Cleaning Your Garden Tools

Give your garden tools a seasonal scrub…

By the time the gardening season is winding down, my garden tools have taken a beating.  I utilize a quick and convenient storage place right in my garden to store my tools during the gardening season. I use them daily so I want them handy when I need them.

I assembled a mailbox on T posts. I drive the end of the T post into the ground in my garden. T posts are stout, and can be directly driven into the ground and there is no need for digging holes and setting concrete.  I keep my small hand tools, gloves, and some row markers in the mailbox for quick access. 

I keep my small hand tools, gloves, and some row markers in the mailbox for quick access.

This method however, does not lend itself to cleaning up the tools as I should.  I usually knock off the dirt and shake out the gloves and put them all in the mailbox at the end of my gardening work.

Before

I spend some time in early fall cleaning up my tools.  I do not seem to be in the garden as much as in the summer so I have time.

Steps to Cleaning Your Garden Tools

1. I clean all the tools of any dirt or debris.  I use water and a bristle type brush and do some serious scrubbing.  I have used Pine-Sol to scrub my tools which will be sure to clean any garden disease which may have been passed to my tools from plants.
2. If there is not rust present I look at the tools especially my pruning tools to make sure the joints are all working good.  I will put some motor oil in the joint and spring devices. I also will wipe the entire tool with the motor oil as well.
3. I there is rust present I soak them overnight in a vinegar solution. I use a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water.  My tools are usually not heavily rusted so 1 soaking works well. I then use a scrubbing pad or steel wool to clean the rust off.  This usually does the trick.
4. If needed, I will sharpen the garden tools such as the short and long handled pruners.
5.  I hang my tools in my garden shed for the winter.  I do not use them as frequently as the summer gardening months wind down.  I do plant a fall garden however, I seem to use the larger rakes, hoes, pitchforks, and shovels.  I will clean these tools using the same process as the smaller hand tools.

After

They are now ready for a new season in the spring. Keeping consistent process of taking care of the garden tools will ensure them to last for many seasons of gardening!

Tip! If you are looking to upgrade your tools, here is a link to my favorite pruning shears!

“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.” –Minnie Aumonie