Help your tools last for years with these easy tips to protect and store garden tools during the winter season.
A little maintenance can actually help your gardening tools prolong their life. It will help you tend your plants and crops for years, and not to mention the money you’ve saved from spending on another set of tools. When you know how to protect and store garden tools for winter, it’ll be much easier for you to use them come springtime. You’ll be saving yourself from the hassle of chipping off any fossilized dirt from last season or last year.
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Tips to Protect and Store Garden Tools
STEP 1: The first step to prolong the life of your garden tools is to clean the dirt off by washing them with soapy water. Fill a bucket with hot water and add one-half teaspoon of dishwashing liquid per gallon of water to remove residual soil. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with a hose and dry them well with a microfiber cloth.
STEP 2: File off any dents or chips with a coarse file. Afterward, smooth edges with a fine file or a honing tool. Make sure to file off any rust with steel wool or a stiff wire brush. Loosen the rust by coating your garden tools with vegetable oil.
STEP 3: Sharpen bladed garden tools simply by following the original angle of the blades’ level with a diamond honing tool.
STEP 4: Sand smooth wood handles and rub with linseed oil. This will help your wood-handled tools from splitting and cracking during winter.
STEP 5: Lightly coat the garden tool with vegetable oil to protect them. Be sure to store them in a dry place. By spring, they’ll be ready to use!
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Check out our Plant Care blog to learn more about different houseplants and tips on how to keep your plants alive and healthy.
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