The Simple Task That'll Keep Your Lawn Mower In Tip-Top Shape

A clean lawn mower means time saved repairing it later on. It might not be what you want to do after spending an afternoon mowing the grass, but a debris-free lawn mower always performs at its best. Save yourself time, money, and labor later with a simple task — spend a few minutes after each use removing grass and wiping down the outside. Don't make a mistake everyone makes when mowing their lawn and continue using a dirty, grass-caked machine.

Cleaning your entire lawn mower is not absolutely necessary after every use. However, the cleaner you keep it, the longer that the machine will last. Letting fresh grass and other debris stay caked on the blades and body will eventually lead to rust, and ruin the machine. Not cleaning off old grass can also lead to the continuing spread of fungal diseases in your lawn. You can learn how to clean your lawn mower from top to bottom easily by checking your user manual for tips.

Although you don't need to worry about deep-cleaning your mower after every use, try to remove grass clippings immediately. If you wait to remove the clippings after they have dried, you will have a much harder time later. Wet grass left on the blade will also increase the chance of rust buildup over time. However, remember that it's best to wait for the machine to cool down a little bit before you jump into any cleaning tasks. Try using a leaf blower or air compressor to blow the grass off the mower, or use a handheld broom to sweep away grass trapped in the blade. The main thing to remember is to avoid using water or a hose on the top part of a riding or push mower. Components like the air filter and oil filter are not protected from water, so you need to avoid spraying water directly into or onto them.

During the mowing season, you will need to plan a more frequent cleaning regimen. If you cut your grass every week, schedule time for the occasional deep-clean. Time this cleaning task after about 25 hours of use, depending on your type of mower and frequency of use. Not scheduling a deep-cleaning at least once or twice a year is one of the ways to accidentally damage your lawn mower and cause expensive repairs. At the very least, plan to put it away thoroughly-cleaned before winter, checking the cutting blade for dullness, decontaminating or replacing the air filter, and checking your spark plugs for wear.