101 Ideas: Make your tools last longer

A continuing compendium of tips and tricks from Home & Garden Television:

If you like to get your hands dirty, chances are your tools are dirty, too. It's a good idea to take the time to clean and sharpen your tools.

Give tools a bubble bath to remove grit, dirt and grime. A wire brush comes in handy, especially to remove that caked-on soil. Make sure you scrub the back of the neck, where a lot of dirt accumulates.

For fine soil and rust, steel wool does the trick. Scrub the tool, dry it and see what's left. For stubborn rust, try sandpaper. If you've neglected your tools, you may need to use a little sweat equity to get the rust out. So be prepared to roll up your sleeves and use some elbow grease.

Sharpening the blade of a shovel:

To sharpen the blade, you need a vise to keep it in place, a pair of gloves so you won't get metal chards under the skin and a mill bastard file. Lay the file almost parallel to the blade of the shovel. Put weight on the outer edge. Pull it through and lift. Go one way. File the entire blade.

To polish the blade of the shovel, use a soft cloth with lubricating oil to prevent rust. While you're polishing, don't forget the handle. A household furniture oil helps keep wood in tiptop shape.

Sharpening pruners:

Take apart pruners to clean and sharpen them. Take a small wrench and remove the nut and bolt that connects the two blades together. Also unscrew the coil between the handles. Then you're ready to scrub the blades with steel wool and sandpaper to get rid of any fine dirt and rust. To sharpen the pruners, use a whetstone, pushing out toward the edge.

For thousands of other ideas visit www.hgtv.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.