We are at the end of most people’s gardening season and before we put everything away, we wanted to share some tips to help make your garden tools sparkle. It may seem like a chore to clean up the garden tools, but it is advised to do so in order to prevent your tools from rusting. Tools should be cleaned with warm, soapy water every time they are used. They should also be dried off immediately after being washed. Gardeners should also ensure that their garden tools are stored in a dry area to prevent them from rusting.
Cleaning Your Pruners
Spray scrubbing bubbles or warm soapy water on the pruners to get off sap, dirt, or any other liquids that might have dried on your pruners. Take a wire brush and scrub the pruners. Rinse off the pruners and rub them with steel wool to buff them. Use an old towel to dry them off.
Getting Rust Off Tools
So, what happens if your tools do get rusty? Here is something you can try to get the rust off. For this DIY, you will need some white distilled vinegar. Fill an empty spray bottle with vinegar. Next, put some paper towels or absorbent material on a table. Liberally spray the metallic area of your tools with the white distilled vinegar on all sides. Wrap the tools in the absorbent material and spray the outside of the absorbent material with the vinegar and set them aside for 2-3 hours.
After this time period, unwrap the tools and wipe them down with the absorbent material. You will find the rust coming off the tools. After this step spray them with warm water and dry them before storing them away. If you find some stubborn spots that still have rust on them, rub them with a wire brush or steel wool until all of the rust is removed.
Sharpening Your Tools
There are many ways to sharpen your gardening tools such as using sandpaper, using a grinder, or using some other sharpening tool. We, however, recommend using a carbide sharpener. A carbide sharpener uses tungsten carbide which is much harder than steel. The tungsten carbide is embedded into one side of the blade to create an extremely hard surface that can be used to sharpen dull knives. The hardness of the tungsten carbide also helps to prevent rusting. The design of this type of sharpener makes it very durable and long-lasting. When using this tool, use it in one direction and sharpen it on the pruning edge.
You can also try sharpening using a diamond file. Follow the same instructions as was mentioned for the carbide sharpener. After you have finished sharpening your tools, lubricate all mechanisms with all-purpose oil. Now, these tools are ready to go.
Wood Handles On Tools
Wood handles are generally more comfortable to use than metal ones. However, they can get roughed up and uncomfortable over time. If any of your tools have wood handles and they show signs of splintering, try using sandpaper to sand down the handle. After sanding protect the wood by coating them with boiled linseed oil. Doing this will make the handles smoother and easier to use.
Taking care of your tools will make garden jobs easier for you. Tools that are not looked after can become unusable. This is why it is important that they are taken care of in the right way.
