Expert Advice for your Lawn & Garden TV Host of Today's Homeowner^® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Tool Clean

Video, Lawn and Garden, Garden Tools & Supplies, Gardening Basics, Tools & Hardware Published 06/02/2006 by Danny Lipford

Maintaining your metal garden tools is important. Tools that have become rusty probably haven’t been cleaned at the end of the day. Brush off all dirt and debris and make sure the surfaces of the tools are dry before you store them. By simply adding a little lubricant to the edges and surfaces of your loppers, trowels and shovels and then wiping them with a soft cloth you can help prevent the surfaces from rusting. To further prevent your gardening tools from rusting prepare a bucket of sand and then add a small amount of oil (motor oil) so that the sand changes slightly in color. Storing your metal tools in the sand mixture will keep them from rusting.