How to Clean Cannabis Trimming Scissors

It’s finally harvest time! Congratulations, you did it. Many moons ago (or not so many, if you are harvesting autos), you planted some seeds, and after water, nutrition, and training, you reached the last step. The finish line is so close you can almost taste it. You are eager to start trimming, but after some snipping, you see your scissors getting stickier and blunter. What to do now?

Why It's Important to Clean and Maintain Cannabis Trimming Scissors

Nobody wants to work harder than they’re supposed to, so why should you when it comes to trimming sticky cannabis? All of the good things you love about weed—trichomes and resin—might actually work against you in this instance. Soon after you start trimming your buds and manicuring them to perfection, you will see your blades getting stickier and less sharp.

You might think, “Why do I have to clean them?”. Well, even if it’s not a compulsory step in itself, you could end up with buds that are less than perfect and cross-contaminate your next batch if you allow your dirty scissors to develop harmful moulds and bacteria. Before we dive into the cleaning process, let’s see how you can maintain your scissors in optimal conditions, which will extend your equipment’s life and help you save some money too.

Tips for Using Cannabis Trimming Scissors

Some of these tips are just common sense, while others will actively help you during the harvest.

Oil the Blades

You might have used this trick around your house, from the hinges of your doors to the bolt heads in your DIY garage. Metal needs oil. But why? The oil acts as a protective layer and lubricant for your blades. The protective function will prevent rust, which can occur if you forget to properly dry your scissors after cleaning them with water, but it will also help with the overall smoothness of the cut, making your harvesting process that much easier.

Alternate Trimming Scissors

This is the oldest trick in the book. How can you prevent one pair of scissors from getting too sticky? Easy, use multiple pairs. This is especially useful if you’re dealing with a big harvest or different strains. A couple of extra shears can speed up the last step of your growing operation exponentially, especially if you leave them to rest in a cup of rubbing alcohol in between uses (more on this later).

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Scrape Off Excess Resin

Upon reading this guide, you might think that sticky trimming scissors are a bad thing, but we want to assure you that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Sticky blades equal resin, and resin equals cannabinoids.

Instead of dreading the cleaning process, think about it as the chance to taste your product before curing your buds. Use a sharp blade or scalpel and scrape off the resin before dumping your scissors in the rubbing alcohol. This is called “scissor hash” and can be tried fresh, or dried and saved for later.

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How to Keep Cannabis Trimming Scissors Clean

Now that you know how to get the best out of your trimming scissors, let’s find out how to clean them and get them ready for your next harvest.

1. Rubbing Alcohol

Nothing cleans and disinfects better than high-grade alcohol. The best approach is to scrape the resin off and then dump the scissors in a cup of rubbing alcohol—just make sure the blades are completely submerged in the solution. We strongly advise leaving them resting anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes, and this is exactly why we mentioned getting multiple shears. This is the most time-effective method to trim your cannabis. Once the scissors have rested, just take them out and wipe them clean with a towel.

2. Citrus Remover or Fruit Peel

If the idea of alcohol doesn’t suit you or is harder to come by where you live, you might want to try a homemade solution. For the citrus remover, you need to combine equal parts baking soda and coconut oil in a bowl, then add a natural citrus oil. You can use a cotton ball or cloth to gently remove any excess left on your scissors. You can achieve similar results by simply using fresh citrus peel (since it’s the citrus oil in the peel that helps to remove the resin). Peel your fruit or grate the skin and rub your blades with the help of a cloth.

3. White Vinegar

Almost anyone will have white vinegar lying around the house, and this is a perfect cleaner as well. Similarly to the alcohol, soak your scissors in a cup of vinegar and then wipe off any residue with a cloth or towel. Since vinegar is less potent than rubbing alcohol, you might need to do this twice.

4. Freeze Your Trimming Scissors

This is not a cleaning procedure in itself, but will make any of the methods above easier to carry out. Freezing your scissors will help compact the resin while lifting it slightly from the blade. You will see how much easier it is to scrape the precious trichomes once they are frozen.

Is It So Bad to Have Sticky Scissors? — Conclusion

Absolutely not. Sticky scissors can only mean one thing: you did a terrific job growing your plants. Welcome this slight annoyance with happiness!

To recap, we believe the best way to deal with sticky scissors is as follows. Get your cup of cleaning solution ready, as well as the second pair of scissors. Once the first one gets too sticky to continue performing well, put them in the freezer for 10–15 minutes. Once frozen enough, use a scalpel or razor to scrape off the residue—so you can try the fruits of your labour straight away! You can now dump your scissors in the solution or use some citrus remover to clean them. Lastly, you can oil your blades with a couple of drops.

Luke Sumpter

With a BSc (Hons) degree in Clinical Health Sciences and a passion for growing plants, Luke Sumpter has worked as a professional journalist and writer at the intersection of cannabis and science for the past 7 years.

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