You want to have a beautiful, well-manicured lawn, but thatย doesnโt happen all on its own. To make that happen, you need a reliable andย powerful lawnmower. Of course, lawnmowers arenโt cheap. You donโt want to haveย to replace your mower every year or so. But thatโs exactly what will happen ifย you donโt practice proper lawnmower maintenance. If you take good care of yourย mower, it will take good care of your lawn for many years to come. Understanding properย lawn mower care and maintenance will not only ensure long life for your mowerโit will help you keep your yard looking its best.
Here are some tips you should follow for proper lawnmowerย care.
Tip #1 โ Hose it Down
After each time you use the lawnmower to cut the grass, youย should bring out your hose and spray it down thoroughly. The water will removeย a lot of the grass and dirt that accumulated on the machine during the mow. Youย donโt want to let these things sit on your mower, especially if the grass isย damp. It could lead to faster rusting. Of course, it also helps to avoid mowing the grass when it is wet or even damp.
Tip #2: Clean the Under Carriage
If you think the casing of the mower is going to be coveredย in grass and debris, you can just imagine what the under carriage is going toย be like. And most people donโt regularly clean this out. But you should. Theย best tool for the job is a putty knife that can gently pull the grass and otherย materials free. Youโve got to be careful when doing this because you donโt wantย gas to leak out nor do you want to move the blade.
Keeping the under carriage free of debris is importantย because if too much builds up it will no longer be able to cut the grass efficiently. Some newer mowers are coming with hose attachments that automatically distribute jets of water throughout the bottom of the cutting area. While these systems work pretty well, you want to remember to check each time to ensure that the system gets rid of all stray grass.
Tip #3: Keep the Oil Changed Regularly
Many people who would never think of driving theirย automobile without staying on top of their oil changes will go an entire springย and summer โ or sometimes years of springs and summers โ without changing theย oil in their lawn mower. Part of good lawnmower maintenance is changing the oilย after the machine has been used for approximately 25 hours. That might be hardย to keep track of so estimate how many hours it takes you to mow your lawn andย calculate how frequently the oil needs to be changed. For many people, it worksย out to about 1 to 2 times per season, for others it will be more frequent. Remember to always use clean oil and follow the manufacturerโs recommendations on the proper weight.
Tip #4: Prepare for Proper Storage
After youโve mowed your lawn for the last timeย before the cold weather sets in, youโll need to do some proper lawnmower careย to prepare the machine for storage. This is especially important for those in colder climates. First, youโll want to make sure there is less than a half tank of gas left in the mower. Run it a little if you need to drain it some more. We recommend you spray all the metal with WD-40 or other lubricant that has the added bonus of protecting the machine from rust. If your off-season is on the longish side, consider adding a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank. Then make sure to store the lawnmowerย indoors, if at all possible, so that it wonโt be damaged by the harsh weather duringย the next few months. In the spring, gas it up with fresh fuel and your lawnmower will be ready to go!
Tip #5: Take Proper Care of Your Lawn
The flip side to cutting your grass is to help it grow. Aside from notย doing proper lawnmower maintenance, many folks donโt take proper care of their lawns. There are proper ways to water your grass and apply fertilizer.
