When it comes to professional-grade tools, you will get what you pay for. If you want access to the best the market has to offer, you have to be willing to spend the necessary funds on it. Anyone who gardens professionally will need their own set of professional-grade tools to work with. After making the investment in those tools, it is only natural to want to get as much mileage out of them as you can without compromising on the quality of your services.
The way that you look after and store your tools will have a significant impact on how long they last before they need to be replaced. Good gardening tool maintenance is not difficult, but it is easy to get wrong. The following tips are tips that any gardener can follow if they want to make their gardening tools last as long as possible.
Use a Barbecue Brush and Scraper to Clean Your Tools
If you want your tools to last as long as possible, you will want to clean them fairly often, especially after they have been put through their paces. Of all the options out there for cleaning tools, we have found the barbecue brush with scraper attachment to be the easiest way of cleaning dirt from tools while they are in use.
While the scraper is ideal for removing thick layers of mud, the brush is equally as effective at removing the dried dirt. With both together, you have a simple and effective cleaning solution that will easily fit in with any gardening kit.
Store Them Carefully
There are two things that you need to consider when you are deciding how to store your tools – security and suitability. Security refers to the physical security of the tools – are they kept locked away somewhere difficult to get to? Suitability refers to the conditions. Tools that are left in the cold and damp are likely to develop issues from exposure.
Many professionals make a point of removing their work tools from their vans at the end of the day in the hope of deterring thieves. Unfortunately, thieves will sometimes still break into the vehicles anyway, just in case. Whether you are going to be storing your tools in your van or not, you should consider this when buying van insurance. If you compare van insurance online, look for policies that include theft protection for your tools.
In order to dramatically reduce the rate of oxidation (rusting), leave your tools in a bucket of sand when they aren’t in use. If you’re able to add some mineral oil to the sand, that’s even better. Of course, it’s important that you keep your sand bucket somewhere dry where there’s no chance of water pouring in – good luck getting your tools out of wet sand. Many people also find that adding some tea leaves further improves the antioxidant effect.
Disinfect Your Shears
You should clean your tools between uses to improve their lifespan. With most of your tools, this is a simple process – you just clean the dirt off your tools as you would with anything else. However, when it comes to tools like your shears that are used to cut into multiple plants, you should disinfect them when you clean them. This is more about the lifespan of your plants than your tools, but it is an important part of maintaining your shears.
You can easily create a disinfectant from a mixture of water and bleach. As long as you submerge the blades of the shears in the disinfectant, and agitate it a bit for good measure, you should easily kill off any lingering diseases or other nasties that would otherwise be transferred between plants.
Always Dry Your Tools Before Storage
Regardless of how you store your tools, you should alwaysmake sure that they are dry when you put them away. Wet tools aren’t only more susceptible to rust; wooden parts will also be more likely to rot and decay. If you want to improve the resilience of any wooden handles on your tools, rub some linseed oil into the wood.
If you take proper care of your gardening tools, you can get many years of usage out of them. Professional quality gardening tools are built to last, but the way that you treat them will still have a considerable impact on just how long they last. Even if you have to economise and go more basic with some of your tools, looking after them the right way will mean they remain usable long into the future. Think carefully about where you store your tools, especially if you are dependent upon them for your job. You should consider taking insurance out to cover the cost of replacing them in the event of a theft.
How to Make Your Professional Gardening Tools Last as Long as Possible
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