I feel your pain... spent last weekend doing basically the same thing. Quick question though—does the towel trick work well with smaller metal bits too, or just nails? I've been using an old speaker magnet wrapped in a plastic bag. Works great for screws and nails, but tiny shards still stick stubbornly. Wondering if the towel makes a difference there.
I've tried the towel trick myself and honestly, it works pretty well for nails and screws, but tiny metal shards are still a pain. The fibers help catch some, but not all. Have you tried duct tape wrapped sticky-side-out around your hand? It’s tedious, but it grabs those stubborn bits pretty reliably.
I've had decent luck with duct tape too, but honestly, I find a strong magnet wrapped in a plastic bag works even better for those tiny metal shards. Last summer, I was tearing down an old shed and ended up with metal splinters everywhere—total nightmare. Tried the towel trick first, but like you said, it missed the smallest bits. Duct tape helped somewhat, but it was slow going. Eventually grabbed a magnet from an old speaker, wrapped it in a grocery bag (so cleanup was easy), and swept it over the area. Picked up way more than I expected...even stuff I couldn't see. Might be worth giving that a shot if you're still struggling with those stubborn shards.
Haha, magnets are seriously underrated. I remember after a storm took out my neighbor's old fence, he asked me to help clear the mess. We thought we got everything until his mower started making this awful grinding noise a week later—turns out we'd missed a bunch of tiny nails hidden in the grass. We tried duct tape too, but it was like playing the world's most frustrating game of hide-and-seek. Eventually, we grabbed one of those big magnets on wheels from the hardware store (you know, the ones roofers use?). Worked like magic. Honestly though, your speaker magnet trick sounds way smarter and cheaper...wish I'd thought of that at the time. Anyway, hang in there—weekend projects always have a way of turning into weekend adventures.
Magnets definitely have their place, but honestly, relying solely on magnets—even those big wheeled ones—can sometimes give you a false sense of security. I've seen it happen plenty of times on roofing jobs. Sure, they'll pick up most nails, especially the bigger ones, but smaller nails or staples can still slip through the cracks (or grass blades, in your case). And trust me, nothing ruins your day faster than stepping on a rusty nail you thought you'd already cleared.
In my experience, the best approach is to combine methods. Magnets first, then a thorough visual sweep afterward. Yeah, it's tedious and not exactly fun, but it beats dealing with mower repairs or tetanus shots later. Also, if you're dealing with grass or uneven ground, try raking lightly after using the magnet—it helps expose hidden nails that might be buried just beneath the surface.
The speaker magnet trick is clever and budget-friendly for sure, but keep in mind that speaker magnets usually aren't as strong as industrial-grade magnets designed specifically for cleanup. They might miss more than you'd think. If you're doing this kind of cleanup regularly or after a big project like fence removal or roofing work, investing in a proper rolling magnet isn't really that expensive when you factor in potential damage or injury costs.
Just my two cents from years of picking up stray nails...and occasionally learning the hard way.
