How to Clean Your Hand Tools For Longer Life
Keeping your hand tools clean is very important to their longevity. Taking the time to buy the best hand tools that you can isn't worth all the effort if you don't take the time to clean them properly. Taking that extra care will ensure that they last for a long, long time.
It's not that difficult or time consuming to keep those tools of yours clean. All you need to do is keep a bucket and some mild soap on hand for when the time is right. Hot water works the best and will break up the dirt better. When you're ready just fill your bucket with hot water and soap and put on some rubber gloves if necessary (ok, this may be for the ladies only).
Lower your dirty tools into the hot water and let them soak for about an hour or for as long as you feel is appropriate depending on how dirty they are. This is necessary in loosening all that dirt and grime that's built up over the last few months or years. Scrubbing the built up dirt with a wire brush is the best way to clean the surface of the tool. A toothbrush may be necessary if there are some hard to reach spots and you're really looking to do a great job.
You're then going to want to use a high pressure hose to wash off your tools. This could be either your household garden hose or a high pressure washer if you have one. Place the tool on the ground, hold in place with your foot, and spray away. Holding the hose close to the surface of the tool will ensure you the best results.
You may have to work a little bit harder on your metal tools because these tools tend to get a little rusty. The best way to keep them rust free is to store them in a moisture free location like a tool box that will keep them very dry. This will keep the dust and dirt that accumulates on them from getting moist and getting rusty.
There's no need to stress if they do get rusty. You may forget to put them away or leave them outside by mistake but if this happens then you can clean them with just a little bit of effort on your behalf. You'll want to spray the rust with a lubricant. WD-40 works fine for this purpose. Then use a heavy duty brillo pad to scrub the rust off, and then will off the excess lubricant.
If you've got some tools that are very heavily rusted then of course you're going to have to work a little harder by using an acid based remover. You can pick these up at your local hardware store in a spray-on, wipe-off bottle. Follow the same procedure as above to clean and then spray them with a rust inhibitor to keep them clean. And be sure to put them away in a nice dry spot.
By making a little extra cleaning effort, you'll be ensuring that your hand tools last for years to come. They're the basis of your tool collection and you may even make your livelihood with them so be good to them and they'll be sure to be good to you in return!
It's not that difficult or time consuming to keep those tools of yours clean. All you need to do is keep a bucket and some mild soap on hand for when the time is right. Hot water works the best and will break up the dirt better. When you're ready just fill your bucket with hot water and soap and put on some rubber gloves if necessary (ok, this may be for the ladies only).
Lower your dirty tools into the hot water and let them soak for about an hour or for as long as you feel is appropriate depending on how dirty they are. This is necessary in loosening all that dirt and grime that's built up over the last few months or years. Scrubbing the built up dirt with a wire brush is the best way to clean the surface of the tool. A toothbrush may be necessary if there are some hard to reach spots and you're really looking to do a great job.
You're then going to want to use a high pressure hose to wash off your tools. This could be either your household garden hose or a high pressure washer if you have one. Place the tool on the ground, hold in place with your foot, and spray away. Holding the hose close to the surface of the tool will ensure you the best results.
You may have to work a little bit harder on your metal tools because these tools tend to get a little rusty. The best way to keep them rust free is to store them in a moisture free location like a tool box that will keep them very dry. This will keep the dust and dirt that accumulates on them from getting moist and getting rusty.
There's no need to stress if they do get rusty. You may forget to put them away or leave them outside by mistake but if this happens then you can clean them with just a little bit of effort on your behalf. You'll want to spray the rust with a lubricant. WD-40 works fine for this purpose. Then use a heavy duty brillo pad to scrub the rust off, and then will off the excess lubricant.
If you've got some tools that are very heavily rusted then of course you're going to have to work a little harder by using an acid based remover. You can pick these up at your local hardware store in a spray-on, wipe-off bottle. Follow the same procedure as above to clean and then spray them with a rust inhibitor to keep them clean. And be sure to put them away in a nice dry spot.
By making a little extra cleaning effort, you'll be ensuring that your hand tools last for years to come. They're the basis of your tool collection and you may even make your livelihood with them so be good to them and they'll be sure to be good to you in return!
