3 Ways to Clean Garden Tools
Good tools are essential for you to get work done in your garden. Having some good quality tools makes everything easier for you. But you need to keep those tools clean and in tip-top shape if you want to keep yourself and your garden safe. There are lots of different ways to clean your tools. Special gadgets, cleaning solutions, and more. Here are my three favorite ways to clean your garden tools.
Water
The easiest way to clean your garden tools is to never put them away dirty. Leaving clods of dirt or sticky sap caked all over the tools will just make them harder to use or clean next time. Even just scraping or wiping off the tools between uses can make a huge difference. Leaving dirt or sap on the tools can encourage corrosion of metal tools or rot in wooden, leather, or cloth. It can transfer bacteria, fungi, or viruses from one garden area or one plant to another. It also can attract animals or insects to your tool storage area.
The next step up from knocking off the dirt clods is to use a hose to spray your tools before you put them away. Use a high pressure jet nozzle to help clean out grooves or crevices or the spaces between teeth or tines. If you need to remove grease, add soap to the water. Don’t soak your tools for too long in water or you risk encouraging rust or rot and allow them to dry thoroughly before storing.
Disinfectant
If you have to deal with garden diseases or pests, you may need to disinfect your tools to make sure you don’t spread the problem. Soap can eliminate many bacteria, funguses, and viruses, but sometimes you may need something stronger. Make sure to clean all the visible dirt off your tools before disinfecting.
An all purpose cleaner (like Lysol or others) can work well on some surfaces. Especially hard to clean containers like hanging baskets or plant stands. You can also dip hand tools like pruners in disinfectant between uses.
Another common disinfectant is a 10% bleach solution (1 cup bleach to 9 cups water). You can use this solution to clean larger tools like shovels and hoes. You can also dip or spray plant stakes, pots, trellises or anything else that may have come into contact with diseased plants.
Rubbing alchohol can also be used to disinfect tools at a minimum of 70% concentration. Do not mix any of these disinfectants together and more is not necessarily better with these chemicals. Make sure to read any labels and follow the instructions for use and disposal.
Rust/Rot Protection
Corrosion or rotting can damage your tools and make them unusable. After you’ve cleaned and disinfected (if needed) your tools at the end of the growing season, you can take steps to protect them from rust or rot over the winter. Then in the spring, check for signs of corrosion and clean and protect them again before using them in your garden.
The first step to protecting your tools is to eliminate moisture as much as possible. Dry your tools thoroughly after cleaning. Store them in a weather tight location with low humidity if possible. Rubbing mineral oil on metal parts and linseed oil on wooden parts can help protect your tools and keep them from cracking. Spray moving parts with a water displacement compound (like WD-40) to keep moisture out of the joints.
If you find small spots of rust on metal tools, you can try to remove it using sandpaper, a file, or sharpening stone. Then reapply the mineral oil. If you can’t remove the rust, or the whole tool is covered in it, you can still apply the oil to minimize further rust. You can also purchase corrosion-resistant tools, but keeping them clean and dry will still help extend their life.
Use these three ways to clean your garden tools and keep them usable for years to come. A well designed tool can last for decades and make garden tasks significantly easier. Taking the time to properly clean them now will save you time and money in the future.
Wondering which tools you need in your garden? Check out my blog post Choosing the Right Tools for all the info you need to make the best choices for your garden.
