Proper storage of your garden tools in your garage or garden tool shed to prevent exposure to moisture is one sure way to start off on the right foot for rust prevention. Hang long handled tools on hanging racks as this will prevent damage to sharp edges, smaller tools can be hung on peg boards and this will keep them off the ground and also keep them organized.

Keep your tools wiped down to help remove moisture, and if you were pruning shrubs or trees, turpentine is excellent for removing tree sap from tool blades.

While proper cleaning, maintenance and storage of garden tools is the best way to prevent rust, there are several non – polluting biodegradable aerosol sprays that give a protective coating to your tools. Boeshield T9 and Bull Frog Rust Blocker immediately come to mind. Both are non – polluting and both are biodegradable, making them environmentally friendly. Applying a lubricant to your tools such as your pruners and loppers will also help prevent rust from forming.

However, if your neglected garden tools are already rusted, there are several types of rust removal products available. Evapo-Rust is good for items that need soaking, plus it is easy to use and quite safe. Another excellent product for rust removal is Bull Frog Rust Remover. It’s a non-toxic organic gel that has no harsh chemicals or smells and will also protect against further rust formation.

Correctly caring for your garden tools cannot be stressed enough, because with proper care and continuous maintenance your garden tools will last for years. However, if your tools should start to rust there is an array of rust removers, rust preventers and rust blocker kits now available on the market.

Rust removers such as Evapo-Rust, Boeshield Rust Free Spray, Bull Frog Rust Remover, concrete Rust Remover and Mejier Rust Remover Gel are all excellent choices if your garden tools should rust.

Rust preventers such as Boeshield T9 Bull Frog Rust Blocker and lubricant. For smaller tools there is Tuf Cloth which is an easy way to remove rust from smaller hand tools.

Abrasive methods for really rusty tools products such as Sandflex Rust Eraser, Norton Bear- Tex Hand Pod5, Brass Utility Brush, and an array of tool blocker kits and rust wipes. But remember proper care is still the best prevention of rusty garden tools.

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This means that you should always try to remove dirt, grit and grime from your tools killing any bacteria that may have come in contact with them. Also, always wipe your tools clean after each use and before putting them away. And be sure to never leave them in dirt or anywhere that they may get consistently wet.

A good stiff bristle brush is good for cleaning dry hard dirt before washing and if deep cleaning is required soak in hot soapy water for about 15 minutes then rinse. If you’ve been trimming diseased shrubs or plants, after washing and rinsing, soak your tools in a solution of 3 parts water and 2 parts bleach to further kill any bacteria and prevent any transfer to other tools.

Be aware that some garden tools need disassembling before cleaning, and you should reassemble them only after cleaning and thorough drying. Always rinse under running tap water the lay flat to dry.

If lubricating is needed (screws and balls) WD40 works wonders followed by 3in 1 oil then wipe clean. You can smooth rough spots on wooden handles with a medium grain sandpaper then condition them by rubbing with linseed oil; as this will also prevent premature splitting and rotting of the wood.

Once last word of advice is to be sure to sharpen your garden tools at least once a year and when they are not in use, store them on a shelf in a tool cabinet or a garden shed. Be sure to properly hang and store the ones that require hanging to help ensure that they’ll functionally ready and in good working order when it’s time for you to use them again.

Remember these tips for cleaning garden tools and you’ll see how having the right garden tool cleaned and ready -to-go for the job at hand helps get it done easier and faster.

Take Care,

Ms.Eudora

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Grass Clippers, Pruning Shears and Hedge Shears all function pretty much the in the same manner. The two sharp cutting surfaces of the blade come into contact at the base and literally cut all the way to the tips enabling them to shear grass and stem twigs from the stem of the plants with a scissor action.

When they need re-sharpening always sharpen along the original bevel and unless you are a pro never use a power grinding tool for sharpening. Too many tools to count have been ruined and become worthless because they were improperly sharpened from using the wrong tool or trying to create a better edge.

Before you begin sharpening, buy yourself a new mill file. For best control get one that is 10 inches long (it will work best) for your hedge and prune shears and grass clipper too. To avoid getting confused read the packaging first, as it will tell you the best file to use for your garden tools. and believe it or not, ordinary scissor sharpeners will do a fine job on grass clippers.

• When sharpening use long broad file strokes for your hedge shears, they sometimes take the most abuse. They were designed for cutting green wood with a thickness of no more than 3/8 inches thick and have at times been mistakenly used as pruning shears.

• Cutting thick branches or dried wood can bend the blades and stress the pivot nuts on hedge shears when they are improperly used. Before sharpening check the pivot nut, if it isn’t secure, tighten it, and if it cuts clean, the tool doesn’t need sharpening.

• Always make sure the blade isn’t bent and if it is, place it in a vise and tweak it until it is straight. To file, place the blade flat on a piece of plywood and using 300 wet/dry sandpaper keep the blade flat and file in a circular motion with sand paper being careful to check for burrs. When burrs are smoothed out, lightly oil with 3 in 1 oil.

• Always file in one direction away from you. Adjust your angle as needed to file the entire edge evenly; usually 10 strokes will expose clean metal over the entire edge. Then do the same with the other blade, and never use small jerky strokes, because it will cause you to loose the factory edge.

Pruning shears are probably the hardest of garden tools to sharpen, and they can test your own motor skills. One side has a heavy blunt blade and needs a sharp crisp 90 degree edge. They should also be filed using both hands, and starting at the point follow the curve of the factory bevel.

• To sharpen pruning shears, place the blade firmly in a vise and holding the file with both hands move the file in one broad stroke away from you going along the entire cutting edge.

• Remember to always file in one direction, and after each stroke examine the edge and when exposed steel starts to show, be certain to check and feel for burrs, then sand in the same manner you would with hedge shears.

Soil is another culprit that can be blamed for dull gardening tools. It can easily get between the blades of garden clippers and grind to with each squeeze of the handle, as will moisture from grass will also cause corrosion quickly.

Since this is a tool that is used close to the ground for clipping, always wipe your garden clippers clean and dry, and then lightly oil the moving parts after each use. This particular garden tool will sharpen easily with ordinary scissor sharpeners.

Well, there you have it–a brief, but most certainly effective overview of how to sharpen your garden tools and keep them in proper working order.

If you have a question on how to sharpen a specific garden tool, please feel free to contact me.

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