If secateurs are cared for properly, they will last longer, will not rust and will stay sharp. Caring for secateurs involves several steps that you should carry out either after each use or once or several times a year. Below you will find out what these are and when which measures make sense.
How do I properly care for my secateurs?
To care for secateurs, you should remove plant residues and dirt from them after each use, dry them and disinfect them regularly. At least once a year it should be disassembled, thoroughly cleaned, sharpened and stored in a dry place.
The care measures for secateurs
Caring for secateurs can be divided into two parts: regular care after each use and intensive care, which you should carry out at least once a year or after heavy use.
Daily care of secateurs
After each use, you should pay a little attention to your secateurs:
- Remove plant debris, soil and other coarse dirt with a metal or household brush
- Dry the secateurs with a household cloth or in the sun. Do not store your secateurs wet, otherwise they may rust. Find out how to remove rust here.
Intensive care for the secateurs
Before you store your secateurs for the winter after the last pruning in the fall, you should care for them thoroughly. Proceed as follows:
1. Unscrewing
Unscrew your garden shears, remove the spring and separate the two parts of the shears from each other.
2. Roughly clean
Clean both parts thoroughly with a household brush or a metal brush. Clean the spring too.
3. Disinfection
Shrubs and hedges can have viruses, fungi or germs that stick to the secateurs. To remove these, place your secateurs in a container with high-percentage alcohol or spirit or in boiling water for ten minutes. Here you can find out more about regularly disinfecting your secateurs.
4. Cleaning and sharpening
Now it's time for the fine cleaning. To do this, you need a coarse grinding stone that you wet with water. Run it in a circle over the cutting surfaces of the secateurs. Then repeat the process with a fine sharpening stone. Make sure you feel the angle of the cutting edge when sharpening. Find out more about sharpening your secateurs here.
5. Drying and storage
Now dry your secateurs with a cloth or on the radiator. Store your secateurs in a dry, clean place, such as a drawer or hanging on the wall.