As the weather cools down, it’s important to make sure you properly clean and store your lawn mower. Without all that summertime heat, it’s easier for rust to build up and make your mower worse for wear for next season. Always check your model’s manual to make sure you are using the right products and following the right steps for routine and storage maintenance!
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
- Oil Changes. That’s right – they aren’t just for vehicles. Your lawnmower needs to have the right oil in it at the right levels in order for it to work properly. Too much or too little can cause your lawnmower to malfunction.
- Swab the deck! Well, maybe not quite that, but keeping the deck clean from debris and built up residue will help keep the rust off of it and allow the blades to cut properly. If you decide to use water to spray it down, make sure you follow up with a good wipe down to keep the water from sitting on it and causing even more rust buildup.
- Check if your blades need to be sharpened or replaced. Over time, the blades dull and you can either buy new ones or have the old ones sharpened. Dull blades tear the grass instead of cutting it and also causes undue stress on the motor. If it’s not cutting as well as it did, dull blades may be the culprit.
- Your lawnmower’s engine needs to be able to receive the proper amount of air to keep working – check your air filter. Without proper ventilation, the engine cannot execute proper combustion.
- Lawnmowers have belts, too. They connect to the pulleys that turn the blades so if your blades aren’t turning properly, the belts may be worn, frayed or ready to be replaced.
Happy mowing!