Garden power tool maintenance: expert tips to extend the life of your tools

Garden power tools are expensive, so it's especially frustrating if your garden machinery breaks down sooner than expected. 

Regular maintenance checks not only ensure smooth running but also help your tools work as efficiently as possible for as long as possible. 

Our expert tips will keep your grass trimmer, hedge trimmer, garden shredder and pressure washer in good nick so you won't have to keep replacing your garden equipment every spring.

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How to maintain a grass trimmer

To prolong the life of your grass trimmer, ensure you clean it after use. Dirt and debris can build up in the trimmer head and clog up the line mechanism, which means it isn’t as efficient at spinning the cutting line. 

Switch it off and unplug it from the mains or remove the battery if it's a cordless model. Also, ensure it’s had a chance to cool down after use. 

Wear protective gloves and use a soft brush to brush away any grass from the trimmer’s outer casing. Turn the trimmer over and remove any grass from under the guard and around the line feed or blades.

Storing a grass trimmer

• Before storing away, give your grass trimmer a thorough clean and lightly spray the metal surfaces with a little WD-40. Leave the WD40 on for 10 minutes before wiping dry. Not only will it last longer, but a freshly cleaned trimmer will also perform better.
• Ensure you completely empty the fuel tank if it's a petrol grass trimmer. Also, check that the carburettor is empty by running the trimmer until the engine shuts down. 
• Manufacturers recommend storing grass trimmers in a dry area, with no weight on the guard or the cutting attachment to prevent damage.

Time to replace your old tool? Compare the results of the best grass trimmers we tested.

How to maintain a hedge trimmer

When you’ve finished the job, use a damp cloth to wipe off any dirt from your hedge trimmer and remove any leaves and twigs caught in the teeth. 

Apply lubricant to both sides of the blades with a cloth and run the hedge trimmer briefly to distribute the oil on the moving surfaces.

Unless you feel confident yourself, take your hedge trimmer to a local garden machinery specialist to get the blades sharpened if they become blunt, or have them replaced. This will maintain their efficiency and make the machine safer to use.

How to store a hedge trimmer

• Once the trimmer is clean and ready to be put away, take out the battery and store it separately. See our tips for proper battery care below.
• Leading manufacturers, such as Husqvarna, recommend that you keep your hedge trimmer stored horizontally. You can also hang the hedge trimmer on the hook if you have one in place. Always store it in a dry, frost-free location.

Take a look at the best hedge trimmers for tall, short and large hedges from our rigorous tests.

Battery care for cordless power tools

If you own a cordless grass or hedge trimmer, the correct storage of the battery can help extend its life. 

Once you’re finished using your garden tool, remove the battery from the trimmer. Keeping it inside the trimmer when you store it can lead to corrosion or the charge leaching out over time.

Give the battery a wipe down with a dry cloth and, if it came with a protective case, make use of it and store it in a dry place at a moderate temperature.

Batteries are sensitive to extremes of temperature, which will damage the cells or reduce the performance. It’s best to store the battery indoors and keep it away from any blisteringly hot or below-freezing greenhouses or sheds.

It’s also good practice to leave some charge remaining in the battery before storing it, ideally around 40%. 

Make sure that you charge your battery up a few times, even though you’re not using it. If you allow the battery to deplete and stay at 0% charge, it may subsequently fail to hold any charge at all when you come to use it again. 

You should be able to buy a replacement battery to get the tool up and running again, although you may be surprised at the price.

How to maintain a garden shredder

Roller garden shredders don't require much maintenance. In most cases, when performance deteriorates, the only thing you'll need to do is adjust the counter-plate using the adjusting screw.

Across all types (roller, impact and turbine) blockages are the most common reason for a garden shredder not working. Always turn off your machine before attempting to unblock it, remove the cuttings, then sweep out the inside with a brush and wipe it down with a dry cloth.

When you finish unblocking and cleaning, let your shredder run freely to check whether any leftover debris is still stuck in the equipment.

Blunt blades will also need replacing. Check with your shredder's manufacturer if they can supply spare parts such as blades. Expensive petrol shredders should be serviced by garden machinery specialists.

Storing a garden shredder

• As with most power tools, you'll want to store the machine in a dry place, away from heat or ignition sources and out of direct sunlight. This will help prevent rust or electrical issues later down the line.
• It's best practice to empty the tank before storing it away for longer periods, but if you are storing it with fuel in the tank, always ensure good ventilation.

 Find out the results of the garden shredders we tested to see which ones came out on top.

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How to maintain a pressure washer

It might be tempting to simply store away your pressure washer once you're done using it, but basic maintenance should be performed after every use. 

This can extend the life of your machine as it prevents issues such as internal corrosion and damage from mineral build-up.

First, disconnect the pressure washer from the water mains and ensure it's turned off. Once the wand is disconnected from the gun, inspect the nozzle. If there are any blockages, clean clogged nozzles with the needle included with the pressure washer. Check and clean the inlet too.

Now inspect the filter. Regular filter maintenance prevents blockages and ensures a steady water flow, which is necessary for a consistent cleaning performance. 

If it needs cleaning, you're best off using a pair of pliers to pull out the filter. Once removed, give it a few gentle taps to remove any loose dirt and then rinse it well under running water before fitting it back.

Storing a pressure washer

• Make sure to fully drain all water from the pressure washer and attachments. Use wall mounts, hangers or specialised racks to keep hoses and accessories organised.
• If you won't be storing your pressure washer inside, it's also important to keep it in a frost-free place over winter or the internal pipes can get frozen and burst, leaving you with a useless machine.

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