly didn't, which is how she came up with a brilliant (and inexpensive) solution: using a hanging shower caddy to make a small outdoor washing station.

In the video, Erin built the station underneath an outdoor hose spigot using a few basic items, including a wire shower caddy, large outdoor floor tiles, and a short length of hose. To make your own DIY washing station, you'll need to make sure your home has a hose bib that can fit a hanging shower caddy — otherwise, you won't have running water to clean yourself and your gardening tools. If you only have one spigot, consider using a hose splitter (like this Lifynste 4 Way Brass Hose Splitter) to still have an available spout, while adding a faucet for the washing station. If you have multiple hose bibs, feel free to skip this step and dedicate one to the dirt-stopping station.

After you've chosen a spot and gathered the supplies, you can begin building your washing station. Start by hanging the shower caddy from the hose bib, then putting the tiles into place — with two on the ground and two leaning up against the exterior wall of the house. From there, attach the short length of hose to one of the valves on the splitter. Finally, outfit the shower caddy with your chosen grooming accessories — like biodegradable soap, nail scrubbers, or a wash cloth. However, leaving soap outside might attract critters, so it may be better to keep it indoors or secure it in a closed soap dish.

While this DIY project is great for freshening up your hands and feet before going inside, you can use it in a few other ways, too. For example, use the station to fill up a watering can or rinse off gardening tools. You could also add a few more tiles across the ground and exterior wall, making it a larger station, which could be a good alternative to putting a pet shower in your house. On the downside, having a hand-washing station so low to the ground could be painful for those with back issues, so be sure to keep that in mind if you have problems bending over or crouching near the ground. For something closer to your hands than feet, try this DIY portable hand-washing station.