Just as with my snowblower, I take all of my garden equipment and prep them for the spring season ahead.  Last year I spread a fungal disease using the same pruners, and yard shears without cleaning them from my lilac bush to many other plants and trees.  I have now cleaned up my pruners and shears by lightly sanding the blades with a mild grade of sandpaper, rinsed off the entire tool with a mix of ten percent of bleach and water - you can dip your pruners or shears into a bucket a few times or mix up the ten percent solution in a spray bottle and spray the tools.  To help with the mechanics of the tools, spray  a little grease on the cross bar to help with the grip-dry the tool off and you should be disease free and ready to put them to work!   Spring has sprung and let your plants and trees flourish!