How to Clean A Dirty Shovel

How to Clean A Dirty Shovel

How to Clean A Dirty Shovel

Share your Knowledge

Hi, please
Log In or
Log in via
or
Join now

Publish Content
Featured Content
Get Help

Categories
Art & Entertainment
Business & Finance
Culture & Society
Events & Holidays
Fashion & Beauty
Health & Nutrition

More
Automotive
Education
Family
Food & Drinks
Hobbies & Crafts
Home & Garden
Internet
Pets
Relationships
Religion & Spirituality
Reviews
Science & Technology
Self Improvement
Sports & Fitness
Travel

You are in:
Home » Gardening & Landscaping » How to Clean A Dirty Shovel

How to Clean A Dirty Shovel

Dirty garden shovels are common after a long season of activity. Storing shovels without consideration of cleaning can often result in a disappointment when ready to use them next season. Debris and moisture left on the shovel can result in damage to your tool through unwanted rust. Avoid this result by following some helpful steps and tips.

Instructions

1

What You'll Need:

· Plastic bucket

· Builder's sand

· Used motor oil

· Water and hose sprayer

· Clean rags

· Steel wool

· Work gloves

· Steel files

Clean debris from shovel and handle surfaces. Knock shovel several times on solid earth and sidewalk or driveway to loosen dirt and debris. Scrape off large pieces of remaining dirt and debris with piece of scrap wood. Clean debris from handle, front and back of shovel. Don’t forget foot stop area front and back. Take care not to dent or bend shovel edges.

Wash remaining dirt from shovel and handle. Set hose sprayer of full-on setting and while holding shovel handle close to shovel, spray shovel and handle so that remaining dirt is forcefully washed off of both. Repeat as many times as necessary to remove all remaining dirt.

Wipe moisture and remaining dirt from shovel and handle surfaces. Use clean rags to completely remove moisture from shovel and handle surfaces including foot stop. Wipe in circular motion to insure complete removal of moisture. Place in sun until completely dry.

Clean dried surfaces of steel shovel with medium grade steel wool. Use circular motion, close and small movement, to effectively clean shovel surface. Cleaning with steel wool should remove any remaining rust-appearance on shovel. Do both front and back of shovel.

Wipe shovel surface with clean rags again. Final rag wiping should remove steel wool debris.

Use files to make new, sharp edge on shovel. Stroke files with motion toward bottom of shovel. Use work gloves to avoid skin damage.

Place sand in plastic bucket to three-fourths full. Pour two or three cups of oil to surface of sand in bucket. Let oil migrate throughout sand, about 15 minutes or until sand is saturated with oil.

Thrust shovel surface into oiled sand in bucket. Place foot on shovel to insure full blade of shovel is in oiled sand. Move shovel by rocking side to side, front and back, and pushing foot stop into oiled sand. Let shovel sit for five minutes.

Remove shovel from bucket, lightly brush off any sand particles on shovel with oily rag. Store shovel for next gardening season

Check shovel during winter season for any possible rusting and re-clean if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

Use cheap but clean plastic bucket

Make sure rags are not old paint rags

Wear work gloves

Clean shovel on area of drive, walk, or ground covered by cardboard to collect debris and sand droppings

Add new comment

* You must be logged in order to leave comments, please
Sign in
or join us.

Comments

Be the first to comment on this topic.

"How to Clean A Dirty Shovel" is managed by JoCart

Report

Share

Got a how-to to share? Create One

Videos

Preparing Tools for Winter Storage
2:07 minutes

Dog Training & Ownership : How to Clean Up Dog Poop
1:14 minutes

How to Manage Your Lawn & Garden : How to Weed your Garden
2:03 minutes

Show more
Powered by

Tags

·
sharpen tools ·
how to clean a dirty shovel ·
clean shovels ·
clean garden shovel ·
clean space ·
maintain garden tools ·
uses for old motor oil ·
uses for builders sand ·
steel wool for cleaning ·

Related Content

How to Maintain Garden Tools

Garden Tools: Choosing The Right Shovel For The Job

Garden Tools Repair And Maintenance

Diy Tools: How to Choose The Right Type of File

Publish Content
Featured Content
Get Help

All CategoriesArt & EntertainmentAutomotiveBusiness & FinanceCulture & SocietyEducationEvents & HolidaysFamilyFashion & BeautyFood & DrinksHealth & NutritionHobbies & CraftsHome & GardenInternetPetsRelationshipsReligion & SpiritualityReviewsScience & TechnologySelf ImprovementSports & FitnessTravel

Bukisa
Blog
About Us
Contact Us
RSS Feed

Site Links
Join
Login
Recently Added
Advanced Search

Help & Tools
Community Support
Bukisa 101
Widgets
Search Plugin

Sitemaps
How To Articles
Twitter Users
Topics Sitemaps
General Sitemap

Please read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License except where otherwise noted.
© Copyright 2008 - 2011 Webika Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
v. 3.0.1 / 20110131 (w1)
Hebrew |
Portuguese