How to Clean and Care for Garden Tools

Keep your gardening gear in top shape with these maintenance and storage tips from a horticultural expert

Georgia Madden June 2, 2018

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In this Q&A interview, we ask Troy Mason, horticultural supervisor at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden, how to clean and maintain handheld gardening tools so they work well for years.

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If you want to perform high-quality horticulture, you need safe and well-maintained horticultural equipment. Blunt pruning equipment will shred or tear plants rather than provide clean cuts. Shovel handles with splinters and splits can cause injury, and using damaged tools can result in poor-quality work.

Well-maintained tools can last for decades. Tools that are not maintained well can rust or corrode, which will shorten their life span and cost you money in replacements.

Moisture is one of the biggest threats to tools, as it can weaken and damage both the metal and wood parts. Fortunately, there are a wide range of products available to protect and clean tools. Linseed oil provides a protective coating to wood handles, and it can be applied two or three times per year.

Tools should be cleaned, dried and put away in a dry, safe spot after each use.

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What are the main garden tools that need care?

Handheld pruners: Clean handheld pruners regularly with rubbing alcohol to remove any gunk on the blades. Good-quality manufacturers will often have a lubricant and grease product available to help you keep the springs and other moving parts lubricated. If you notice that you’re having trouble pruning smaller twigs cleanly or it requires more effort than usual, it’s time to have the blades sharpened. To do this, use a sharpening stone or a diamond sharpening tool. Wear gloves when sharpening to protect your hands.
Shears: Rub linseed oil into wood handles with a soft cloth twice per year. If the handle has splinters, sand it first. Sharpen blades as required using a sharpening stone.

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Spades, shovels and forks: Clean spades, shovels and forks after every use, removing gunk with a hose and wire brush, if necessary. Twice a year, rub linseed oil into wood handles. Apply a rust-prevention product to metal parts to minimize rust. Sharpen blades with a file (this will make it easier to dig into heavy soils). Be sure to clamp the tool into a vice to avoid injury while filing.
Pruning saws: Have blades professionally sharpened when they start getting blunt. If you have a foldout pruning saw, swap the blades for new ones when they start to get blunt.

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How important is cleaning? Hygiene is important and not always considered when people are gardening. To avoid spreading soil-borne diseases such as root rot caused by Phytophthora and Armillaria, which can severely affect plantings, you should clean and sterilize tools and work boots after every use.

Remove soil particles, mud and gunk from tools and boots first, using a hose and a wire brush if necessary. Then disinfect with a cleaner or sanitizer.

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How do I disinfect garden tools? Make a 1 percent bleach solution with bleach and water in a bucket. Immerse tools for 30 seconds; remove and dry.

Alternatively, use a specialist disinfectant for garden tools. We use PhytoClean.

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Should I dry them? Yes, if time permits. Drying your tools with an old towel or rag can help remove moisture and minimize the likelihood of rust. But the reality is that after cleaning off dirt with a hose and then sterilizing tools, most gardeners will let them air-dry.

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What do I do about rust? You can still garden safely with tools that have a bit of rust, but if it’s loose and flaking off, it’s best to remove it.

To remove rust, use coarse sandpaper or a wire brush. If rust is bad, use a drill with a wire-brush attachment (ensure that the tool is in a vice and that you wear safety goggles and gloves). Many rust-removal products are also available, including some organic, nontoxic gel types.

But prevention is better than cure. Thoroughly cleaning your gardening tools after every use and drying them with an old towel or rag before you store them is the first step in rust prevention.

There are also various rust-prevention products on the market that you can apply to tools. These products add a protective coating to prevent rust on metal parts, and they reduce cracking and splitting of handles. Biodegradable and nonpolluting options are available.

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How should I store garden tools? An outdoor shed is the perfect location to store tools; otherwise, a spare wall in the garage will do. The key is to store them safely where people won’t trip over them or bump their head as they walk past.

Hang tools on the wall using hooks, L-shaped brackets or hanging pegs. Ideally, hang them so the handles are about shoulder height, so they’re easy to access. Make sure blades aren’t touching, as this will blunt them prematurely.