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Like most garden lovers, spring is my favorite season, but it’s also the busiest. There’s so much to do, yet never enough time! That’s why, every fall, I do my future self a favor by tackling a few key chores so I’ll be ready come spring. One of the most important is making sure my garden tools are cleaned and properly stored for winter.
When spring arrives, I want to hit the ground running — not open the shed to find dirty, rusty tools with dull blades and cracked handles. Besides, garden tools can be pricey, so I try to take care of my favorites so they’ll last for years. Here’s how I do it.
How to Clean Your Garden Tools
To clean dirt and debris from digging tools like trowels, shovels, and hoes, I give them a good blast from the garden hose. If there’s still caked-on dirt, I’ll use a scraper or old putty knife to loosen it.
For cutting tools like pruners, shears, and loppers, I wipe them down with a damp cloth and use a toothbrush to get into tight crevices around the screws or nuts that hold the blades together. If they start to rust, the cutters will stick and not cut smoothly.
If your pruners can be easily taken apart, go ahead and disassemble them — it makes rust removal much simpler. My go-to method is soaking the parts in vinegar overnight, but if you’re in a hurry, there are quicker (and still natural) alternatives that do the job just as well.
All throughout the year and especially at the end of the growing season, I spray my garden hand tools with Lysol because it kills diseases, fungus, and bacteria, and doesn’t corrode metal like other disinfectants.
How to Prep Your Garden Tools for Storage
After disinfecting, it’s time to sharpen. For that, I have an inexpensive (less than $10) garden tool blade sharpener, which is easy to use and doesn’t require a lot of elbow grease. I use it on both cutters and digging tools, big and small.
Whatever sharpener you choose, be sure to use it properly; run it in one direction along the blade’s original beveled edge, working toward the tip. This helps maintain a clean, sharp edge. When you’re done, apply a light coat of oil to prevent rust; 3-in-1 oil or WD-40 both work great.
Wood handles on tools can degrade over time, becoming splintery and rough (blisters are bad enough when you’re raking; you don’t need splinters, too). Sandpaper will smooth out the roughness, and a coating of boiled linseed oil will help keep the wood smooth.
I’ll admit, I haven’t always been diligent about cleaning and storing my tools before winter. More than once, I’ve misplaced a tool in the yard and rediscovered it months (even years!) later, completely covered in rust. Thankfully, you can remove rust using inexpensive pantry staples. In fact, some of my favorite tools were rusty ones that I got at garage or estate sales for just a dollar or two. With a little cleaning and TLC, they turned out good as new.
