The Viral Lawn Mowing Hack That's Completely Hands-Free

If your grass seems taller every time you turn around, you're not imagining things. Most types of lawn grass grow at least 0.2 inches every day during the summer. That's over an inch every week! Before you know it, you have to take precious time out of your summer weekends to maintain a tidy lawn, especially if you live in a neighborhood with strict HOA rules. Don't run yourself in circles trying to keep up with tall grass this season — let your mower run in circles for you. 

A viral video shared by TikTok creator FJerry demonstrates a hands-free way to beautify your lawn and keep it at the right length by tying the lawnmower to a stake and launching it in a circular pattern. In a matter of minutes, the mower will wind its way inward to reveal a perfectly mowed patch. A mower on a rope might sound like something out of a "Tom and Jerry" episode, but this simple and affordable hack really works. Learn more about how a bit of clever backyard engineering could save you from hours behind the handlebar, as well as how to watch out for potential bumps in the road. 

In their viral video shared on TikTok, FJerry doesn't describe exactly how to construct the hack — but perhaps they don't need to. The concept is so simple and self-explanatory, we're surprised more people haven't tried it already. All you'll need is a sturdy stake or fence post, a long rope, and a self-propelled mower. Unfortunately, the hack won't work with a standard push mower, as the engine needs to be able to drive itself forward. 

Start by burying a stake in the center of the lawn, then tie your rope to the stake and make sure it's stable. Keeping the rope taut, step away from the stake until you reach the end of the area you'd like to mow. Walk in a circle around the stake to make sure there won't be any fences, rocks, garden plants, or patio furniture pieces within the mower radius, then cut the rope to length. Attach the rope to the side body of your mower, clear from the blades and wheels. YouTuber Luke's Amateur Hour had a brilliant idea to drill a spring into the body, then tie the rope to the spring. 

Finally, start the mower and let 'er rip! You may need to give the mower a push to start it in the right direction and use another rope or a bungee cord to hold down the safety handlebar. The mower will power forward and the rope will slowly pull it in an inward spiral.

While the mower hack really works, it takes a bit of trial and error to perfect. If the stake is too thin, the mower will pass over mowed areas several times and take a long time to finish, but if it's too thick, sections will be skipped and you'll be left with an awkward spiral in your yard. However, once you figure out the perfect measurements, you can reuse the rope to do this hack again and again. 

Of course, not all of the commenters on FJerry's TikTok video were convinced about the safety of this hack. "Imagine you look out the window and it's not there anymore," one joked, "String broke and it's 2 miles down the road by itself." While a runaway mower is unlikely, the trick may not work on extremely overgrown grass and is best for level lawns, as if the mower needs to travel uphill, the rope could lose tension. If you plan to try the hack yourself, watch the mower at all times, be prepared to turn it off before it hits the stake, and keep children and pets at a safe distance. In the end, you'll still have to do some hand-mowing to reach every corner of your lawn, but we have to admit this is a smart idea and comical to watch! Monitoring from the sidelines with a glass of lemonade beats mowing in the hot summer sun anytime.