What to clean pruning shears with? Pruning shears are a gardener’s best friend. They help us to keep our plants looking their best and to maintain a healthy garden.
But over time, the blades can become coated with organic matter and can dull, making them less effective. Read this article until end to know more about what to clean pruning shears with. In this blog, we also have an article about best cekegon electric pruning shears that you might want to read about it.
What To Clean Pruning Shears With
- Dish soap or white vinegar
- Cup/Bowl
- a wire brush, a stiff brush, or an old toothbrush
- Stainless steel wool
- a clean, dry towel
- The diamond file (for optional sharpening)
- Linseed oil / WD-40
How To Clean It
1. Clean your pruning shears with a hose.
We’ll begin cleaning our pruning shears with a good old-fashioned hose down. This step may seem apparent, but it is required since trapped and collected dirt and debris will interfere with and lower the efficacy of the disinfection procedure later.
So, take your pruners outdoors, grab your garden hose, and wet down the shears. Alternatively, you may wash your shears under running water and remove the grime with your hands. When running your fingertips over the blade, use extreme caution! If necessary, put on gloves.
2. Soak it for 10 minutes.
After you’ve removed all visible dirt and debris, immerse your pruners for 10 minutes. This will soften the filth and residual debris, as well as making the sticky sap easier to remove.
Fill a cup or dish halfway with warm water. The rubber handles on your pruning shears will be melted if you use hot, boiling water. Then, add 15ml of dishwashing soap to the bowl of water and stir well. Allow the pruners to soak in the liquid for at least 10 minutes.
If you find rust marks on your pruners, replace the dish soap with white vinegar. The rust will disintegrate due to the acidic nature of vinegar. Allow the shears to soak in the solution overnight.
3. Use A Wire Brush To Scrub
After soaking, begin washing the shears’ surfaces with a wire or stiff brush. If you don’t have a good stiff/wire brush, you may use an old toothbrush, but be prepared to work more, particularly if there are tenacious stains and filth.
Make careful to coat the whole surface of the blades, including the edges and corners. If you haven’t cleaned your pruners in a while, dismantle them and cleanse the regions between the blades thoroughly.
4. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry
After you’ve finished the difficult portion, rinse your pruners. Rinsing with the cleaning solution is not recommended since loose debris might get lodged in the nooks and crannies of the shears. Always use clean water when washing any garden implement (or any home item for that matter).
If there is still any rust or sticky sap on the blades, you may clean them with fine-grade steel wool. Then, using a dry, clean towel, gently dry the pruners. You may also leave your pruners out on the terrace to dry.
5. Sharpen your pruning shears (Optional)
This fifth step is optional, but it is strongly advised if your pruners are giving you dull cuts – harsh cuts, by the way, increase the risks of plant infection!
Unlike kitchen knives and scissors, the cutting blade of pruners is beveled — the interior is flat while the outside edge is angled. You’ll need to make sure that your diamond file has a medium or fine coarse surface and that it follows that angle. Sharpening will have minimal impact and may even damage the blade if done incorrectly.
The positioning of your pruners may also make a significant impact in the result of filling down the beveled edges. To hold and secure the pruners in position, employ a bench vise grip as much as feasible. If it isn’t feasible, holding the pruners in one hand and the file in the other may suffice. Just make sure you’re wearing gloves.
Then, open the shears so that the blades are facing away from you. The diamond file should be held at the same angle as the beveled edges (usually between 10 degrees and 20 degrees). Swipe the file from the inner base of the blade to the curved tip in a single stroke.
Fill in with a single clean stroke until the edges are glossy and crisp. It may take 10-20 strokes, but you may do more if necessary.
Burrs, which are small metal folds on the backside of pruners, might occur after sharpening. It’s not a big deal, however. That just implies you’ve sharpened the beveled edges adequately. Position the pruners on its back to remove them. Move the diamond file down on the blade’s edges with the same hand. With a few strokes, you should be able to smooth out the burrs.
6. Apply Lubricant to Finish
Once you’re satisfied with the sharpness of your pruners, add lubrication to the blades, hinge, and spring. A spray of WD-40 will suffice, but if you’re worried about spreading artificial chemicals to your plants, linseed oil may be used instead.
Linseed oil forms a protective coating on the blades, spring, and hinge, preventing corrosion and sticky sap from clinging to the surface while remaining natural and healthy for your plants.
Using a clean cloth, apply linseed oil to the blade’s surface. Apply to the pruners’ bolt as well as where the blades meet the handles.
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