Restore, Don't Replace

Quality steel garden tools are expensive. If you left a shovel out in the rain or found rusty shears at a garage sale, you can restore them effortlessly using Evapo-Rust or simple household vinegar.

The Vinegar Soak Method

Fill a bucket with white vinegar and submerge the rusty metal parts. Leave it for 24 hours. The acetic acid reacts with the iron oxide, dissolving the rust.

Scrub and Neutralize

Remove the tool and scrub it with a stiff wire brush or steel wool. The rust will wipe away like wet mud. Rinse the tool in a mixture of water and baking soda to neutralize the acid and stop the etching process.

Protecting the Metal

Once dry, the bare metal will rust again immediately if exposed to air. Coat the tool generously with boiled linseed oil, WD-40, or a specialized tool wax. Sharpen the edge with a mill file, and it is ready for another decade of use!