How to Clean Your Gardening Tools

We all know that double-dipping a chip in a shared guacamole bowl is rude. It’s also unsanitary because you can transfer your bacteria to the communal bowl of dip. The same thing happens when you clip away a powdery mildew-covered stem from your hydrangea and then reuse the pruners to snip from a healthy rose bush. We talked with a gardening expert about why it’s so important to clean your gardening tools, what happens if you don’t, and how to do it right. While this maintenance step adds a bit of extra work to your gardening routine, it’s worth it because it might just save your plants.

Do I Really Need to Clean My Garden Tools?

“Proper cleaning and sanitization of pruners and other garden tools is important to prevent the spread of disease issues,” says Aaron Steil, a consumer horticulture extension specialist for the University of Iowa. Dirt, debris, and sap are easy to see but pathogens are microscopic and these microorganisms may still be on your tools after a quick rinse in water. Disinfecting is key to preventing the spread of pests and diseases. “At a minimum, pruners should be disinfected between plants,” Steil adds. “Ideally, they would be disinfected between each cut if plant disease is present.”

It’s also important to clean and disinfect tools if you have used them at another gardening site so you don’t bring home problems. Always clean and disinfect them in the fall before you store them for winter so you’ll be ready for spring gardening, too.

In addition to garden pruners, trowels, shovels, and hoes should all be cleaned regularly. Power tools like lawn mowers, string trimmers, hedge clippers, and chainsaws, as well as flower pots and containers should be cleaned between uses. While it may take a bit of time, the cleaning steps are easy and well worth the extra effort to protect your plants.

How to Clean Garden Tools and Equipment

Before you disinfect tools, you must clean them to remove dirt and debris. One of the easiest ways to get rid of caked-on dirt is with a blast of water from the garden hose. You can also fill a bucket with water and add the tools to loosen the soil.

If the tools have sticky sap on them, use some warm water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid to clean it away. Use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the blades and handles. Rinse well and allow the tools to air dry. If tools have wood handles, wipe with a wood preservative.

Fill a large plastic tub with warm water and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to wash pots, containers, seed starting trays, tomato cages, and even ornamental decorations between uses. Rinse well and allow to air dry in the sun.

For power tools, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting. ALWAYS unplug or remove the battery before attempting to clean a power tool. Use a damp cloth or a soft-bristled brush to remove stuck-on plant material and be sure everything is dry before storing the tools.

How to Disinfect Garden Tools and Equipment

There are three different methods you can use to disinfect your garden tools and equipment. While doing so, always work in a well-ventilated space, avoid contact with open flames, follow these recommended dilutions, and never mix the different products together.

Rubbing Alcohol

One of the easiest ways to sanitize pruning equipment, especially between cuts, is with rubbing or isopropyl alcohol. Look for a 70 percent solution.

To sanitize, wipe the tool with a cotton ball or soft cloth dampened with the alcohol. Or, you can fill a container with alcohol and dip the tool (works well for soaking small hand tools while you’re in the garden working). There’s no need to dilute the alcohol or give the tool a prolonged soak.

Household Disinfectant Cleaners

Household disinfectants, including wipes, cleaners, and sprays can be used to sanitize tool blades. If you read the product labels, you’ll see that many of these products are only effective if the surface remains wet for 8 to 10 minutes. So, it’s important to let the tools sit and disinfect for at least this long before handling them and using them again. Try disinfecting your tools at the end of your gardening tasks, before storing them away, so they’ll be clean and ready the next time you want to use them.

Chlorine Bleach

Create a 10 percent solution of liquid chlorine bleach by mixing 9 parts water and 1 part bleach in a plastic bucket. Soak tool blades for at least 10 minutes in the solution, rinse well, and dry with a towel to prevent corrosion. Use the solution within two hours because chlorine bleach reverts to water in just a few hours.