Revive Your Gardening Tools with a Simple DIY Hack

Spring is finally here, and with it comes the opportunity to get back to gardening. Before we start digging, tending, and pruning, it’s essential to give our gardening tools a thorough cleaning to ensure they’re in good condition for the new season. However, if your tools have been sitting idle for the past year, they might be looking a bit worse for wear. Rather than replacing them, you can bring them back to life with a simple and affordable DIY cleaning hack.

Glen Peskett, a tool expert at Saxton Blades, shares a clever trick that can make your tools look like new again. This hack only requires one household ingredient: white wine vinegar. Peskett emphasizes that this method is a cost-effective way to revive your tools without breaking the bank.

How to Clean Your Gardening Tools with White Vinegar

Fill a bowl with white vinegar, ensuring the metal parts of your tools are completely submerged.
Leave them to soak for a few hours and overnight if they are particularly grubby.
Scrub off any leftover rust or dirt with a brush or scourer.
Rinse thoroughly and allow them to dry.

Peskett also recommends giving your tools a second soak if stubborn rust remains. This method is an effective way to remove rust and leave your tools looking like new.

Top Tip: Protect Your Tools from Rust

For extra protection, Peskett recommends applying a few drops of WD-40 or similar rust-preventative oil to your tools to prevent future damage. This will help extend the lifespan of your gardening tools and keep them in great condition.

Storage Hack to Prevent Rust and Wear

Apart from cleaning your tools, it’s also essential to store them properly to prevent rust and damage. Peskett recommends filling a container with dry sand, adding a small amount of oil, and mixing it until the sand is damp rather than wet. Then, store your metal garden tools by pushing their blades into the sand.

Fill a container with dry sand — a bucket, plastic tub, or old tin is fine.
Add a small amount of oil — WD-40 or linseed oil is fine — and mix it until the sand is damp.
Store your metal garden tools, like trowels and pruning shears, by pushing their blades into the sand.

Peskett explains that the sand naturally cleans off the dirt, while the oil coats the metal and prevents rust. By following these simple steps, you can keep your gardening tools in great condition throughout the seasons.

“White wine vinegar is a fantastic cleaning agent that can tackle even the toughest rust and grime. It’s also eco-friendly and non-toxic, making it a great choice for cleaning your gardening tools.

With this simple DIY hack, you can revive your gardening tools and keep them looking like new for under $1. So, grab a bowl of white vinegar and get started on giving your tools a thorough cleaning.