Tools, Sharpening and Power Machinery - Cleaning my tools

Hello guys, I am really new to doing things myself, both in experience and age... I want to start with a question:

my old tools, which I havn't used for a while, had an "accident" with some poxy glue. It's not that bad, but it makes the handles all sticky and my pliers barly open. I also have some dry silicon on my other tool (I am not sure how it's called, it's the one you use to spread lquidish substences, such as glue or silicon, on a surface. it's wide and flat, made of metal, really simple tool, much like a butter knife only bigger) which I want to get off. How do I do that? can I put the tools into hot water, or some other solution?

That's it for now, more questions to come!

I have found alcohol works well for clean epoxy. Using rubbing or methyl hydrate. Gasline antifreeze is alcohol. It should work.

I use a wire brush on a grinder to spiff tools....

And I'll guess he's describing a margin trowel....