Having a yard is a perfect hobby for people who love to keep a lawn. But the grass in the lawn needs care, and watering is one essential need of all grass. You need a garden hose to water the grass effortlessly.

MUST READ: How Do You Fix A Pinhole In A Garden Hose?

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However, owning a garden hose comes with its own maintenance. If you don’t maintain and store your garden hose properly, it might stiff the garden hose.

For those with a stiff garden hose, this guide will teach you different ways to soften a stiff garden hose.

How to Soften A Stiff Garden Hose

Using the Sun

First, you need to drain the Hose of all Water, which makes it heavy and hard to handle. Removing water entirely from the Garden Hose will enable you to coil it neatly. 

1. Detach any fixtures such as sprinkler you attached to the ends of the Garden hose.
2. Next, unwind the hose to its full length on the ground and let it drain fully. For faster draining, place one side on top of a dais to raise it a bit.
3. You could also carry one end up as you walk towards the other end for quicker draining.
4. Let the fully extended hose stay in the sun for one to two hours to become more bendable for easy winding.
5. If the hose is of a dark color, it will be hot, so handle with caution. Using a hand glove is recommended.
6. Coil it up when hot because when it gets cold, it will become hard again.
7. Wrap it in a reel or coil it neatly and place it on the floor or inside a garden bucket.

Using Hot Water

Just as you used the sun to soften a stiff garden hose, you can do the same by immersing it in hot water for a while.

Here is how to do it.

1. Boil water and drop the hose inside the hot water 
2. As the hose becomes softer, add hotter water on it. Do not allow the water to be excessively hot to avoid breaking the garden hose.
3. Wear a hand glove to avoid scorching the hose while it is hot.
4. Next, coil the hose into a ring with a diameter of about 2 to 3 feet or .91 meters. This width will keep it from kinking when you start uncoiling it.
5. Store the coiled hose in a warm place to keep it from cracking or kinking. If the hose is small, place it in a large garden bucket. If it is more, hang it in a garden hose hanger.

Using Silicon

Apart from using hot water and the sun to make a hose pliable, below are other ways to soften a stiff garden hose using silicon.

1. Spray the hose with silicon to soften it
2. Next, coat all parts of the hose with the plasticizer and put the hose in a large polythene sack and seal the bag.  
3. Allow the garden hose to soak for a period of one day to a week.
4. After one week, open the sack and examine the hose to test whether it is soft enough. 
5. Take it out of the bag if the test proves that it is soft enough. But, if it is still hard, return it to the sack for another week.

Using Oil 

Soaking your stiff garden hose in oil can do the trick. For example, using methyl salicylate or wintergreen oil can make the hose flexible. You can get the solution from a pharmacy in your area. 

Items you need to execute this plan are: 

• A bottle of rubbing Alcohol that has either isopropyl or ethanol
• A bottle of wintergreen oil
• Hand glove, and pincers
• A large plastic container that has a tight cover and water  

Step 1: Detach the hose connectors, clean, and dry the hose.

Step 2: Take a sizeable plastic container and fill it with warm water for soaking the garden hose.

Step 3: Put on a hand glove and add one piece of wintergreen oil into the plastic container. 

Step 4: Immerse the hose inside this mixture. Allow the compound to soak into the hose for some days. Examine the garden hose by lifting a part of it with a pincer and then use your hand wearing a glove to bend it to test its flexibility.

Step 5: Do not be in a hurry to take the hose out of the solution. Let it stay in there for days until you are satisfied that it is soft enough.

Step 6: Remove the hose from the container and clean it carefully with a clean towel, and let natural air dry it. Beware wintergreen has an intense smell, and so, it is recommended that you wash the hose with a soft detergent to rid it of the smell. 

Using WD40 

Immersing the hose in a lubricant could be another solution for the inquiry how do you soften a stiff garden hose? WD40 is an anticorrosion multiuse unique lubricant. It has soil elimination and water dislodging capability. 

The product is mostly used in a mechanic workshop to clean engine compartment hoses, chrome, glass, and more.  Other ways this solution is used include softening rubber. Follow the steps below to attempt softening a stiff garden hose with WD40.

1. Go to a hardware store and buy the solution.
2. Remove the metal couplings of the garden hose. 
3. Put on a leather hand gloves, get a big washbowl, and pour a sizable quantity WD40 inside the container.
4. Place the hose in the washbowl and submerge it thoroughly and then allow the product to soak into the hose for about twenty minutes.
5. Bring out the hose and use a soft towel to clean it. Wipe it until you cannot perceive the odor of the WD40 anymore.
6. Examine the Robber garden hose, and you will find out that it is fresher and softer than before.  

Garden Hose Maintenance Tips

To prevent costly maintenance and inconveniences when you need the garden hose most, buy a durable garden hose from reputable manufacturers. Once you have invested your money, it makes sense to care for the hose. There are rules for the up keeping of your garden hoses.

Make sure you store your garden hose indoors because leaving it in freezing cold weather is one thing you should never try. The ideal place to store your hose is in a garage or basement where it won’t be affected by the elements. Another cool option is to use a hose reel, which is designed to store garden hoses. 

Also, make sure you fix leaks the minute you notice it. Also, change couplings early when they are corroded. Do not wait until the corrosion makes it nearly impossible to remove it from the hose.  Get the right faucet and change it when it starts leaking or damaged.

How To Properly Store Your Garden Hose

After knowing how to soften a stiff garden hose, it’s time to teach you proper ways to store your hose to delay wear and tears and keep the hose softer for a longer time. 

However, it’s advisable to get a hose reel or simply get an old motor Rim and nail it on the wall to store the hose neatly. Assuming you have a reel mounted on a wall, follow steps to properly wind it around the roller.

1. Detach the hose from the faucet. 
2. Ensure the water drains out of the hose before storing it
3. Start winding the hose on the drum of the reel
4. Guide the hose by winding the reel across the drum smoothly.
5. Turn the reel handle by rotating to the right
6. Holding the hose with the other hand while turning the reel handle will make the work easier.
7. Make sure the end of the hose with the sprayer faces downwards when you hook it up finally. 

FAQs

 What is the ideal temperature to soften a hose?

Rubber will soften at a temperature range of about 200 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above this range could cause heat to destroy the hose.

What is the best way to hang my garden hose?

A: If you store the garden hose on a hose hanger, it will last longer. Before you hang it, drain the water completely. Make sure the rack is wide enough to store it, and that the sprayer points down.

In Conclusion

Overall, the methods listed above are some of the best ways to soften a stiff garden hose, so it’s left to you to pick your choice. Keep in mind that proper storing of the hose will make it last longer and decreasing downtime. We hope this post is helpful.

Check out our related post below:

• How to Bury a Garden Hose for Easy Watering Transport
• How to Fix Leaking Garden Hose Connector
• Why Does My Garden Hose Keep Bursting?
• How Do I Stop My Garden Hose From Twisting?
• How do you Sanitize a Water Hose like a Pro?