Are your tools rusting over the winter? Why do your neighbors leave them outside and laugh at you?

Do you haul shovels and pruning shears into the shed every fall, but still find rusty stains on the metal in the spring?

The neighbors seem to be making fun of them: their instruments spend the winter outdoors and look like new.

The secret is not in expensive coatings, but in the mixture that is prepared from improvised means.

Take an old candle and melt it in a water bath. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and mix thoroughly. Generously lubricate the metal parts of the tools with the warm mixture.

The wax will create a water-repellent layer, and the oil will prevent friction.

After processing, stick the shovels and pitchforks into the ground with the handles facing up - this way the precipitation will not linger on the surface.

But that's not all. Rust appears due to contact with moist air.

Wrap the blades in newspapers soaked in grease, or use silica gel (those little balls from shoe boxes). Put them in your toolbox to absorb excess moisture.

And if rust has already appeared, do not rush to throw away the tool. Mix vinegar and lemon juice in equal proportions, apply to the affected areas and leave for an hour.

Then rub the metal with a brush - it will shine like new. In a season, you will understand why the neighbors stopped hiding their inventory.

But there are nuances that you might not have thought about. For example, wooden handles also require care.

Rub them with linseed oil - this will protect them from drying out and cracking.

And for pruners and loppers, it is important to disassemble the mechanism, clean it from dirt and lubricate it with machine oil. Yes, this takes time, but in the spring you will not spend hours sharpening the blades.

Store knives and saws in thick, waxed fabric covers. And never leave tools on the ground, even if they have been treated. Use simple hooks or stands to keep them off the ground.

These little things seem insignificant, but they are what save the equipment from corrosion. In a couple of years, you will be surprised how long even a cheap tool can last if it is properly cared for.