Gardening Shear Maintenance

Keeping your garden shears in tip-top shape helps to make some of those bothersome chores much easier to handle, as well as making the completed task look far more professional. While some people commonly wear out their garden shears and simply go to purchase another set, this goes without saying that it's bound to be costly, not to mention wasteful. By simply taking a few minutes to properly take care of your gardening shears, you can extend their usefulness and make them just as good as new (or sometimes even better). Follow these four simple steps to keep your garden shears a cut above the rest:

Cleanliness is Close to Green-Thumbedness

One of the most simple steps to maintaining your garden shears is, perhaps, one of the most obvious steps - a plain old cleaning will do wonders! As you use your shears, dirt and grime gradually builds up on the blades and in the crevices, gumming it up and making your shears stick. Surprisingly, most of this can be alleviated with just a little plain soap and water. If that doesn't solve the problem, due to sap and sticky residues, try wiping the blades and cleaning them off with either ammonia or some mineral spirits. Both work well at getting rid of the sticky stuff.

Another common cleaning occurrence is that garden shears frequently get rusty. Often put away dirty and wet, rust can quickly go to work on your shears, making them stiff and difficult to operate. Should you happen to find rust on your shears, however, don't despair. Fortunately, most rust can easily be cleaned off by lightly scouring the area with a bit of steel wool. Oiling your sheers, after every use and cleaning, will also help to keep rust at bay.

Slip Sliding Away

Keeping your gardening shears not only clean, but also well-lubricated, is another important aspect of tool maintenance. Doing so will help to prevent your blades from rusting, as well as just making them easier to open and close. Don't worry though - lubricating your blades is a very simple task to perform. In order to do so, all you require is an old clean rag for cleaning, and some oil to lubricate the joint and blades.