How To Clean Rusty Pruners: A Step-By-Step Guide

Rusty pruners are a gardener’s nightmare, turning what should be a simple task into a frustrating ordeal. Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or a budding plant enthusiast, knowing how to clean and restore your rusty pruning tools can give your pruner new life. This guide will walk you through the process of cleaning your rusty pruners, from understanding why rust occurs to preventing future corrosion. 

Why Pruners Rust

Pruners rust primarily due to exposure to moisture and oxygen. When iron or steel components come into contact with water and air, a chemical reaction occurs, forming iron oxide—commonly known as rust. Gardening tools are particularly susceptible to rust because they’re frequently exposed to moisture from plants, soil, and the air. Leaving pruners outside or storing them in damp environments can also cause them to rust faster.

Rust can significantly impair the functionality of your pruners. As rust forms, it creates a rough surface on the blades, making cuts less clean and requiring more force to operate. This can potentially damage plants and put the owner at risk of injury. Rust can also cause moving parts to stick, making the pruners difficult to open and close. Over time, severe rusting can lead to permanent damage, rendering the tool unusable. Regular care can help prevent this permanent damage.

Necessary Supplies for Cleaning Rusty Pruners

Technique Detail: On Ask This Old House, the team demonstrated that cleaning must always come before sharpening. As landscape contractor Jenn Nawada explained to host Kevin O’Connor: “You have to clean it before you sharpen it, right? So, you go through this, you clean, clean, clean, and then you get to the sharpening.” Steel wool is the key tool in this cleaning stage — use it to work along the blade until you can see and feel the difference in the metal surface.

To effectively clean rusty pruners, you’ll need a few items, including tools, materials, and cleaning solutions.

Cleaning Solutions

Gardeners have a few different options for cleaning rusty pruners, including:

• Lemon juice and salt paste: This natural option works well on light rust
• WD-40 Specialist Rust Remover Soak: Specifically designed for rust removal and is gentle on plastic components
• White vinegar: Natural alternative that is effective for mild to moderate rust

Tools and Materials

After you’ve chosen a cleaning solution, you will need:

• Clean rags or cloths
• Fine-grit sandpaper or sanding block
• Lubricating oil
• Medium-grit sandpaper
• Safety gloves
• Safety goggles
• Screwdriver (if needed for disassembly)
• Sharpening stone
• Steel wool

Preparation: Disassembling Your Pruners

Disassembling your pruners allows for a more thorough cleaning and easier access to rusted areas. High-quality pruners need to be taken apart, but most gardeners with older or less-pricey pruners can skip this step, as pruners often can’t be disassembled.

Simpler Pruners, Simpler Process: Not all pruners have complex assemblies. As TOH landscape contractor Roger Cook noted on Ask This Old House, some basic pruners have “a very simple design with a single pivot and exposed spring, and a very simple lock.” With these models, the spring is often the only removable part—”the whole thing is really one piece”—so you can skip full disassembly and go straight to cleaning and rust removal

Pruner Parts

Getting familiar with these parts will help you disassemble and reassemble your pruners correctly:

• Blades (cutting blade and anvil blade)
• Center bolt or pivot point
• Handles
• Spring

Disassembling Your Pruners

There are several different types of pruners available, but in most cases, you can disassemble your pruners safely by following these five steps:

1. Put on your safety gloves and goggles.
2. Locate the center bolt or screw.
3. Carefully loosen and remove the bolt.
4. Gently separate the two halves of the pruners.
5. Remove the spring.

How To Clean Rusty Pruners

These six steps walk you through cleaning your rusty pruners, including tips and advice for tools that have heavy rust. 

1. Soak in Rust Remover

For more heavily rusted pruners, a commercial rust remover, including WD-40 Specialist Rust Remover Soak, is often the most effective solution as it’s designed to remove rust without damaging plastic handles or other non-metal parts. For those preferring a natural approach or dealing with lighter rust, lemon juice and salt paste or white vinegar can be effective alternatives.

To use your chosen rust remover:

1. Place the disassembled metal parts in a container.
2. Pour the rust remover solution over the parts until they’re fully submerged.
3. Let the parts soak according to the product instructions. The WD-40 product recommends 30 minutes for light rust, eight hours for medium rust, and 24 hours for heavily rusted pruners. For natural solutions, allow them to soak for 12 to 24 hours, depending on the rust severity.
4. Rinse the parts thoroughly with water and dry them.

If a lot of rust remains on the pruners, you may need to soak them again before moving to the next step.

Pro Tip: Roger Cook, TOH landscaping contractor, emphasizes the importance of cleaning tools after every use to prevent rust from returning: Wire-brush off any dirt, dry the exposed metal, and spray on a thin film of WD-40. As Cook notes, “Your tools will look better, last longer, and be a pleasure to work with.”

2. Scrub Away Remaining Rust

After soaking, some manual scrubbing is often necessary to remove the remaining rust. We recommend using an extra-fine sanding block dipped in lubricant or fine-grit sandpaper to remove residue and restore color to the pruners while avoiding scratching.

You may also need to gently use steel wool or a wire brush for stubborn rust spots.

Wipe away any debris with a clean cloth.

3. Sand and Polish

Once the rust is removed, it’s time to restore the blades to their former glory. First, you’ll want to smooth out any remaining rough spots. Using progressively finer grits of sandpaper, starting with medium-grit and moving to fine-grit:

1. Sand the pruners, going in the same direction to create a uniform finish.
2. Wipe the blade clean between grits to remove metal particles.
3. For a polished look, finish with a metal polish and a soft cloth.

4. Sharpen the Blades

Pro Tip: TOH landscape contractor Roger Cook recommends sharpening pruning shears before every use. “It only takes a minute,” he says. “And it makes a world of difference in your results.”

Rust can do a number on the blades, so it’s important to sharpen your pruners after you’ve cleaned them. Using a lubricated sharpening stone:

1. Identify the beveled edge of the cutting blade.
2. Hone the blade over the lubricated stone, holding it at an angle that matches the blade’s bevel.
3. Use smooth, consistent strokes away from the cutting edge.
4. Flip the blade over and give the flat side a few passes to remove any burrs.
5. Test the sharpness on a piece of paper or small branch.

Why does sharpness matter so much? Dull pruners leave ragged, frayed ends on branches that may not heal properly, potentially inviting disease. As Jenn explained on Ask This Old House, it’s almost like surgery: “If you’re putting two pieces of skin back together, you’re gonna want those ends to be a nice, clean connection, and then you’re not gonna have scarring.” A sharp blade makes a crystal-clean cut that heals faster and encourages healthy new growth.

As Jenn demonstrated on Ask This Old House, sharpening pruners works much like honing a kitchen knife: you want to follow the beveled edge and stroke in one direction only. Just as important, always complete the cleaning step first — using steel wool to remove grime and rust residue — before moving on to sharpening. Skipping that step can damage your stone and produce an uneven edge.

5. Reassemble the Pruners

With clean, rust-free, and sharpened parts, you’re ready to put your pruners back together:

1. Align the two halves of the pruners.
2. Reinsert the spring.
3. Replace the center bolt or screw, tightening it just enough to hold the parts together while still allowing smooth movement.
4. Test the action of the pruners, adjusting the tightness of the bolt as needed.

6. Apply Lubricant

To help prevent future rust and improve operation:

1. Apply a thin layer of lubricating oil to all metal parts, especially the pivot point and spring.
2. Work the pruners open and closed to distribute the lubricant evenly.
3. Wipe away any excess oil to prevent attracting dirt.

Preventive Measures for Future Rust

Preventing rust is easier than removing it. By adopting these good habits, you can keep your pruners in top condition for years to come:

• Store pruners in a dry place, such as a tool rack or toolbox. Keep them away from moisture, and consider adding silica gel packets to your toolbox to absorb excess moisture.
• Use protective coatings. Rust inhibitors for garden tools can provide pruners with an extra layer of protection against moisture and oxygen.
• Inspect pruners often. Check for signs of rust, nicks, chips, or warping or general wear and tear. Address any rust spots immediately.
• Perform regular maintenance and care. Clean and dry your pruners after each use. Never store them while still wet.

Pro Tip: Roger Cook, TOH landscape contractor, recommends following this regimen after each use: Wash the tool with soap and water, dry it off, then spray the metal with WD-40. After you wipe off the excess, store your pruners indoors in a dry spot.

Our Conclusion

Cleaning rusty pruners is a quick and simple task that can significantly extend the life of your gardening tools. By following these steps, you can restore your pruners to like-new condition. To keep your rust at bay, store your pruners in a dry place, clean them after each use, and apply protective coatings for an extra level of protection.