Use a wire brush to clean the dirt and rust from all the metal surfaces. If the rust is too stubborn, you can use steel wool to remove them. If you have larger garden tools, you can also use a medium-grit sand scraper.
Tip! If your garden tools have moving parts, make sure you disassemble them first before cleaning.
1A.
Alternatively, you can soak the rusted parts in a container with some WD-40 Specialist® Rust Remover Soak to melt away the rust.
2.
Smooth out the wooden handles with medium-grit sandpaper to remove any splinters and deteriorated finish.
Tip! Use sandpaper to remove remaining rust residue on the surface as well as lightly polish the metal.
3.
Once you have cleaned and removed unwanted rust, it is time to sharpen the pruners. Use a whetstone for a sharp cutting edge.
4.
Rub the bevelled side of the blade against the whetstone. In a curved motion, rub the sharp edge of the blade towards the stone.
5.
Sharpen the remaining tools. Use a medium or fine grit to sharpen loppers, shears, spades, hoes and shovels.
Tip! Also use a single-cut mill bastard file after the grits. Make sure you always push the file away from your body.
6.
Spray a fair coat of theWD-40® Smart Straw® onto the surface of your garden tools before wiping them away with a clean rag to prevent corrosion and rust.
Pro Tips!
Always rinse off the mud after each use and maintain the deep cleaning process now and then to ensure your garden tools won't need to be thrown away so often!