Nothing elongates the lifespan of your equipment better than good maintenance and proper storage. And if you can observe appropriate storing practices during winter, you will save your tools from rusting and save you more money.
Ordinarily, excellent, and reliable garden tools are always costly. But if you store them well, you may not need to buy a new set of tools for a long time. Yeah, that’s the beauty of proper equipment storage.
Let me tell you the truth. If you fail to store your garden tools through the winter, you will always end up buying new equipment. But investing extra time in doing the right thing will save you more cost.
But before you store your equipment, there are certain things you should consider. We will be sharing them with you in the next section.
Things to Consider Before Storing Your Tools through the Winter
Rain Could Rust the Tools
One of the things you should consider before storing your garden tools is that access to rain could make them prone to rust. It doesn’t matter how useful your tools are, once you leave them in the rain or cold, they will deteriorate quickly. The metals will be prone to rust, and the wooden past will get rot quickly.
So, what you should do is to look for a dry place to store them. Also, ensure that you keep the tools in good condition before storing them away. Good condition in this context means you should keep them clean and oil the moving parts always.
Ensure there are no saps on the tools
Leaving saps on your tools could affect them more than you can imagine. If you didn’t remove them from your equipment before storing them, they could make the cutting surface of your tools sticky and blunt. I hope you know what this means? Well, it could prevent you from having a good cut the next time you use them.
However, you can use a damp cloth and wash-up liquid to remove saps from your tool. There are instances when you will notice dry sap and rust on your garden equipment. What you should do is to rub the tools’ blades with wire wool. After this, you lightly lubricate them.
Furthermore, if you have secateurs, leave their blades open to dry properly before you store them. Again, whenever your hoes and spades are blunt, you can either use your hand or grindstone to sharp them.
Think About Replacing Your Bad Tools
If you notice that any of your tools is bad or faulty, you can plan on replacing it. And when you are getting a new garden tool, never sacrifice quality on the altar of low price.
Trust me; you may not get the best from such a tool. After all, most inexpensive tools can only last for a short time. It means you will spend more in the long run.
Also, ensure you get the equipment that fits your size. In other words, I mean, you should get a tool that you can work comfortably without stress.
Once you consider the above things, you can store your garden tools through the winter effortlessly.
How to Store Your Garden Tools for Winter
Every winter, your garden tools are always in hibernation. And if you fail to store them well during winter, they may start deteriorating, and rust may become inevitable. But you can prevent this from happening if you follow the tips in this section.
In this article, we are going to group garden tools into three major categories; hand tools, gas-powered tools, and sprayers, and horses. There are different methods of storing tools under the categories mentioned above.
Gas-Powered Tools
Gas-powered tools are often very sensitive and expensive. And when winter comes, you must store them away properly so that you can use them during the next spring. Here are some tips for storing gas-powered tools during the winter season.
Empty the Fuel
The mistake people often make when storing their tools is leaving fuel or gasoline inside. Whether your gas-powered tool is a mower, tillers, or trimmer, chainsaws, don’t leave fuel inside while storing it. Otherwise, the machine may start having gum and buildup, which could cause serious damage to it.
If you don’t know how to drill the fuel or gas from the tool, you can run it until the fuel inside is exhausted.
Ensure That There Are No Traces Of Grasses And Debris
When you leave leftover grasses or debris on your machine, it could affect it. So, before you send the tool into winter hibernation, ensure that you remove weeds from their base.
Don’t forget that leftover grasses on your mower or trimmer’s base could cause rust to them. So, try as much as possible all specks of dirt, including those that are already caked to the tool.
Change Oil and Spark Plugs
Another good way to store your gas-powered garden tools through winter is to change the oil and spark plugs. Once you change oil and spark plugs, they will help you refresh the machine.
As a rule, don’t connect spark plugs to your machine’s ignition cable while storing them. It keeps the machine in good condition.
Hand Tools
Below are some of the tips for storing your hand tools through the winter;
Lubricate and Sharpen
If you have digging or cutting tool, ensure that you sharpen or replace the blades before storing them. You can either use a grit sharpening stone or file for the effective sharpening of your blades.
Once you sharpen the blades, lubricate them with a light coat of mineral oils. Lubrication before storage helps to prevent corrosion.
Clean and Disinfect
It’s never a good idea to leave specks of dirt on your tools. Use a stiff-bristled brush to remove dirt or soak them for a few minutes, if possible. Also, you can use steel wool to remove rust from the tools and use a dry cloth to wipe them.
Again, try to disinfect your hand tools before storing them, it will prevent the possibility of you spreading plant disease to the next season. You can use bleach and water to disinfect the tools.
Sprayers and Hoses
Below are tips on how to store your sprayers and horses;
Empty All Sprayers
Ensure that you empty all sprayers before storing them. Whether the sprayer contains chemicals or fertilizer, it doesn’t matter, drain them. Use soap and water to flush the container very well and allow it to dry completely before storing it.
Drain and hang Hoses
It’s very wrong to leave your hose connected during winter. It could cause serious damage. What you should do is to disconnect the hose and position it in a way that it will dry out during winter, preferably lay it out flat.
Once the hose is fully dry, connect its head to prevent the possibility of insects getting inside.
At all times, ensure you store your gardens tools in a cool and dry place.
Don’t give them too much exposure to sunlight and other elements. With these tips, your garden tool will not deteriorate or get damaged while they are in hibernation throughout winter.
How to Prevent Your Garden Tools from Rusting
It’s common for garden tools to get rust due to lack of maintenance. It doesn’t matter how well you store them if you fail to maintain them well, rust is inevitable. And once they start rusting, it’s the beginning of their end.
However, in this section, I’ll share some tips on how to prevent your tools from rusting.
Clean and dry after use
Try to develop the habit of cleaning and drying your tools after use. Otherwise, they will deteriorate quickly.
If you notice that there are dried cake soils on the tools, scrub them with a wire brush. Sometimes, you can even decide to soak the tools in warm water.
Remove Rusts Once You Notice It
If you are familiar with garden tools, you will know that they are often affected by rust. Rust still happens even if you take good care of your equipment.
But rust isn’t enough to throw away your equipment. Once you notice a small spot of rust, you can use steel wool or wire brush to scrub it off.
And if you have heavy rust on any of your tools, you can use a wire brush attachment on your drills to give such a tool a serious scrubbing. But you need to wear protective eye protection when doing this.
Sand and Sharpen the tools When Necessary
If you notice that your tool’s wooden handle is rough, you can sand it down to remove the splitter and make it smoother.
Again, you need to sharpen your tool’s blade more often to give you the best cut. With a mill file, you can sharpen your tool very well. And you can use the existing bevel on your tools’ edge as a guide to sharpening them when using mill file.
Lubricate With Oil
You need to lubricate every part of your tool with oil for better performance. I suggest you use a towel to spread oil on both the wooden and metal parts of your tools. Allow them to absorb the oil for about 10 to 15 minutes before you wipe them dry.
The good thing about oiling your tools regularly is that it prevents the metal parts from rusting and wooden parts from cracking. Sounds interesting, right? Well, that’s what you get when you always lubricate your tools.
Store the Equipment wisely
Ideally, you should store your tools in a dry environment. And if you can hang your tools up, especially those you stored resting on their blades.
You can also store your tools in a bucket of sand and vegetable oil. This will help to prevent the equipment from going rust and keep it clean and sharp always.
Why It’s Important To Store your tool correctly through the winter
Your garden tools are an excellent investment. They are often very expensive, and if you don’t handle them well, they may not stand the test of time. Here are some of the reasons you should store your tool correctly through the winter.
Durability
Nobody wants to buy a tool now and then. With proper storage, your garden tool can stand the test of time.
Most tools always fail to meet up with their service life due to poor storage and maintenance. It doesn’t matter if you have the best tools, without proper maintenance and storage, such equipment will not last a while.
Save You Money
Storing your garden tools properly through the winter will save you more money. The time you spend maintaining and storing your tools properly is not waste. In return, it makes your garden equipment to be more durable and performs better.
Makes Your Job Easier
Proper maintenance and storage of your garden tools make them more useful and reliable. And nothing makes your job easier than effective equipment.
You see, it’s beneficial to maintain and store your garden tools properly. It’s the best way to keep them active for a very long time.