But how to clean the lawn mower?
Cleaning varies according to the presence or absence of the engine (as well as the type) and that is why we have thought of an appropriate paragraph for each type of lawnmower.
Naturally, the procedures we are going to distinguish apply above all to those lawn mowers that are not self-cleaning since the latter are equipped with a special fitting for connecting the irrigation hose.
Cleaning the manual helical lawnmower
The helical lawnmower is the simplest to clean. There is no motor so it is also easier to flip for a more thorough cleaning of the blades. You can proceed by using a damp cloth to remove the grass residues, while the simplest and fastest solution is to use a jet of water to wash it completely. Always remember to let it dry in the sun.
Cleaning the electric or battery-powered lawnmower
In this case it is necessary to proceed with the cleaning of the casing using the necessary tools (scraper for example) to eliminate all the grass residues that have formed after mowing. After that you have to cover the engine with a plastic bag and you can proceed to use the water to clean under the crankcase.
Also check if the blades are sharp and if necessary proceed with sharpening (if you do not know how to do it you can read the article: “How to sharpen the blades of the lawnmower”).
If your electric lawnmower is also equipped with a collection basket, after emptying it you can clean it with a jet of water and then let it dry in the sun.
Cleaning the petrol lawn mower
With a petrol lawn mower you have to be more careful. First you need to disconnect the spark plug wire. The tank must be empty or at least almost empty, so as to be able to overturn the machine by 90 ° (In the case of a ride-on mower, lifting is more complicated. For further info read: “How to lift a ride-on mower”).
The air filter must therefore be in a higher position to prevent leakage. At this point, if it is necessary to sharpen the blades, disconnect them and proceed with this operation. Then with a scraper it is time to remove all the remaining grass residues and proceed with cleaning the casing using a water jet.
Now you can put the blades back on and proceed with cleaning the engine by removing all external grass residues (a brush is enough to do this). Also clean the wheels using the brush.
If there is also a collection basket in this case, clean it as described above.
Warning : never turn the blade with your hands because if there is still some compression left in the cylinder, you run the serious risk of injury.
Cleaning lawn mowers for the winter
In this case there are just a few more steps to do to carry out an even more thorough cleaning, since the lawnmower will no longer be used for several months.
Then you have to remove the belt cover and clean the inside of all possible grass residues. Also remove the wheels for better cleaning. The pulleys also need to be cleaned.
All the cleaning operations mentioned above must be carried out even more carefully.
