How to Clean and Care for Your Garden Tools in 8 Easy Steps

After multiple seasons of gardening wear and tear, it's time to give your beloved tools a good scrub-down. Here's what you'll need to get the job done: gardening gloves, putty knife, steel wool, 3 1/2 gallon plastic bucket, 1 Tbsp. dish soap, 2 cups bleach, 1 cup vegetable oil, 5 oz. can lighter fluid, all-purpose play sand, bleach-free disinfecting wipes, old towels, garden hose

Using a powerful garden hose, knock the dirt off and go after any stubborn caked-on dirt with a putty knife.

If your tools have any rust, give those areas a good scrub with steel wool.

Dab a bit of lighter fluid onto a cloth and wipe the tools to remove sap.

Once the caked-on dirt and grime have been removed, give the tools a good soak in a bucket of hot water. Add dish soap for an extra boost of cleaning power.

Rinse with clean water, then dry the tools with an old towel. Putting the tools away wet will cause them to rust prematurely.

Keep the tools in good shape year-round with a "quick clean" bucket. Fill the bucket with sand and one cup of vegetable oil, then dip larger tools in the bucket at the end of a heavy gardening day to remove dirt and protect the finish.

If you have plants with fungal or bacterial problems, you should periodically disinfect your garden tools. Keep bleach-free disinfectant wipes handy to remove sap, bacteria or fungus from shears, so you don’t spread anything from plant to plant through your garden tools.

A quick soak in a bleach solution (two cups of bleach for every one gallon of water) can help curb the spread of annoying infestations. Just be sure to rinse and dry the tools thoroughly.