How to Clean Saw Blades

Before cleaning a saw blade:

• Check the saw or blade documentation for safety, cleaning and maintenance steps specific to your blade.
• Unplug a corded saw and disconnect the battery on a cordless saw before making adjustments or doing any work on the blade or saw.
• Wear the appropriate safety gear. You need heavy work gloves to handle a saw blade and eye protection when cleaning or removing rust from the blade. If you’re using chemical solvent or cleaner, wear eye protection and cleaning gloves and work in an area with good ventilation.
• Remove the blade from the saw according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Inspect the blade for damage. If the blade is chipped or damaged or if it’s heavily rusted, replace the blade. If the blade is dull, have a professional sharpen it.

It’s a good idea to clean away sawdust after each use of the saw:

• Brush or blow sawdust from the blade. You can often use a soft-bristle brush or a can of compressed air to remove sawdust. 
• This is also a good time to clean dust from the saw itself as well as the air vents and to make sure the blade guard works correctly.

Resin or pitch accumulates as a saw blade contacts sap in wood workpieces. This sticky substance creates excess friction, dulls the cutting surfaces, clogs gullets — the spaces between the teeth — and collects more sawdust and debris. Your saw or blade documentation might have instructions for removing deposits with a solvent such as turpentine, but you can also try a 1:1 mixture of water and liquid laundry detergent:

• Coat the blade with the detergent solution. Set the blade in a tray or container and allow the solution to work for about 15 minutes.
• Use a small brush with stiff, synthetic bristles to carefully scrub away the deposits, paying particular attention to the teeth and gullets. Scrub outward from your body to reduce the risk of pulling the blade toward you. Clean both sides of the blade.
• If the blade doesn’t have a coating, such as a non-stick layer, you can scrub lightly with a brass-bristle brush. Be careful to avoid scoring the surface or dulling the teeth.
• Thoroughly dry the blade with a clean cloth.

If a bare metal blade has light rust deposits, you can remove them with steel wool:

• Lightly scrub the deposits. Too much pressure can score or damage the blade.
• Wipe away all debris and residue.
• If the rust is deeper than surface level or if scrubbing reveals damage, replace the blade with a new one.

Once the blade is clean, prepare it for use or storage:

• Ensure the blade is completely dry and free of debris.
• Apply a light coat of oil, hardware lubricant or rust preventative to the blade.
• Reinstall the blade or store it out of the reach of children and away from dust and moisture.