Tools, Sharpening and Power Machinery - cleaning tools

I ususally like to clean my tools as soon as possible after using them. How do you pro's handle cleaning of tools at a job site? Do you clean them there or put them in a container and clean them off site? Cleaning brushes, knives and such can make a mess on a lawn.

For finishing tools, (knives, boxes, angleheads, & such) I keep plenty of old mud buckets around, so I've got 2 or 3 that I can keep clean rinse water in, tool always goes in the bucket when it's not being used. When I'm all done & ready for serious cleaning, most of the time there's no yard yet at the houses I'm workin on, do alot of residential new construction, so I just hook up the power washer & spray them all off, then oil 'em up & back into their storage. On remodels, where there's a need to leave the site very clean, I've got a large plastic bin with a lid that's fairly water tight I let the tools soak in until I can get to the shop or a near-by car wash! Main thing is to oil them after their cleaned, I've always used WD-40 on my finish tools.

I use compressed air to blow dust out of anything electric, (screwguns, routers, etc.) try to do it every wk or two at the most, especially routers, dust will really eat 'em up!