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How Do I... Clean and Care for Garden Tools?
Keep your gardening gear in top shape with these cleaning and storage tips from a horticultural expert
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning home and design questions. Here, Troy Mason, horticultural supervisor at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden, reveals how to clean and maintain your handheld gardening tools so they serve you well for years.
What are the main ones that need care?
- Secateurs: Clean secateurs regularly with methylated spirits to remove any gunk on the blades. Good-quality secateur manufacturers will often have a lubricant and grease product available to help you keep the springs and other moving parts lubricated. If you notice that you’re having trouble pruning smaller twigs cleanly or it requires more effort than usual, it’s time to have your secateur blades sharpened. To do this, use a sharpening stone or a diamond sharpening tool. Wear gloves when sharpening to protect your hands.
- Shears: Rub linseed oil into timber handles with a soft cloth twice per year. If the handle has splinters, sand first. Sharpen blades as required using a sharpening stone.
- Spades/shovels/forks: Clean after every use, removing gunk with a hose and wire brush, if necessary. Twice a year, rub linseed oil into timber handles. Apply a rust-prevention product to metal parts to minimise rust. Sharpen blades with a file (this will make it easier to dig into heavy soils). Be sure to clamp the tool into a vice to avoid injury while filing.
- Pruning saw: Have blades professionally sharpened when they start getting blunt. If you have a fold-out pruning saw, swap the blades over for new ones when they start to get blunt.
How important is cleaning?
Hygiene is very important and not always considered when people are gardening. To avoid spreading soil-borne diseases such as phytophthora and armillaria root rot, which can severely affect plantings, you should clean and sterilise tools and work boots after every use.
Remove soil particles, mud and gunk from tools and boots first, using a hose and a wire brush if necessary; then disinfect with a cleaner or sanitiser.
Hygiene is very important and not always considered when people are gardening. To avoid spreading soil-borne diseases such as phytophthora and armillaria root rot, which can severely affect plantings, you should clean and sterilise tools and work boots after every use.
Remove soil particles, mud and gunk from tools and boots first, using a hose and a wire brush if necessary; then disinfect with a cleaner or sanitiser.
How do I disinfect them?
Make a one per cent bleach solution with bleach and water in a bucket. Immerse tools for 30 seconds; remove and dry. Alternatively, use a specialist disinfectant for garden tools. We use PhytoClean.
Make a one per cent bleach solution with bleach and water in a bucket. Immerse tools for 30 seconds; remove and dry. Alternatively, use a specialist disinfectant for garden tools. We use PhytoClean.
Should I dry them?
Yes, if time permits. Drying your tools with an old towel or rag can help remove moisture and minimise the likelihood of rust. But the reality is that after cleaning off dirt with a hose and then sterilising tools, most gardeners will let them air dry.
Yes, if time permits. Drying your tools with an old towel or rag can help remove moisture and minimise the likelihood of rust. But the reality is that after cleaning off dirt with a hose and then sterilising tools, most gardeners will let them air dry.
What do I do about rust?
You can still garden safely with tools that have a bit of rust, but if it’s loose and flaking off, it’s best to remove it.
To remove rust, use coarse sandpaper or a wire brush. If rust is bad, use a drill with a wire-brush attachment (ensure the tool is in a vice and that you wear safety goggles and gloves). Many rust-removal products are also available, including some organic, non-toxic gel types.
But prevention is better than cure; thoroughly cleaning your gardening tools after every use and drying them with an old towel or rag before you store them is the first step in rust prevention.
There are also various rust-prevention products on the market that you can apply to tools. These products add a protective coating to prevent rust on metal parts and reduce cracking and splitting of handles. Biodegradable and non-polluting options are available.
You can still garden safely with tools that have a bit of rust, but if it’s loose and flaking off, it’s best to remove it.
To remove rust, use coarse sandpaper or a wire brush. If rust is bad, use a drill with a wire-brush attachment (ensure the tool is in a vice and that you wear safety goggles and gloves). Many rust-removal products are also available, including some organic, non-toxic gel types.
But prevention is better than cure; thoroughly cleaning your gardening tools after every use and drying them with an old towel or rag before you store them is the first step in rust prevention.
There are also various rust-prevention products on the market that you can apply to tools. These products add a protective coating to prevent rust on metal parts and reduce cracking and splitting of handles. Biodegradable and non-polluting options are available.
How should I store garden tools?
A garden shed is the perfect location to store tools, otherwise a spare wall in the garage will do. The key is to store them safely, where no one will trip over them or bump their head as they walk past.
Hang tools on the wall using hooks, L-shaped brackets or hanging pegs. Ideally, hang them so the handles are at around shoulder height so they’re easy to access. Make sure blades aren’t touching as this will blunt them prematurely.
A garden shed is the perfect location to store tools, otherwise a spare wall in the garage will do. The key is to store them safely, where no one will trip over them or bump their head as they walk past.
Hang tools on the wall using hooks, L-shaped brackets or hanging pegs. Ideally, hang them so the handles are at around shoulder height so they’re easy to access. Make sure blades aren’t touching as this will blunt them prematurely.
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Well-maintained tools can last for decades. Tools that are not maintained well can rust or corrode, which will shorten their lifespan and cost you money in replacements.
Moisture is one of the biggest threats to tools as it can weaken and damage both the metal and timber parts. Fortunately, there are a wide range of products available to protect and clean tools. Linseed oil provides a protective coating to timber handles, and can be applied two or three times per year.
Tools should be cleaned, dried and put away in a dry, safe spot after each use.