Simple Garden Tool Care and Maintenance Tips

Successful gardening is more than getting the most out of your crops; it also involves taking care of your garden tools. They need to be sharp, clean, and sterile. Tools that come into contact with plants or soil infested with fungal, bacterial, or insect pathogens can spread the disease throughout the garden. A regular maintenance routine, such as cleaning, sharpening, and disinfecting your garden tools, will keep them in good working order and extend their life. If you don't take care of your gardening tools and accessories, it will shorten their life. When that happens, you're likely to spend more on purchasing new garden tools.

Maintaining your garden tools is simple. All you need to do is show them some love and care. Sticking to a regular tool maintenance routine allows you to work more efficiently in your garden. Take care of your gardening tools, and they will care for you.

In this gardening guide, we share expert tips on caring for and maintaining various garden tools, including how to sharpen, sanitize, and store them properly.

Clean Tools After Each Use

Cleaning your garden tools after each use will prolong their lifespan and help your garden flourish. Make it a habit to clean your tools after every use. This step is necessary to prevent pests, diseases, fungi, and weed seeds from spreading throughout the garden and destroying your precious crops.

Regular cleaning also prevents rust and corrosion from accumulating on steel surfaces. Rakes, trowels, spades, and other digging tools must be rinsed to remove any mud. Scrub the tool to remove deep, crusty dirt, and dry it completely before storing to prevent rust and spread disease.

How to Clean Your Garden Tools?

• Caked-on dirt is hard to remove, so use your garden hose and nozzle with the highest pressure setting to blast the stuck dirt and other debris. Mud that won't rinse can be scraped away with a garden knife.
• After rinsing your dirty garden tools with a hose, prepare a bucket of soapy water. Add about half a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to one gallon of water. Put your tools in this solution and leave them for 15 minutes. After soaking the tools, rinse thoroughly with clean water and then disinfect.
• To disinfect your tools, make a bleach solution by mixing 10% bleach and 90% water. Soak the tools again for approximately 20 minutes, then rinse them thoroughly with clean water. Dry the gardening tools with a microfiber cloth and let them air dry. Once totally dry, store your cleaned garden tools properly.

Prevent and Remove Rust

Rusting is often unavoidable with tools that have been stored for an extended period. The best way to prevent your tools from rusting is to properly dry them before storing them and to treat them with oil. However, if you notice some rust on your tools, there are steps you can take to restore them to working order.

You can remove the rust with sanding. If your tool has a light coat of rust, lightly rub the piece of 80-grit sandpaper against the rusted steel. The light rust covering will scrub away. But you'll have to use a wire brush to remove a thick rust coating. Rub a handheld wire brush repeatedly over the rusted surface to remove the thick coat.

For a heavy layer of rust, use a drill with a wire brush. Always wear safety gear before using power tools. After removing the rust layer, treat the steel part with oil to prevent oxidation.

Another way to remove rust is:

• Soak the tool in a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water overnight.
• Scrub the tool in a circular motion using steel wool.
• Rinse with soapy water, and then with clean water.
• Allow the tool to dry thoroughly, then rub lightly with mineral or linseed oil.

Remove Sap

If the blades of pruners and cutting tools are clogged with sap, they might be difficult to use. You can use solvents, like turpentine, to remove sap from pruner blades. Wipe the blades with a solvent-dipped cotton ball or cloth. Following solvent use, rinse the blades with water and treat them with linseed oil.

Treat Steel Surfaces with Oil

Steel tools are susceptible to oxidation. You can prevent rust and corrosion from setting in by forming a barrier between the steel and the air. First, invest in high-quality stainless steel garden tools as they are more corrosion-resistant. Secondly, you'll have to lubricate the steel parts with oil. Oil protects the steel surfaces from exposure to oxygen.

Which Oil Can You Use?

Rub motor oil or boiled linseed oil over your steel tools. Even if you thoroughly wash and dry your steel equipment, it still needs a thin layer of oil to protect the material. Make sure the tools aren't dripping with oil.

Also Read: 10 Garden Tools That You Didn't Know You Needed

Keep Your Tools Sharp for Peak Efficiency

Cutting or trimming plants with dull blades results in damaged, shredded, or torn branches, which make them more prone to disease. Sharpen your pruning shears, loppers, hand pruners, and other cutting tools regularly with a specialized blade sharpener or a sharpening stone. Hoes, shovels, and garden knives can be sharpened quickly with touchups from a sharpening file and then a sharpening stone.

The commonly used sharpening tools include:

• Sharpening stones
• Paddle sharpeners
• Blade sharpeners
• Metal files
• Mill file

How to Sharpen Tools?

• Sharpening tools is easy, as it is all about the angle. First, use the soil to lubricate the steel surface of the tool against the sharpening tool.
• Hold your hands steady and sharpen your tools in one way, not back and forth.
• Push the sharpener or file in the same direction across the blade's original beveled angle.
• Then, smooth the filed edges more with a sharpening stone.
• Always wear strong gloves and eye protection when using any sharpening tool to avoid metal slivers.
• When you sharpen your loppers, pruning shears, or hedge shears, inspect them carefully for signs of rust. Remove the rust first by lightly scraping with high-grit sandpaper.
• Hoes, shovels, and other flat-edged garden tools don't need regular sharpening unless you use them to break ice or other tough materials. To keep the edge of flat-edged tools sharp, clean, and sharpen the blade using light sanding and filing with a large mill file.

Properly Store Tools After Cleaning

This is the simplest yet most overlooked step of all garden tool care and maintenance tips. Properly storing tools after cleaning, disinfecting, and lubricating can significantly extend their longevity.

How to Store Garden Tools?

Put each tool separately in its own space to prevent rust and keep the blades sharp. Store weeders near the garden. Cutting and pruning tools should be stored near shrubs and trees for convenient access.

Get the tools inside and hang them by their handles to save room. Do not lean them against the wall that touches the floor, as the moisture can harm the tools. You can also store large tools in wooden boxes. However, small handy tools with sharp edges can be stored in a garden bucket or durable tote bag.

Read More: Essential Tools Every Gardener Needs for Fall Cleanup

The Bottom Line

Garden tools are a valuable investment, so take the best care of them and reap the rewards for years to come. Cleaning, sharpening, and properly storing your tools can ensure they last for a very long time. Investing in garden tool care and maintenance benefits both your garden and your wallet.

With these expert tips and simple steps, you can maintain your tools on your own and ensure they are always in prime condition. Always remember to sharpen your tools slowly and with focus to avoid damaging the blades and your hands. The best quality tools will make your gardening efforts more productive and enjoyable. For high-quality garden tools, check out our extensive collection. We carry all the tools and accessories to help you maximize your success in the garden and make gardening fun.