How to Clean Rusty Garden Tools

A rusty shovel doesn't last long.

While rusty garden tools can be aesthetically pleasing to look at in an antique shop, rusted tools aren't so fun to use. They just don't make tools like they used to and rusted tools weaken and break easily and don't cut through the soil as cleanly. Clean your rusty garden tools safely and they will serve you well for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber gloves
• Distilled white vinegar
• Steel wool pads
• 5-gallon bucket
• Sand
• Used motor oil
• Metal-protecting Paint

Instructions

1. Put on rubber gloves.

2. Scrub rusty tools with a steel-wool pad that has been dipped in white vinegar. If the rust is heavier, you can soak the tools in a bath of distilled white vinegar. The acid in the vinegar helps to lift the rust and the steel wool works into the finer cracks and crevices. Rusty garden tools can be cleaned easily this way without harsh, expensive chemicals.

3. Fill a 5-gallon bucket 1/2 way full with sand and mix in some used motor oil. If you do not have used motor oil you can use some inexpensive baby oil for this job. Mix the oil and sand well and store your tools with their metal heads sunk in this bucket. The sand will act as an abrasive deterring future rust and the oil keeps your newly cleaned tools conditioned. This is also an effective way to store garden tools through the winter time. Mechanic's tools can be cleaned and conditioned the same way.

4. Treat tools with significant rust damage -- or damage you don't feel like scrubbing free of rust -- with a rust-inhibiting spray paint designed to protect metal. A rust-converting primer may also be necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a towel attached to the handle of your bucket for easily cleaning tools before you put them in and after you take them out.

• Dry tools thoroughly after each use.

• Wipe down your tools before you use them, you don't want to contaminate your organic garden with used motor oil.

References

• East Texas Gardening: MG Tool Tips
• Cornell University Extension: Caring for Your Tools