A Springtime Ritual
With many parts of the country emerging from winter, it’s time to start looking ahead to the warmer weather of spring and get out in the yard. One essential spring activity is to pull out the lawnmower and do some maintenance. We cover some basic lawnmower maintenance tips that will keep you cutting right through summer into the fall.
Change The Oil
An annual oil change is great for maintaining your mower. If you’ve never changed the oil on your lawnmower before, it’s not too tough; if your lawnmower is electric, you can skip this step altogether. The main challenge is avoiding making a mess. Most gas-powered lawnmowers these days can be tipped onto their side to drain the oil from the fill opening. Drain the old oil into a drip pan, tip the mower back upright and refill with 30 weight oil, similar to what you’d put in your car. About half a quart bottle should do for just about all mowers. Check the level of the new oil with the dipstick.
Sharpen The Blade
Sharpen the lawnmower’s blade in the spring so it cuts the grass clean and even. The quickest way to do this is with a rotary bench grinder, or you can use a metal file if you’re willing to put in a bit more effort. Secure the blade in a vise or use clamps to fix the blade to a bench. Always keep your file or grinder at the same angle to the edge to avoid rounding off the blade. It doesn’t have to be razor sharp—that will make the blade more susceptible to nicks. You’ll be able to judge pretty quickly once you start mowing again.
A Thorough Clean
Depending on what maintenance you did when you put your lawnmower away for the winter, you’ll want to give it a thorough cleaning of all the grass clippings around the motor, wheels, and in the blade housing. A good time to do this is just before you reinstall your freshly sharpened lawnmower blade. Use a scraper or metal brush if wet grass has caked on. You can use rags and paper towels to clean the topside. Make cleaning a regular part of your mowing routine. Some people clean their mower with each use!
Andrew Fogg, UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lubricate The Wheels
Putting a bit of grease on the lawnmower’s wheels will reduce friction and make the lawnmower easier to maneuver. Any lithium-based grease will be appropriate for this purpose as it is water-resistant and can stand a wide range of temperatures. Remove the wheels and thoroughly clean any surfaces before applying grease to them.
You're Good To Go!
Once you’re finished these tasks, your lawnmower should be ready for a busy season of mowing. If you’re at all unsure about any of the procedures we’ve talked about, there’s a wealth of videos on the internet that go into far more detail than we have here. Remember: always unplug your electric mower before doing any work on it. Do the four tasks above and you’ll be all set.
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