Your lawn’s ability to have a healthy and attractive lawn depends largely on your lawnmower. Your lawn will suffer greatly if you are using poor equipment when mowing. You’ll also have a hard time getting the result you want for your lawn with underperforming equipment. To avoid these problems, it is important to carry out regular and correct maintenance and cleaning of your mower.
Below are some of the key lawnmower cleaning, care and maintenance tips that you should follow:
Regularly check and change the oil in your lawnmower. Experts say you should check the condition and oil level of your equipment every eight hours of use. Fresh oil will be golden or amber in color and will darken as it ages. At least once a season or every 50 hours of use, change the oil. Also, always use the oil recommended by the manufacturer for that model.
Add a fuel stabilizer product to the new fuel. Adding the correct amount of fuel stabilizer will keep fuel fresh longer. However, be sure to follow your equipment manual for instructions on leaving fuel in the engine during storage, as this often varies by brand or manufacturer.
Always clean the air filter properly in place. A lawnmower’s air filter prevents dirt, dust, and debris from entering the carburetor and engine. It should be cleaned or changed every 25 hours of engine operation or at least once per cutting season. In addition, you should also replace pleated paper air filters regularly. You can clean foam air filters with hot water and a small amount of detergent and let them air dry before saturating them with new engine oil and reinstalling them.
Remove oil stains with a degreaser. Spray a good brand of degreaser on the oil stains. Leave the degreaser on the stain for 10-15 minutes before wiping it off with a clean cloth and hose everything off.
Periodically check the tire pressure of the mower. If your lawnmower has pneumatic tires, use a tire pressure gauge to make sure they have consistent tire pressure. In general, tires with different pressures will result in poor or uneven cutting of grass blades.
Check the blade regularly and replace it as needed. Lastly, be on the lookout for bends, dents, and other damage to the blade. A sharp blade is crucial for a proper cut. Dull blades tear the grass instead of cutting it cleanly. Experts say a blade should be sharpened every season and replaced every one to three years, depending on how often the equipment is used. It is also important to replace the blade immediately if any damage is found to avoid any risk of injury.
