Cleaning garden tools regularly is essential to making sure they long last and work effectively throughout their lifetime. At the very least, you should try to clean your garden tools before you put them away for the winter season. Since these tools mostly remain untouched during the winter months, they are prone to receive damage from external elements if you don’t clean them.
Cleaning the blades keeps them sharp, which ultimately makes them more effective and easier to use for grass cutting. Furthermore, it prevents rusting from forming on the tools and removes any disease-laden soil particles.
However, some homeowners use garden tools on infected plants and forget to clean them afterward. As a result, components of the disease-ridden plants stay on these tools and later infect other plants, damaging them in the process.
Cleaning these tools in a way that removes these germs is not easy for beginners. Only experienced gardeners know how to clean garden tools effectively. In this article, we discuss the best ways to clean your garden tools.
How to Clean Garden Tools
First, you need to maintain a proper collection of garden tools, which includes machine oil, rags, extension cords or battery chargers, and small spare parts. When you have all the necessary equipment, find an open area and lay all your gardening tools on a large tarp.
After that, wash all the gardening equipment completely and make sure there are no components like dust remaining on it. Let all the tools dry in the open space before you continue with further steps.
Following that, you need to sharpen the garden equipment. There are various specialized sharpening tools available, but many gardeners just do fine using an all-purpose file.
When you sharpen the gardening tools, don’t forget to sharpen digging implements, as they do the brunt of your work. Sharpening shovel blades can make it easier to plow through hardpan clay. You can sharpen these tools by running a file at a 45-degree angle two or three times across the edge.
At the same time, you need to remember that the tools require frequent oiling to be more durable. Equipment used for pruning benefits the most from oiling. Apply machine oil on these pruners from time to time and rub it on each part, including screw and bolts.
When you are stuck with difficult stains, you can use fine-grit steel wool to remove it by scrubbing it on the affected area. After that, wipe the entire tool with a clean and dry rag to remove dirt from the components.
Remember that any tool you use directly on plants can transmit diseases to other plants if you don’t clean them effectively. Equipment such as saws, shears, or pruners have to be cleaned with bleach or alcohol before and after you use them to minimize the chance of disease in your garden.
As a gardener, you need to be careful with the wooden handles of your tools as they can easily get damaged. You should rub them with medium-grit sandpaper and then apply linseed oil to prevent external elements from harming the wood. Furthermore, you need to store dry these components before you store them.
Lastly, ensure that your gardening tools receive proper care and attention. Storing them in a clean and dry environment makes them last longer and help you nurture your garden more effectively.
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