How to Clean Pruning Shears

Clean your pruning shears after every use.

Pruning shears are one of the most frequently used gardening tools. A quality, clean pair can make gardening a joy. A neglected pair can make a gardener's work infinitely harder. Dirty blades can spread disease from plant to plant. Furthermore, accumulated sap and grime can cover a sharp blade. This causes your pruning shears to crush plant foliage as they cut it. These crushed stem ends are more susceptible to disease and fungal infection. Luckily, even poorly maintained pruning shears can be brought back to life with a quick scrub.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic container
• Water
• Scouring pad
• Bleach
• Rag
• Oil (such as WD-40 or vegetable oil)

Instructions

1. Scrub away caked-on dirt and debris. Fill a small bucket with water. Dip your scouring pad in the water and use it to scrub your pruning shear's blades clean of dirt, light rust and other debris. Wipe the pruning shears dry with a dry rag.

2. Disinfect your pruning shears after each use. Fill a container with a 10% bleach and water solution, or roughly one half cup of bleach per quart of water. Dip the blades in the solution. Hold them under and scrub them clean with your fingers or a rag. Wipe the blades dry with a dry rag.

3. Oil your blades after every cleaning to prevent rust buildup. Coat all of the metal parts of the pruning shears, especially the blades, with a thin layer of oil. You can use anything from WD-40 to vegetable oil. Wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel.

References

• Weekend Gardener: Revitalize your Pruning Shears
• Martha Stewart: Garden Tool Care
• The Felco Store: General Maintenance Tips