One of the most conventional problems that shorten the lifespan of a fertilizer spreader is rust.
Fertilizer spreaders tend to get corroded the moment they begin to get old.
So, in short, it’s almost impossible to keep your spreader from rusting.
On the contrary, however, there are simple but effective ways to keep your fertilizer spreader from rusting.
By using these simple maintenance techniques, you can make use of your spreader for as long as possible without it suffering corrosion.
More importantly, by keeping your fertilizer spreader from rusting, you’re indirectly prolonging the life of the machine.
Below are the necessary steps that should be taken to keep fertilizer spreader from rusting:
Materials needed:
- Lubricant
- Paint
- Brush
Step 1:
Keeping your fertilizer spreader from rusting is one of the easiest things to do. And there are three basic ways to achieve this objective.
You can prevent rusting by simply keeping your spreader from direct sunlight and avoiding frequent contact with water.
If your fertilizer spreader is made of plastic, it may be easily affected by water and direct sunlight.
However, if your spreader is made of metal, then you must keep it away from direct sunlight and make sure it doesn’t come in contact with water.
The rays of the sun can cause a reaction in metal materials, which would eventually result in corrosion.
And in the case of water, almost everyone knows that metal and water aren’t good friends.
Metal materials usually get corroded when they constantly come in contact with water.
If you don’t have a store in your backyard where you can keep your spreader, then try as much as you can to create space indoors.
The goal is to keep the machine away from sunlight and water in order to avoid corrosion.
Step 2:
Keeping your fertilizer spreader away from water and direct sunlight is not all that is required to prevent the machine from rusting.
Applying lubricants to your spreader is a very effective method to prevent corrosion, especially when your spreader is made of metal.
When lubricant is applied to metal materials, it creates an invisible coat on the surface of the material, which enables the metal material to fight against corrosion.
You can simply apply lubricant with a brush on all the metal surfaces on your spreader. Once you’ve applied the lubricant, keep the machine in a cool and dry environment.
More importantly, it’s advised to apply lubricant on your fertilizer spreader the moment it comes in water.
By doing this, your spreader which is made of metal, won’t be corroded overnight.
Lubrication doesn’t only help to prevent rust, it also enables the spreader to perform smoothly.
Step 3:
Aside from lubricating your spreader and keeping it away from water and direct sunlight, it’s also recommended to repaint the machine.
Although repainting may not seem like a brilliant idea, it remains one of the best methods to fight against corrosion.
A larger percentage of fertilizer spreader users utilize the repainting method to prevent corrosion.
When your fertilizer spreader is repainted, a thing layer of coat is created on the metal surface of the machine.
This shields the spreader from any substance that can potentially corrode it. As a matter of fact, a repainted fertilizer spreader won’t rust when it comes in contact with water.
Moreover, even if your spreader is beginning to rust, the best way to save the machine from corrosion is by repainting it.
What causes fertilizer spreader to rust?
There is only one paramount reason why your fertilizer spreader could. And that’s frequent contact with water.
Just as I’ve initially stated in this article, water and metal are not compatible.
So, if your fertilizer spreader is made of metal material, ensure you keep it away from water in order to avoid corrosion.
This is the main reason why using water to clean your spreader is often discouraged.
Although there are some types of metal that can’t be corroded, these types are really expensive and can’t be used to manufacture a fertilizer spreader.
The type of metal material used in manufacturing a spreader can be easily corroded by water.
Related: Here is an article I wrote on do I need a fertilizer spreader?
Should I oil my fertilizer spreader?
It is absolutely recommended to oil your spreader, especially when it’s made of metal.
A fertilizer spreader that is lubricated regularly will definitely function better than a spreader that is occasionally lubricated.
Even if your spreader appears to be working fine and free from rust, don’t be hesitant to use lubricants.
Remember that prevention is certainly better than cure.
Is there a fertilizer spreader that won’t rust?
Fertilizer spreaders are typically manufactured either with metal or plastic materials.
The heavy-duty spreaders are usually composed of metal, while the small spreaders are made of plastic.
The fertilizer spreader made of plastic won’t suffer rust like the one made with metal.
Notwithstanding, it’s important you understand that the entire machine can’t be possibly made with only plastic.
There are a few components of the spreader that are made with metal, such as the wheels and handle.
So, in short, you can’t possibly get a fertilizer spreader that would be totally free from rust.
How do you unclog fertilizer spreader?
Most times, when people unclog their fertilizer spreaders, they usually dismantle the machine into parts and then couple it back to achieve this aim.
However, this is an unnecessarily long process that you don’t need to undergo. You can effortlessly unclog your fertilizer spreader by using a pressure washer.
A pressure washer is powerful enough clear out any blockage that is preventing the spreader from functioning appropriately.
Also, it’s never advisable to operate your spreader when it needs to be unclogged. If you do this, you’d subject the machine to a much worse condition.
Conclusion
Corrosion may actually be inevitable.
Once you’ve used a fertilizer spreader for a very long time, it will eventually rust.
But amazingly, your spreader can be used for as long as possible without it getting corroded, provided you’d adhere strictly to the aforementioned maintenance tips.
By using the simple steps explained in this article, it would be almost impossible for your spreader to get corroded.
