Maintain garden tools

Winter is the perfect opportunity to take the time to give your garden tools a good clean. Tools are expensive, and if you don't look after them they will become covered in rust, or blunt.

 

Garden forks, spades and other garden tools soon become damaged by rust if not properly look after. Rust will very quickly eat away the steel and blunt your tools. It's easy to convert rust if you use a product such as Alcolin Rust Conveter, available at your local Builders Warehouse.

The first step is to brush the rust with a steel brush to loosen the surface. 

Then liberally slather on the rust converter with a paintbrush. Make sure to completely cover all the rust. Leave for 6 to 8 hours and then neutralise with water. Thoroughly dry afterwards.

Garden trimmers and pruning shears are expensive to replace, which is why it is important to look after them. When these tools do get rusty, removing the rust immediately will ensure that blades can be sharpened and the tools restored for use. 

It only takes one day of minimal effort to remove rust and sharpen garden tools and have them ready for summer. Grab a jar of Alcolin Rust Converter, some steel wool - or a Dremel MultiTool and grinding stone.

Apply the rust converter according to the instructions on the jar. Leave from 6 to 8 hours (or overnight) and then neutralise the rust with fresh water.  

Have some steel wool handy to rub down afterwards and then use a Dremel MultiTool and grinding stone to sharpen the cutting edges.

GOOD TO KNOW: Spray the tools with WD-40 to protect from moisture and wipe with a dry rag to remove excess.