NewsIt’s no surprise that there are many opinions on how often a lawn mower should be cleaned. This is largely a matter of personal preference—just as some people sweep and wash a kitchen floor daily, others may only do it weekly or even just monthly. The same holds true for outdoor lawn and garden tools. Some people with a robust neatness gene may prefer to clean lawn mowers and other garden tools thoroughly after every use, while others find no need to be quite so meticulous.
Even for people who routinely wipe down and brush off the top surfaces of a lawn mower, not everybody will turn the machine upside down and carefully clean off grass clippings and grime from the underside of the mower—the area known as the deck. Among those given to debating the issue, the question has three parts:
- Is cleaning the mower deck necessary? If so, please explain why.
- How frequently should I clean the mower deck if it’s necessary?
- And how exactly should I do it?
A related but distinct subject concerns how much care you should give your lawn mower before storing it for another year.
Yes, the Lawn Mower Deck Should Be Cleaned
The reason for cleaning the deck—the enclosed housing beneath the mower, where the blade spins— has nothing to do with being neat (unless you are the type who takes pride in showing guests your power equipment). Cleaning will actually help lawn mower performance by allowing the blades of grass to stand fully upright as the blade spins to trim them. A lawn mower deck heavily encrusted with dried grass clippings may deflect the grass blades so they can’t be cut efficiently, and in worse-case scenarios, the dried grass buildup can even hinder the rotation of the blade itself.
Keeping the bottom deck clean also aids in the prevention of grass disease spread. Remember that when you trim grass blades, you are effectively making wounds in the grass that make it prone to issues like fungal disease, which may be lying in the grass accumulation on the bottom of the mower.
Do It at Least Twice Each Mowing Season
There is no set frequency for cleaning your mower deck, however it should be done at least twice every mowing season. If you have to mow particularly long grass or if you have to mow it when it is wet, you may need to do it more often.
It’s also a good idea to clean the deck of your mower at the end of the season before storing it for the winter. It’s inconvenient to let grass decay and mildew on the bottom of your mower throughout the winter, particularly if you keep your mower in an attached garage or basement. Your spring cleaning duties will be much more difficult if they are allowed to harden during the winter.
How to Clean the Deck on a Lawn Mower
Follow these procedures to clean the deck of a lawn mower:
- Disconnect the spark plug wire after emptying the gas tank (or running the mower until the tank is empty).
- Stand the mower up on its side.
- Spray the deck with a garden hose at full force. This will dislodge some of the dirt and grass clippings that have been caked on.
- Scrub the remaining dirt away using a brush, soap, and hot water.
- Rinse, then dry the metal deck of your mower.
End-of-Season Maintenance
When the mowing season is over in the fall, empty the gas tank by allowing the lawnmower to run until its gas tank is empty. Leave the lawn mower’s tank empty until spring comes, if possible. When old gas lies around in the lawn mower all winter, it becomes gummy and may foul the engine. If you must leave the tank full of gas, add a can of fuel stabilizer to the mower tank, then run the engine for a few minutes to distribute the stabilizer through the fuel lines and engine cylinder before putting the mower away.
Drain the oil crankcase and replace it with new oil after dealing with the gas.
When you bring your lawn mower out of the garage or shed next spring, it should be ready to go. If you do have difficulties starting your lawn mower, it might be because you need to tune it up, which is a rather simple DIY chore.