Cleaning Your Garden Tools After Contact with Poison Ivy

Cleaning Your Garden Tools After Contact with Poison Ivy: Essential Steps and Products

Regularly cleaning your garden tools is a vital practice for maintaining their efficiency, longevity, and preventing the spread of diseases. However, the added precaution of cleaning tools that might have come into contact with poison ivy is crucial for your safety and the health of your garden.

Why Should You Clean Your Tools?

Keeping your garden tools clean is not merely a matter of hygiene; it significantly enhances both their performance and longevity.

Tools work more effectively when clean, making tasks easier and more efficient.

Sharpened blades improve cutting, reducing stress on you and the plants.

Prevents rusting and preserves the quality of the cutting edges.

Removes disease-laden soil particles, maintaining your garden's health.

Steps for Cleaning Tools

Proper cleaning involves different methods depending on the type of tool and the soil it encounters.

General Cleaning Method

Wash tools with a forceful stream of water from a garden hose. Stubborn soils like clay might require a wire-bristle brush or a dull implement to loosen and remove the contamination.

Blades with Sap or Resin

If tools come into contact with plants having sticky sap, such as evergreens, use paint thinner to clean the sap before wiping with a rag.

Preventing Rust and Corrosion

To prevent rust, especially with tools made of lower-grade steel, clean them after use and apply a very light coat of motor oil. You can mix the oil with kerosene and use it or wipe old oil from your lawn mowers after use. Push tools into a mixture of oil and sand for abrasion and easy cleaning.

Specialized Cleaning Agents

For added safety, especially when dealing with poison ivy, tools should be wiped with Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser, which can remove urushiol, the allergen in poison ivy.

Use Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser

I keep a bottle of Tecnu on hand for peace of mind. While I haven’t encountered poison ivy yet, using Tecnu on rubber boots and gloves is a precautionary measure to avoid any contamination. Pharmacies and gardening centers easily carry Tecnu.

Regular cleaning of your garden tools is a vital part of maintaining both personal safety and the health of your garden. By following these steps, you will ensure that your tools remain in top condition and are safe to use.