Looks like spring is almost here. Our annual snow load by-passed us and hit the mid-west and northeast sections of the United States, consequently our temperatures have been fairly moderate.

Every year before winter, I collect all of my garden tools and prep them for the next growing season. I guess because of business demands last year I didn’t do a very good job because Saturday I went to my tool shed I realized I had a lot of work to do.

For me, tools make my life a lot easier. It would be a real pain trying to dig a hole with a stick instead of a shovel or driving a nail with a rock instead of a hammer. Below are a few tricks I learned from my Dad.

• To keep your garden tools clean get a 5 gallon bucket. Fill it with sand and dump 1 quart of used motor oil into the bucket. Take a garden hand spade and mix up the mixture. Once mixed up, drive in to the sand your shovels and hand tools. You’ll be surprised at how well this mixture cleans and re-conditions the tools.

• To re-condition hand tools. Get an old sock, stray it with WD-40 then slip it over your hand and clean your equipment. When the sock get large holes in it, just throw it away. It works great.

• If your garden shears become sticky. Clean them up by using rubbing alcohol; which should dissolve the plant sap build up, and then spray them down with WD-40.

• In the old days I used a steel file to sharpen my Hedge Trimmers. Last summer at a yard sale I bought a electric Dremel 932 which a honing stone on it. Gosh, what a big difference. I can sharpen my stuff in half the time now.

If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES (208-255-2266) or toll free at 1-877-311-NWES. E-mail them to nwees@hughes. net  or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St. , Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed do?  For more information about Ed’s company, check him out at NWESINC. COM.

Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection and remediation contractor. Ed is the president of  Northwest Executive & Environmental Services, Inc.