Maintaining your lawn mower helps it have a long life and lets you keep your yard looking its best. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a newcomer to lawn care, proper maintenance can save time, money, and frustration. This guide will walk you through lawn mower maintenance tips, from basic upkeep to seasonal care.
Understanding Lawn Mower Maintenance
Lawn mower maintenance isn’t just about keeping the machine running. It’s about optimizing its performance and extending its lifespan. Regular upkeep prevents breakdowns, improves cutting efficiency, and can even enhance the health of your lawn. Following simple steps, homeowners can ensure their mowers are always ready for action when the grass grows.
When to Perform Lawn Mower Maintenance
Knowing when to maintain your lawn mower is as important as knowing how. Perform lawn mower maintenance during these critical times:
Start of the Season
Preparing your mower for the work ahead is crucial as spring arrives, and it’s time to start mowing again. This season is the perfect time to change the oil, replace the air filter, and change the spark plug. These tasks enable your mower to start easily and run efficiently throughout the cutting season.
First, drain the old oil from the engine, ensuring proper disposal. Refill with fresh oil, preferably the type recommended by the manufacturer, which balances viscosity and thermal breakdown protection. Next, remove the old spark plug, inspect it for wear, and install a new one. Finally, remove the air filter. Clean it with soap and water if it is a foam filter. Dry it thoroughly before adding a few drops of oil and reinstalling it. For a paper filter, replacing it is often the better option if it’s heavily soiled.
During the Mowing Season
Regular maintenance during the mowing season keeps your mower running smoothly. This process includes checking the oil level before each use, cleaning the mower deck after cutting, and inspecting the blade for damage or dullness. Addressing these areas will prevent unexpected breakdowns and maintain cutting quality.
Additionally, take time to regularly inspect the various bolts and screws securing different components of your mower. Vibration from the engine can sometimes cause these to loosen. Tightening them can prevent more critical mechanical failures. Also, ensure the mower’s wheels align and rotate freely for even cutting performance.
End of the Season
When the mowing season ends in late fall, it’s time to prepare your mower for winter storage. Winter preparation involves draining the fuel tank or adding a fuel stabilizer, cleaning the mower thoroughly, and addressing any repairs or part replacements needed before the next season.
Draining fuel prevents gum deposits in the fuel system. An alternative method is using a fuel stabilizer. Homeowners who plan to leave fuel in the tank throughout the winter will find that the stabilizer protects the fuel and prevents carburetor damage. Additionally, remove the mower blade, clean it, and inspect for signs of wear or damage. It might be the best time to replace a heavily worn blade.
Annual Lawn Mower Maintenance Checklist
To keep your lawn mower in top condition, follow this annual maintenance checklist:
Change the Oil
Even if the oil doesn’t appear dirty, changing it at the beginning of each season is crucial. Over time, oil collects impurities that can damage the engine. Consult your mower’s manual for the correct oil type and changing procedure.
Catch the old oil in a suitable drain pan that is recyclable. Refill the engine with clean oil. Fill it to the correct level indicated on the dipstick. This action lubricates the engine’s moving parts and provides better operational efficiency.
Replace or Clean the Spark Plug
A clean, properly gapped spark plug ensures easy starting and efficient engine operation. Many manufacturers now offer pre-gapped spark plugs, making replacement simple. However, checking the gap with a spark plug gap tool is still wise to ensure accuracy.
After removing the old spark plug, wipe around the hole to clean away potential debris that might fall into the cylinder. When installing the new spark plug, turn it by hand to avoid cross-threading, then tighten it with a spark plug wrench.
Clean or Replace the Air Filter
A clean air filter is critical for optimal engine performance. For paper filters, remove debris with compressed air. On the other hand, foam filters can be washed with soap and water, dried, and lightly oiled before reinstallation. Replace filters that are excessively dirty or damaged.
Check that the air filter housing is free from dust and debris before inserting a new or cleaned filter. A dirty air filter can reduce engine life and increase fuel consumption, making this a critical maintenance component.
Sharpen or Replace Mower Blades
Sharp blades make the job easier and keep your lawn healthy. Dull blades do not cut cleanly, potentially leading to lawn diseases. Remove the blade carefully and disconnect the plug wire for safety. Sharpen the blade following the existing bevel or replace it if it is too worn or damaged.
After sharpening, balance the blade on a blade balancer to ensure even weight distribution. An unbalanced blade can cause vibrations that may damage the mower and compromise cutting quality.
Tips for Lawn Mower Maintenance
Maintaining your lawn mower doesn’t have to be a chore. Here are some practical tips to make the process easier and more effective:
Keep It Clean
After each use, clean grass clippings and debris from the mower deck. Cleaning prevents rust and ensures optimal cutting performance. A putty knife or wire brush can help remove stubborn buildup.
Using a garden hose can also assist in keeping the underside of the deck free from substances that collect moisture and cause rust. Ensure the deck is dry before storing the mower to prevent rust formation.
Check Tire Pressure
For riding mowers, proper tire pressure is essential for an even cut. Monitor and adjust tire pressure as needed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Under-inflated tires can cause uneven cutting and additional strain on the mower’s engine. Over-inflated tires lead to poor traction, affecting maneuverability. Both scenarios lead to an inefficient mowing job.
Lubricate Moving Parts
Apply lubricant to wheel bearings, control cables, and other moving parts as specified in your mower’s manual. This action reduces wear and ensures smooth operation.
Use a high-quality lubricant or grease recommended by the manufacturer. Lubrication prevents metal parts from rusting and ensures the smooth operation of moving components like wheels and levers, which are crucial for keeping the mower in top working condition.
Store Properly
Store your mower in a covered area that remains dry when not in use. Consider using a mower cover for long-term storage to protect it from dust and moisture.
Keeping the mower dry and protected prevents rust and degradation of the metal and plastic components. If possible, store it elevated from the ground to avoid moisture contact.
Types of Lawn Mowers
Push Mowers
Push mowers are ideal for smaller yards and require less maintenance than their larger counterparts. Key maintenance tasks include regular blade sharpening, oil changes (for gas-powered models), and air filter cleaning or replacement.
Electric Mowers
Whether corded or cordless, electric mowers generally require less maintenance than gas-powered models. Simple maintenance like blade sharpening or replacement, battery care (for cordless models), cable inspections (for corded models), and general cleaning and storage are all required.
Battery Management
For cordless models, follow battery care recommendations, typically involving full discharges and recharges to extend battery life. Store batteries in a cool, dry place.
Cable Inspections
Check regularly for wear or fraying in corded models. Replace a damaged cable immediately to avoid safety hazards during operation.
For battery-powered cordless models, maintenance is even simpler, focusing mainly on blade care and battery management.
Battery-powered cordless models are becoming more and more popular. Not only are they quieter and more environmentally friendly than gas-powered models, but cordless electric mowers greatly reduce the maintenance needed since they don’t need oil changes, spark plugs, or air filters.
Riding Mowers
Riding mowers, including zero-turn radius (ZTR) models, are perfect for larger lawns but require more comprehensive maintenance. Maintenance includes regular oil and filter changes, blade sharpening or replacement, tire pressure checks, belt inspections and replacements, and battery maintenance. The cutting decks for riding mowers start at 42”. While most homeowners don’t need one that’s too big, a 48”-50” model is ideal.
Comprehensive Maintenance
Due to complex systems, consider annual professional servicing, checking hydraulic systems, transmissions, and electric clutches alongside basic maintenance tasks.
Lawn Mower Cutting Tips
Here are a few quick tips that will keep your lawn looking great:
Don’t cut wet grass: Aside from having a tendency to clog the machine and leave clumps of wet grass all over the yard, wet grass won’t cut easily. It tears, just as it does with a dull blade.
Set the cutting height to at least 1½”: Taller grass will hold moisture better and will also allow the root system to “grab hold” of the soil better, which means a healthier lawn.
Don’t mow in the same direction every time you cut: For example, one week mow north to south. The next week, mow east to west. This prevents ruts from forming in the yard and also lets the grass grow thicker.
Use a grass catcher for the first cut and last cut of the season: Use the mulching feature the rest of the time to reduce yard waste and add nutrients back into the yard.
