Clean and Disinfect Garden Tools for Healthy Plants
Clean tools are the key to a healthy garden. Learn how to avoid transmitting diseases between your plants through rigorous maintenance.
Recommended Materials
- Wire brush
- Rubbing alcohol or white vinegar
- Cloth
- Linseed oil or penetrating oil
- Bucket of soapy water
Steps to follow
Step 1
After each gardening session, get into the habit of cleaning your tools. Wet earth stuck to metal promotes rust. Start by roughly brushing shovels, rakes, and pruners to remove soil.
Step 2
Wash metal parts with soapy water. If sap or resin sticks to pruner blades, use a little rubbing alcohol or turpentine to dissolve it.
Step 3
The most important step for your plants' health is disinfection. Cutting blades can carry fungi or bacteria from a sick plant to a healthy one. Wipe a cloth soaked in 90° alcohol or pure white vinegar over the blades before storing them, and ideally between each pruning of a different shrub.
Step 4
If your tools show traces of rust, scrub them with a wire brush or fine steel wool until you find bare metal. Soaking in white vinegar for a few hours can help loosen stubborn rust.
Step 5
Once clean and dry, protect your tools from oxidation. Apply a thin layer of oil (linseed oil for an eco-friendly option, or 3-in-1 type mechanical oil) to metal parts using a cloth. This creates a barrier against air moisture.
Step 6
Don't forget wooden handles! Sand them lightly if they become rough to avoid splinters, and nourish them with linseed oil so they don't dry out and break.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I sharpen my tools ?
Yes, a tool that cuts poorly wounds the plant and promotes diseases (difficult healing). Sharpen the edge of your pruners and shears with a sharpening stone once or twice a year.
How to store tools in winter ?
Hang them head up in a dry and ventilated place (garage, shed). Avoid leaving them on the ground where moisture rises.
Precautions
- Always disinfect blades after pruning a sick plant.
- Store sharp tools out of reach of children.
- Check the solidity of handle/tool fixings before use.
