A rusty tool is not as effective as a well-maintained one. Keeping your garden tools in good shape is important if you don’t want to spend all day in your garden, torturing yourself with rusty and dull tools. Keep in mind that the sooner you tackle the rusty spot, the less damage it will cause on your tool. Removing the rust from your garden tools on time will prevent forming of cracks and holes into the metal which makes the tools unusable.
Instructions
- Use plain water to remove the dirt and debris from the rusty tool. This will ease the rust removal a lot, according to garden experts.
- Loosen the rust by pouring white vinegar or 1 can of cola over the entire metal surface of the tool. The vinegar and the cola are mild acids that will help lifting the rust and make it easier to be scrubbed away.
- Scrub the tool with 00 steel wool if the rusty spot is small. If you need to scrub the entire metal surface of the tool, use a wire brush. Keep brushing until a pasty coating of mixed cola and rust forms.
- Rinse the tool with water and repeat the process if any rust spot has left.
- Rub penetrating oil, such as WD-40 or Liquid Wrench, into the entire metal portion of the tool using a clean, dry cloth.
- Sharpen the cutting edge of the tool using a grinder by your choice. Make sure to sprinkle water on the metal while grinding, otherwise, it can weaken the metal.
- Store your garden tools in a place with low moisture to prevent them from getting rusty, as advised by gardening Balham team.