Tips For Cleaning Your Gardening Tools
Springtime means it’s time to start spending more time outside in the beautiful warm outdoors. This also means it’s time to start planning what you want to do with your gardens and flowers. Newport Beach tends to be pretty mild all winter long, but Spring is the perfect time to do some outdoor chores you’ve been putting off. Gardening is one of many people’s favorite hobbies and with the right plan, tools and attitude you can have the most beautiful backyard on the block! Balboa Realty, the leaders in Orange County property management and real estate are here to give you all the best tips and tricks for your home.
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Dust off your tools and get ready to put them to work. Unfortunately gardens don’t plant or maintain themselves (or at least they don’t yet!), so they’re going to need a little extra TLC from you. When garden tools have been siting around since last season it means it’s time for a deep cleaning. Your tools are most likely dirty, rusty, gunky, and still have dirt from 2008 on them. Your tools will be back in tip top shape not only looking new but also will be much sharper and more effective in the garden. Clean tools will make all of your efforts in the garden much easier from digging to cutting and this also helps stop diseases from plants to spreading to each other. Follow our easy steps to cleaning your tools and they will look brand new in no time.
Tips For Cleaning Your Shovels & Spades
Your first project is to get out all of your spades and shovels and use a wire brush to scrape off any dried dirt. Wash them off with a hose and dry them with a cloth. Don’t forget to clean the handles of your tools as well and putting car wax on it will help it stay looking good as new. To sharpen these tools fill a bucket with 1 quart of motor oil and 5 gallons of sand and stick you tools into the sand. You will truly notice a difference!
Tips For Cleaning Your Pruners & Shears
It’s extra important to remember to clean these tools because clean tools will help prevent diseases from spreading. Dirty tools make it easy for diseases to spread quickly from plant to plant. Like you did with you shovels and spades, clean the dried dirt off of your tools, and rinsing and dry them. If there is sap stuck to them, you can remove it using paint thinner on a rag and wipe them down. Next, disinfect them by wearing gloves and wash them in a 10 to 1 mixture of bleach to water. Once they are dry, rub WD 40 on the blades with a cloth and let them dry. Voila - your tools are ready for the season!
Tips for Cleaning Your Rakes & Hoes
These tools do a lot of work for you and your garden so caring for them is essential. Pull off dirt and debris that have become stuck in your rakes and then carefully wash and dry them. Do the same for the hoes and also use a hand mill file to sharpen the hoe’s edges. Remember to care for the handles of your hoes and rakes and wiping car wax on them will keep them from splintering and cracking. You will notice an immediate difference in the performance of your tools! Happy gardening!
Published on Tuesday, April 4, 2017