A stiff bristle brush being used to clean a shovel
Use a stiff-bristle brush to clean dirt from garden tools. Photo courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Madison

Shannon Henderson, ANR Educator, UGA Extension Forsyth County

When the weather turns cold, it’s tempting to retreat into our warm living rooms and hibernate with hot cocoa and old movies. While this is an option for getting through the winter, we can also do some things to prepare for spring gardening.

One of the best garden maintenance activities for winter is cleaning and repairing your garden tools. This is important for preserving your investment in your tools, but because our gardening season is so long, it’s easy to put tools away expecting to use them again soon. And then the first frost – and the holiday season – slips in and we forget.

This space between New Year’s and Valentine’s Day is a great time to gather up your tools and a warm cup of coffee for a little workshop and tool maintenance quiet-time. You’ll also need:

Supplies for cleaning garden toolsSupplies for sharpening garden tools
Stiff-bristle brushEye protection
Running water or bucket of waterLeather or heavy, protective gloves
Liquid detergentFile or whetstone
Several soft, clean cloths or paper towelsShop vise or clamps
Rubbing alcohol, turpentine, or mineral spiritsSocket wrench, hex/Allen wrench
Coarse steel wool, pumice stone, sandpaperSandpaper
WD-40 or other lightweight machine oilWD-40 or other lightweight machine oil
Linseed oil or mineral oilClean, soft cloths
Several rusty garden tools
Clean rust from tools with coarse steel wool and use a file or whetstone to sharpen blades. Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard, LSU AgCenter

The very first task is to remove any leftover dirt, sap, or plant residue. Sometimes, all this requires is a little elbow grease and a wire brush. Other times, some soap and water are in order. If there’s a buildup of sap on your tools, use a solvent like alcohol, turpentine, or mineral spirits to remove the sap. Once the tool dries, inspect the metal for rust. If you find rust on your tools, scour it away with coarse steel wool. Brush away all grit and dust, then apply WD-40 or another light machine or engine oil to protect the metal through winter. Wipe away excess oil with a clean, dry cloth.

Once the metal parts are clean, take care of the wooden handles. Neglected wooden handles could crack or sprout splinters. Allow the handles to thoroughly dry from the cleaning process, and then inspect them for rough spots or splinters. If you find splinters, trim them off as needed and then sand the area smooth. Finally, apply a light coat of linseed or mineral oil to preserve the wood, polishing away any excess.

Pruners, shovels, hoes, and chisels all have cutting blades, so check these edges for damage. If the blades are chipped or dull, you can sharpen them using a file or whetstone. Make sure that you have eye protection and gloves before you start this process so that you are protected from flying metal shards.

A garden tool, held in a vice, being sharpened by a file
To sharpen tool blades, clamp the blade in a vise and wear eye protection and heavy gloves. Glide a file or whetstone in a long stroke away from you, being careful to keep the original angle of the blade. Photo courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Madison

Secure the blade of the tool with a clamp or vise so it doesn’t slip while you are working on it. Face the sharp edge of the tool away from you for increased safety. Using long strokes in a single direction – preferably away from you – glide the file or whetstone across the cutting edge. Try to maintain the original angle of the blade’s edge. When you’re satisfied with the edge, turn the tool over, clamp it back into the vise, and remove burrs with a light stroke of the file, whetstone, or sandpaper.

For things like scissors and pruning shears, you may need to disassemble the tool to make sure that it is properly cleaned and sharpened. Clamp the tool to your work surface and expose the head of the bolt and nut. Use a drop of machine or engine oil to lubricate the joint as you disassemble the pivot, and make sure to keep track of the order of the parts so you can easily reassemble the tool. As you disassemble the tool, you can clean, sharpen, or replace parts. Some manufacturers have online resources that describe the best maintenance practices for the tool.

A wooden handled trowel sticking out of the ground
Wooden handles also need care to prevent cracking and splinters. Photo by Katharina Bill on Unsplash

As you work through your pile of hand tools, don’t forget about your power equipment. Clean grass clippings and debris from lawn mowers, weed eaters, and similar equipment. Empty fuel tanks or add a fuel stabilizer so that the fuel doesn’t degrade in the machinery. Lastly, check the spark plugs, change the oil, and replace the air filters. This quick maintenance list will ensure that your power equipment will perform as expected when you pull them out in spring.

Make sure you exercise caution when working with your equipment, especially when you are working with tools that have a bladed edge.  Always use the appropriate protective equipment and a healthy dose of caution to prevent injury. If you have any questions, please reach out to Forsyth County Extension. Happy honing!