Use this guide in autumn once the last mowing and heavy pruning are done. Have a stiff brush, wire wool, a rag, light oil, a sharpening file or stone, gloves and somewhere dry to store things.
Step by step
Clear off soil and sap
Knock dried soil off spades, forks and trowels, then scrub them with a stiff brush and water. Remove sap from pruners and shears with warm soapy water. Dry everything thoroughly with a rag.
Remove rust and sharpen
Rub any rust spots with wire wool or sandpaper until the metal is clean. Sharpen secateurs and shears with a sharpening stone at the original bevel angle, and file the edge of spades and hoes. Wear sturdy gloves, as sharpened blades cut easily.
Oil blades and treat handles
Wipe a thin coat of light oil over metal parts to stop rust over winter. Sand rough wooden handles and rub in linseed oil or a wood treatment. Tighten loose screws and bolts on pruners and loppers.
Prepare the lawnmower
Disconnect the power or remove the battery, and for petrol mowers pull off the spark plug cap before touching the blade. Brush out clippings from under the deck. Follow the manual for winter storage, which may include running a petrol mower dry or using a fuel stabiliser, and store batteries indoors.
Drain hoses and watering cans
Disconnect hoses, drain them, coil them loosely and store them out of the frost. Empty watering cans and store them upside down so they cannot fill with rain and crack in a freeze.
Store safely and securely
Hang tools on hooks or a rack off the floor in a dry shed or garage. Keep chemicals in their original containers, up high and away from children and pets. Lock the shed, as garden tools and mowers are often stolen.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Stiff brush, rags and warm soapy water
- Wire wool or sandpaper for rust
- Sharpening stone or file
- Light oil and linseed oil for handles
- Mower disconnected before cleaning
- Hoses drained and stored
- Chemicals stored high in original containers
- Shed or garage locked
Practical tips
- A bucket of sand mixed with a little oil is a handy place to plunge small tools to clean and protect them after each use.
- Make a note of anything that needs replacing so you can look out for end-of-season sales.
- Mark tool handles with a bright paint so they are easy to find in the garden and harder to resell if stolen.
Common problems
Secateurs are stiff and will not close cleanly.
Clean off sap, then take them apart if the design allows, remove rust and oil the pivot. Tighten the pivot nut just enough that the blades close without a gap. Replace a worn spring if needed.
A petrol mower will not start in spring after storage.
Old fuel is a common cause. Drain stale fuel into a suitable container for disposal at your local tip, refill with fresh fuel and check the spark plug and air filter, as the manual describes. If it still will not start, get it serviced.
There is damp and mould in the shed.
Improve ventilation, check the roof felt for leaks and raise tools and bags off the floor on pallets or shelves. Wipe tools with oil more often during a wet winter.
This guide gives general information, not personal legal, financial or medical advice. Rules and prices change, so check the current position with the official service before acting.
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