How to Clean a Pole Saw

The pole saw is a great tool for pruning tree branches in your garden.

But like any other tool, you need to maintain it to get the best performance from it. And to ensure that it lasts for a long time.

One part of such maintenance is to keep the pole saw clean. This means keeping it free from debris, dust, and gunk that may collect over time.

Let’s look at the steps you can take to clean the pole saw blade.

We’re looking at an electric pole saw as an example. But the idea is the same whether you’re using a gas, electric, or manual pole saw.

1. Disassemble the guide bar and chain

The first step is to remove the screws on the chain cover so you can get the blade out of the pole saw.

Different pole saws may have different types of screws but the idea is to loosen them with a screwdriver.

Once the screws are taken out, the blade which includes the guide bar and chain will be visible.

The guide bar will be attached to the pole saw with a nut. You need to loosen it with a wrench or a nut socket.

Loosen the chain with the adjustment screw that you find near the end of the guide bar. Then the bar and chain will come off.

2. Clean the bar

You want to clean the groove in the bar that may have collected gunk from the oil that flows through it.

You can use a putty knife to clean the groove. Move the knife to and fro to dislodge the gunk. Keep doing this till all of it comes out.

Once you’re done, wipe the bar with a clean cloth to remove any debris from it. You could use a citrus cleaner or degreaser if you want.

3. Clean the chain

You can use an old toothbrush and some hand soap to clean the chain. You could also use a citrus cleaner or degreaser for this.

Brush the chain to clean the debris from it. Repeat the process on both sides of the chain till you find it has been cleaned up.

Then wipe it off with a clean cloth.

4. Assemble the bar and chain

Once you’re done with the cleanup, it’s time to assemble the pole saw back.

You should check that the chain is in the right direction to place on the guide bar. Place the guide bar correctly so it aligns with the nut used to adjust the chain tension.

Put the chain on the bar with the sharp areas in the rear direction. Make sure the chain threads are going into the groove.

Tighten the chain to a good level before you complete the assembly. Then put the nut back on that holds the guide to the pole saw.

The final thing to do is put the chain cover back on and secure it with the provided screws.