Lawn Mower Care & Maintenance Tips

The long grass-cutting season is just coming to an end with your lawn mower serving you well and doing a great job. Now is as good a time as ever to do some maintenance on your lawn mower and give it the care it needs, to allow for trouble free season next year Spending time on maintaining your lawnmower now means that it will be ready to go for next spring,

We have a few lawn mower maintenance tips for you:

1. Disconnect or remove the spark plugs – Before getting stuck in cleaning your mower it is recommended that you disconnect the spark plugs so that the lawn mower won’t accidentally start when you are in the middle of working on it. It is also a good idea to replace the spark plugs before you connect them back up again to help improve the performance of your mower.
2. Clean down your mower – 

   

   To help maintain your lawn mowers longevity it’s important that you keep it clean. Removing all grass from underneath the mowing deck, a build-up of grass can cause corrosion which in turn will rust and reduce the lifespan of the mower, this helps prevent rust and also helps let your mower perform to its best ability and also increasing the lifespan Brushing down or hosing underneath your mower helps reduce rust and to improve the suction of the grass going into the basket, also a good idea after cleaning the deck is to coat it in a penetrating oil to prevent moisture build up over the winter season while in storage

3. Check/ change the oil – This depends on if you have had to put new oil in over the current mowing season. If you have then you might just need to top up the oil or if you haven’t then it would be recommend to change the oil if you haven’t done so in the previous 12 months.

   

4. Drain the Fuel – Before putting your lawn mower away for the winter you should make sure that no fuel is left in the tank. By leaving petrol in the tank, it will evaporate and also build up moisture in the fuel tank and this can prevent or cause issues of your mower from starting the following spring.
5. Clean or change Air Filters – By cleaning or replacing the air filter will help your mower perform at the best of its power and more efficiently.

   

6. Sharpen the blade – Remove the blade for sharpening and while you have it off check for any damage on the blade and the underneath the deck. The blade or mower can get damaged if cutting on bumpy surfaces or by hitting off stones or fallen debris, if there is damage on the surface of the blade it is recommended to replace it damaged blades, when putting the blade back on make sure that it is fully tightened to the manufacture specification and torques.
7. Prepare for storage – Once you have carried out your maintenance and are getting ready to store away your lawn mower for the off season make sure to take a number of facts into account. Are you storing your lawnmower indoors and protected from the harsh winter elements. It it stored securely and won’t get damaged easily, will the lawnmower be exposed to rain and poor weather conditions, if so its a good idea to place a cover over the lawnmower

By following the above tips come next spring all you need to do it put fresh petrol into your lawn mower and off you go again!