Removing Rust from Metal Tools

Removing Rust From Tools

I forgot some gardening tools in a bucket of topsoil last fall and discovered them just a few days ago. The hand clippers were especially encrusted with rust.

I disassembled the clippers and drowned the parts in a solution 50 percent regular bleach, 50 percent white vinegar. I left the whole mess to stew outside for a day and a half. All the rust had lifted off. I only had to rinse the parts with hose spray.

A 'natural' steel patina remained on the shears. It may come off easily or not -- but who cares, as long as the cutting edges maintain sharpness.

Warning: We all know bleach and vinegar are marvelous cleaning agents. I lucked out when combining them the way I did. Beware of fumes from the combo at first, which is why I put the pan outside.

By Chuck from Canton, OH

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Removing Rust From Tools

Remove rust from garden tools with steel wool dipped in kerosene or turpentine. Then oil the tools lightly to prevent the rust from forming again.

Source: My grandparents did this.

By duckie-do from Cortez, CO

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Preventing Rust and Maintaining Your Garden Tools

• Clean your tools well after every use.

• Store your tools somewhere dry and off the ground.

• Keep a towel where you store your tools so you can dry them off before you store them.

• Before you put tools away for the winter put some linseed oil on wood handles and apply WD40 to the metal.

• Sand wood handles when they get rough to prevent splintering.

• Sharpen shovels with a file when they get dull.

• If you have a rusty tool the best bet is to remove the rust with a metal brush.

If you have any more tips, feel free to add them below.

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Tips for keeping rust off tools. Post your ideas.

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By snowbird 02/04/2007

Another good and easy way to keep tools from rusting, is to put a couple pieces of chalk in your tool box. The chalk will absorb any moisture in the air, and they won't rust. It works great for fishing tackleboxes too! Just toss a piece or two in, and keep fishing!

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I have a number of gardening tools that need a good cleaning and de-rusting. Can any one out there give me some ideas? The more organic, the better! Thanks.

By Maria R. from Blue Ridge, GA

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By MooseMom 07/20/2011

Bucket of sand with any oily product will help a lot. Naval Jelly will be good if heavily rusted, to start with, then the oily sand routine.

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