I tried the viral aluminum foil trick to sharpen my dull pruners. Here’s what happened

Pruning shears with aluminum foil — (Image credit: Future / Camilla Sharman)

You’ll often spot me in my yard, pruning back my shrubs, deadheading flowers, and keeping my garden tidy. And I know that using one of the best pairs of pruning shears makes every gardener’s life that little bit easier.

It’s essential to keep your pruning shears clean and sharp. Maintaining your pruning shears will not only extend their life, but will also ensure your plants and cuttings are cared for, too.

Over time, the blades on pruners become clogged with residue and become dull, so if you don’t sharpen the blades, you won’t make a clean cut. What’s more, your plants will be more susceptible to disease.

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What I did

Pruning shears and aluminum foil — (Image credit: Future / Camilla Sharman)

My pruners weren’t completely dull, but they needed a slight sharpening to ensure they gave a clean, sharp cut.

I took a standard grocery store roll of aluminum foil and tore off a sheet about 15 inches long. I then folded it in half three times, ending up with a small rectangle with 16 layers of foil. I then cut through the foil using the full extent of the blades, repeating this 15 times.

I then tried the pruners again, but I didn't notice a difference in how they cut, and I wasn’t convinced that the aluminum foil had helped to sharpen the blades.

So, disappointed with the result, I returned to my trusted sharpening stone and went back to my old method.

What did I learn?

Pruning shears with sharpening stone — (Image credit: Future / Camilla Sharman)

Although the aluminum foil may have removed some residue from the blades during the cutting action, it didn’t help sharpen them, which was the main purpose of the exercise.

However, although I won't be using aluminum foil to sharpen my pruning shears again, I wouldn’t rule out using it to clean off the residue before I sharpen them in my usual way.

But although I wasn't impressed with the results of this particular hack, there are plenty of other ways to use aluminum foil in your yard. Aside from keeping pests at bay, it can be used on hummingbird feeders to keep the nectar cool and bacteria-free. What's more, indoors, it can be used to clean faucets and add the sparkle back to your flatware.

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