Spring is in the air throughout Wisconsin! Yesterday it was 42 degrees and raining. To our out of state visitors, yes, we get excited and feel warm when the mercury hits 40. So we will take this opportunity to talk about cleaning and care for your lawnmower. Although It may be a month before we get the chance to, here is our guide to caring for your lawnmower.

Regular lawnmower maintenance is important to keep your mower in optimal working order. Aside from the usual oil and gas changes, your mower must be kept clean. Cleaning the top painted surface of the mower is simple enough: A car soap and hose water will suffice. Just be sure not to spray water into the side of the mower, as it may enter the air filter. But don’t forget the most important part to keep clean – the underside of the deck. Grass builds up on the underside of your mower and over time, if not cleared of the grass, your mower deck will suffer. Grass contains moisture and will corrode the deck, making it thin and eventually ruining your motor.

Before you begin cleaning the underside, detach the wire connected to the spark plug. Even with the engine off, it is possible for the engine to start if the blade is moved manually. Also, check to be sure that when you tip the mower over, you won’t be leaking any gasoline out. Try to plan your cleaning ritual when you know the mower is low or out of gasoline.

Remove any clumpy grass that is stuck. If it has been a while since you last cleaned it, you may need to scrape the dried on grass to get it off. Some recommend a putty knife, but I think that will gouge into the metal. I would use something like a wooden dowel with a rounded edge to scrape what you can off of the underside. Once you have removed all of that, hose down the deck and blades. Again, a car soap may be used – Of course – be careful of the blades when wiping it down. Rinse thoroughly and allow time to air dry.

Now is a good time to also take a look at your blades. Any gouges or dents in the blade effect the quality and possible safety. Replace any such blades immediately.

Once all is completed, it is recommended that you spray cooking oil, like vegetable oil, onto the underside and blades to keep things running smoothly.

This cleaning ritual should only be needed at the end of each mowing season; about every 3 or 4 months.

For those of us who live in cold climates, such as Wisconsin, spraying the underside and blades with a rust protector is a good idea when storing the lawnmower for the winter months.

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