HOW TO MAINTAIN A LAWN MOWER?

Lawn Mowers is the most important gardening tool to maintain the outlook and enhance its beauty, a yearly repair or re-check is mandatory as to keep your lawn healthy and well-maintained. Keeping the blade sharp as well as a well-cared for engine, will keep your mower humming for years to come. Below are some important tips to be followed in maintaining your lawn:

• SAFETY FIRST: Carry out maintenance on mower only when engine is cold. Spark plug has to be disconnected and throttle must be in the off position before initiation of any maintenance work, now you are safe to proceed.
• SEMI-ANNUAL CLEANINGS: Possibility exists that you forget to re-check or clean your mower regularly, but as to avoid any damage, it should be a routine to check it a couple of times. Debris has to be removed that is stuck beneath the mower deck and then sprayed completely as to get the proper friction and movements and then scrub with brush and soap and finally rinse with water.
• CHECK THE AIR-FILTER: Air-filters has to be cleaned once or twice yearly. Replace paper filters when they look dirty. Use warm and soapy water to wash plastic foam filters. Apply two tablespoons of mower oil evenly across the filter and coat it lightly.
• WINTERIZE YOUR MOWER: Empty the fuel tank by letting by letting the engine run until it is out of gas after you have used mower for the last time. With the help of oil fill cap, drain the engine oil into a suitable container for recycling. Now refill engine oil reservoir and replace the oil fill cap.
• CHANGE THE SPARK PLUG: When you change the mower’s oil annually, change the spark plug as well. Disconnect the spark plug wire and remove the existing spark plug with the help of pliers. Install the new plug but make sure not to over tighten it or it could prevent the mower from starting.
• SHARPEN THE BLADE: The blade has to be always sharp as a dull blade cut unevenly and shreds tips of grass making the lawn look brown and dry. The damaged ends are also good entry for diseases so to prevent that, sharpen your blade often.

TIPS FOR A LONG-LASTING MOWER:

Regular lawn mower maintenance can go a long way preserving your equipment and budget and simple things like reading the operator’s manual, changing the oil, greasing parts, keeping the mower clean and dry. Following are the requirements to keep your mower long-lasting forever:

• Mowers has to be stored properly as leaving them outdoors for the rest of the night can cause corrosion and it will be dried up.
• Maintaining tire pressure is important for prolonging life of your mower and its parts.
• Mower deck has to clean thoroughly as mulched leaves under the deck that are stuck can form layers of hard gunk, therefore clean it on a regular basis.
• Replace the spark plug once every year as to avoid damage to the mower and its parts.
• Air-filters has to be cleaned using paper filters so that the accumulated dirt and debris can be removed.
• Your lawn mower requires clean and fresh oil just like the engine of vehicles does, although it is suggested to change the oil within the time period of 20 to 50, it also depends on various factors considering the type of lawn mower you use.
• An unbalanced blade will cut unevenly and eventually damage the mower or engine. Take special care to keep the blade’s balance.
• The best way to deal with your machine is to know in detail about its processing, thus take some time to understand about your mower by keeping close attention to the air filter, fuel tank and spark plug.