Clean your Garden Tools

• Clean all of the dirt and soil from your spades, forks, trowels etc. after each use.
• Allow your tools to dry completely before storing to prevent rusting, mould and handle rot.
• Before storing, wipe the metal parts of pruners, shears, and loppers with an oily rag. A shot of products such as WD40 will also do the trick.
• Rinse off tools with soap and water then dry and rub with an oily rag as chemicals such as fertilizers will quickly corrode any metal parts.
• Disinfect old terracotta pots before reusing.

Oil Your Tools

• Especially with old tools, rub linseed oil into the wooden handle of your tools to help prevent drying out and splintering.
• Spray metal tools with WD40 or equivalent to prevent rust.
• Rusted tools should be cleaned with a wire brush, sandpaper and steel wool. Penetrating oil will help with the more stubborn spots.
• Oil tools well before storing for winter.
• Mix builders sand and oil in a bucket to plunge tools into and it will clean and prolong the life of your tools

Sharpening and Repairing Garden Tools

• Use a flat edged file to keep your tools sharpened to maximize their efficiency.
• Pruners, secateurs and shears can be tricky to sharpen so you can leave these types of tools to the professionals. If you use a sharpening stone work on the outer side of the blade not the smooth cutting surface.
• Sanding down a splintered handle then rubbing with linseed oil will restore it to a smooth finish.
• Old good quality but rusted tools that you see at car boot sales  can be restored to almost new condition. A good old one often beats a moderate new one (see reuse recycle).

 

Read Garden Products Old Garden Tool Books

Consider insuring your better tools.