Last Updated on June 4, 2021 by Ellen Christian
Check out these lawn mower maintenance tips you need to know. And, find out more about the best lawn mower maintenance schedule for your mower.
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Whether you mow your own lawn or have a neighborhood teen do the work, it’s important to be on top of your lawn mower maintenance.
Growing your own alternatives to grass is something a lot of people are working on. But, if you still have a traditional lawn, it needs to be kept mowed.
Lawn Mower Maintenance Tips
Having a mower is just like having a car. If you want it to work well and last a long time, it needs to be taken care of. This is true whether you have a riding lawn mower or a push mower.
The better it’s maintained, the easier it will be to mow with it. A dull blade won’t work as well as one that’s sharp. And a clogged filter can cause lasting harm to your mower.
Keeping your mower in good condition is all part of having a gorgeous lawn.
When should I do lawn mower maintenance?
There are two schools of thought for this one. Some people prefer to do yearly lawn mower maintenance at the end of the mowing season before they put their mower away.
Others prefer to do their mower maintenance in the early spring before they take it out for the season. Which one you choose doesn’t really matter as long as you do it once a year.
What maintenance does a lawn mower need?
- Change the oil.
- Before putting it away at the end of the season add a fuel stabilizer.
- Replace the spark plugs.
- Clean the mower of grass clippings and debris after every use.
- Replace the oil filter.
- Sharpen and balance the blades.
- Check the tires and add air if necessary
How often should you perform maintenance on your lawn mower?
This really depends on how much you use it. If you are only using it to mow your own lawn, once a year should be fine.
If you’re using it to do other yards or you have a very big area to mow, it’s recommended that you change the oil and filter every 50 hours.
These lawn mower maintenance tips are intended for property owners who are caring for their own yards. A lawn mowing service may need to do this more often.
Riding, push, or self-propelled?
There are lots of different types of mowers so it only stands to reason that the maintenance will be slightly different.
However, these lawn mower maintenance tips will work for most mowers. It’s the engine that is most important. And, that is very similar no matter what type of mower you have.
Get all the mower parts and supplies you need to do your own mower maintenance.
Frequency of maintenance
- Change spark plugs every 100 hours of use or once a year
- Change oil and filter every 50 hours or once a year
- Clean the mower after every use
- Sharpen the blade once a year
What happens if you don’t change the oil in a lawn mower?
One of the most important lawn mower maintenance tips I have to offer is to change the oil regularly. If you don’t, the engine will wear out more quickly. This will shorten the life of your mower which will cost you more in the long term.
It’s very simple to change the oil yourself. You can get all sorts of mower parts and supplies right here. Or, you can bring it to someone for regular service.
Is it OK to wash a mower?
Yes, you can wash off the outside of the mower to remove grass and lawn clippings. Don’t direct the water toward the engine and never use a pressure washer to clean your lawn mower.
It’s important to keep your mower in good working condition. And, this means not letting grass and clippings cake up on the mower or the blades.
Get your mower in good working condition now, at the beginning of the season, and stock up on all your supplies to fix your mower at Sears PartsDirect.
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
