Holiday activities and last-minute leaf cleanup on these unusually warm winter days are likely keeping you so busy that you’ve called it quits for anything having to do with outdoor gardening. But there’s one very important thing left to do before the snow starts to require your attention – clean and sharpen your equipment and tools.

It might seem like a no-brainer, but there are a lot of us who learned this lesson the hard way. A sharp tool makes a cleaner cut than one that is dull. And cleaned, sharpened tools will last longer and save money in the long run. Here’s my tool clean-up list.

Organize the shed or garage so you have a place to put everything away neatly so you can find it come spring.

Run your lawnmower so it’s out of gas. Remove the bag and check to make sure there are no clumps of grass that will dry and clog the mower in spring. Clean the outside of the mower with an old cloth so it’s free of grass and debris. If the blades need sharpening, make a note to take it to a mower repair shop in early spring for blade replacement, or if you’re knowledgeable enough to do it yourself, so much the better.

Shovels, garden forks, hoes and edgers are next. If you’re like me, you will have an assortment of these items that you’ve collected over the years. Steel tools are the ones that are likely to rust. The newer stainless steel tools will need to be wiped off and sharpened, but they should not develop rust. Wash off all dirt and dry your tools with an old rag or towel. Inspect to see if any of them have rust. If they do, rub the rust off with plain steel wool or 80 grit sandpaper until you have removed it. Wear garden gloves to protect your hands. Brush any remaining rust with a stiff wire brush. If you can’t get rid of the rust using this method, use a rust remover. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and wear rubber gloves. Place your tool in the rust remover mixture and wait about 15 minutes (depending on the amount of rust) for the rust remover to work. Rinse your tool with water again and dry it thoroughly with a clean rag.

Once all the dirt and rust are removed, coat your tools with a mix of 1 quart of non-detergent motor oil and 2 cups of kerosene using an old rag. Saturate the cloth and work a thin coat of the oil into all the crevices and onto the entire surface of the tool. If you prefer, use a spray bottle to apply the solution. This will stop the rust from oxidizing and prevent further damage to the tool. You can also use WD-40 and a wire brush to remove the rust. Make sure to wipe away all excess oil.

Hand pruners and shears are essential garden tools and if you do nothing else, give them a good cleaning and sharpening. Your bypass pruners are a good place to start. Most quality pruners, such as the Felco brand, can be disassembled for cleaning. Many mail order suppliers also sell replacement parts for them. If you have this type, remove the lock nut and deconstruct the parts. (Make sure you remember how it goes back together!) Wash each piece with an old toothbrush in warm, soapy water. If you have sap or rust on

the pruner blades, spray the blades with a silicone-based spray such as WD-40 and let them soak for a few minutes. When all debris has been removed, rinse everything thoroughly, dry each piece and then reassemble the pruner. Add a couple of drops of 3-in-One oil when you’re finished to lubricate the blades and other moving parts. Also clean your loppers and hedge shears. If they have sap deposits, use a bit of turpentine and steel wool to remove it.

Make sure to inspect the wooden handles of your tools. Remove splinters or rough spots with a medium-coarse sandpaper and then rub the handles with a rag soaked in boiled linseed oil. A friend of mine paints his handles red each year so if he misplaces a tool it is easily located.

Once your tools are clean, it’s time to give them a sharp edge. Pruning saws are best sharpened by a pro, but shovels, spades, hoes, knives and other digging and weeding tools are not difficult to sharpen yourself. I use diamond stones purchased at the hardware store, but you can also use oil or honing stones. I move the file down following the original angle of the bevel, applying pressure as I make a forward stroke. When I’ve sharpened the length of the blade, I turn the tool over and stroke in the same way in order to remove the jagged burs that were produced by sharpening the other side. When all tools have been sharpened, I coat them with a fine layer of 3-in-One oil or WD-40 before storing them.

To make this job easier during next year’s growing season, fill a five-gallon bucket with clean sand mixed with a quart of vegetable oil. Cover the bucket and put it in your tool storage area. When you’re done working outside, dunk your tools into the mix and it will rub off dirt and other debris and coat the tool with a protective oil coating. If you use this method, your clean-up next fall won’t be nearly as time consuming.

Donna Lane owns Lane Interiors & Gardens, is a master gardener, past president of the Norwood Evening Garden Club, and an active member of many other horticultural organizations. You can reach Donna at AddictedGardener@verizon.net.