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How To Maintain a Lawn Mower: Pro Tips!

how to maintain a lawn mower
Written by Willie Osgood
Last Update: May 3, 2023

Choosing the right lawnmower is a vital decision, so it is important to carry out the necessary investigation before making up your mind about the brand you want to go for. Everyone wants to get value for every penny when it comes to investment.

But the next step is even more important. One of the essential keys that can help secure your mower is a regular service; doing this will help the machine and increase its efficiency.

How To Maintain a Lawn Mower

Below are some tips you can use to ensure your lawnmower works effectively, and as well as prolong its longevity.

How To Maintain a Lawn Mower

Yearly Lawn Mower Service

One useful step you can take to ensure your mower is in good working condition is to set out time for regular maintenance. Scheduling time for predictive and preventive maintenance will give you an edge forward.

During this, you should sketch out things that should be done regularly through the Season and parts that need to be maintained yearly.

Before it gets to the next mowing season, you can take out time to schedule your annual service maintenance. Here is how to go about this:

1. Sharpen the blades

Keeping your blades sharp is one of the top factors to bring to focus if you intend to keep your mower running properly.

If you use a blunt blade to mow, you will end up tearing the grasses instead of having a clean cut. This can only lead to damage, leaving the plants weak and vulnerable to disease.

2. Replace the spark plug

 Replacement of spark plugs is yet another step to maintain optimum performance. You can add this task to your yearly maintenance list, and schedule a time frame that falls within the springtime.

3. Check the oil

Check the oil of the lawn mower

Before the next mowing season, it essential to use enough oil to lubricate joint and oil up the engine. You can use a dipstick to spot out the oil level.

4. Check the fuel

At the close of the season, try as much as you can to take off leftover fuel that is retained in the engine. Usually, gasoline doesn’t last long, and if it remains in the mower for a protracted time, it can lead to damage.

5. Check the air filter

Ensure the filter is debris-free and clean. If the filter is not clogged, then it can be cleaned easily, but when it’s clogged, the best you can do is seek a replacement.

Filters are usually not expensive, and logically a yearly replacement of the filter is an option worth considering.

6. Check the tires

If your lawnmower is something you can ride on, then proper attention should be given to the tires to ensure it is adequately inflated. Doing this also helps the machine to run efficiently when used. This is also applicable to mowers that use inflatable tires.

Throughout The Season

Once the spring service is completed, get ready for the next coming Season. Though once you start the process, there are some essential maintenances you can carry out. Below is a list of some of the basics you can start with.

1. Basic cleaning

Once you’re done using the mower, make sure it is kept clean and free from debris before taking it back to the store or shed.

This is not a big deal; all that is need is to check and ensure that grasses or debris are not stuck beneath the mower, which, if ignored, can prevent the blade from running correctly.

2. Changing the oil

Changing the oil of the lawn mower

If your mower is gas-powered, it is essential to have an eye on the level of oil. When it gets extremely low, and the mower is still running, it can lead to damage to the engine.

3. Checking the blades

This solely depends on how often your mower is used, we recommend checking out the blade to see how sharp they are, and if its blade is blunt, don’t hesitate to get it sharped. If the mower is used occasionally, then this step can be skipped.

At The Close of the Mowing Season

At the close of the Season, prepare the mower and get it ready for storage. Here’s how to go about it.

1. Remove fuel

If your hill mower runs on gas, it is essential to take off leftover fuel from the tank before keeping it in the storage all through the winter. Old fuel can cause corrosion on the inner part of the mower.  We recommend removing the old fuel before storage.

2. Remove the battery

If your mower is battery-powered, discount it during the winter season. And don’t forget to boost it a couple of times to keep it working in an optimum condition. Leaving your battery without charging it for 5 – 6 months will affect its performance when next you intend using it.

3. Final clean

Before taking the mower to the garage or shed, it’s important to clean it thoroughly and make sure all forms of debris and grassed that are stuck beneath the machine are cleaned up before taking it to the storage.

4. Care will increase durability

If your mower is properly taken care of, it can last for 8- 10 years, though the reverse can be the case if proper maintenance is not carried out with time. Adhering to these tips is a sure way to increase the longevity and performance of your mower.

Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips

Most people love to seek the attention of a professional when it comes to servicing their mower at the end, or beginning of the Season. Nevertheless, some love been practical with technical devices; as a result, they carry out their maintenance themselves.

Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips

Taking out time to maintain your lawnmower can be time consuming and messy, and if time is a luxury you can’t afford, then we recommend calling the attention of a professional. On the other hand, if you prefer doing it yourself, then the following steps can go a long way:

  • Get used to the manufacturer’s manual

I believe causing damage to the parts of your mower will be the last thing anyone will want to do; this is why it’s important to go through the owner’s manual carefully to know how to handle the mower. The instructions are there to guide and provide you with the necessary support.

  • Remove or disconnect the spark plug

We recommend replacing the spark plug annually; this will help start the engine easily. Removing the spark plug before any further step of maintenance is also an ideal way to prevent accidents.

  • Drain off the remaining gasoline

You can run the engine until the entire fuel gets drained off. Retaining old gasoline can affect the performance of the mower.

  • Clean up the lawnmower

To increase the performance, clear off debris and grasses that are trapped underneath the carriage throughout the Season.

  • Top or replace the oil

Check out the steps involved from the manufacturer’s manual on how to change the oil from your mower, and the recommended type of oil. Once the oil gets contaminated or old, it’s advisable to replace it immediately.

  • Replace or clean up air filter

When the air filter is clean, the mower works with higher efficiency. You can clean up or carry out a replacement on the filter by following the steps included in the manufacture’s manual.

Conclusion

So, there you go – pretty simple like A, B, C, right? The steps above are basically what you need to carry out when it comes to maintaining a lawnmower. It easy and doesn’t demand any level of technicality; in as much as you get close to your manufacturers’ manual, you’re good to go.

About the author

Willie Osgood

An Avid Metalworker

Willie doesn’t really consider himself an artist, rather a craftsman involved in practical trades. Yet, most of his projects require him to make interesting and fine objects. Being the eldest son of a carpenter, his background is 100 percent rooted in crafting. He found the art of blacksmithing quite appealing since his teenage years… that fire, the sound of swinging hammers, and those long and shiny blades that came out as a finished product. Soon he literally became obsessed with metal – the way it moved, worked, and changed when heated or cooled.

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