Mowing the lawn is something that you either love or hate. Some people love taking the time to unplug and work out in the yard, and some people dread the task every week and put it off as long as possible. One thing that most people can agree on is that it’s frustrating when your mower isn’t working properly. Some of these issues might be mechanical, but sometimes mower problems can be fixed with a simple cleaning. Today we are going to go over the cleaning process for various mower parts to get your mower running in tip-top shape. 

Cleaning Mower Blades

Keeping your mower blades clean is essential for the longevity of your mower. Dirty blades can overwork your engine, make your mower harder to push or drive, clog the mower’s chute, and even corrode the blades themselves. It is important to inspect your mower blades regularly to ensure grass isn’t building up or sticking, which can lead to the issues we previously discussed. 

First, let’s talk about the tools and cleaning solutions you will need to clean your mower blades. We’ve listed our favorite items below, but there are dozens of options on the market that will help you as you clean your mower deck and blades. 

• Garden hose
• Soft-bristled brush
• Cleaning cloth
• WD-40 Original
• WD-40 Dry Lube

The first step in cleaning your blades is disabling the motor so there is no chance of it running while you work. The easiest way to achieve this is to remove one of the cables from the battery, but you can also remove the spark plug temporarily while you work on your mower. 

After your mower is disabled, spray down the mower blades with a garden hose to remove loose grass and debris. Once the mower blades are damp, apply WD-40 Original to the blades and use a soft-bristled brush to rub it in. Next, use your cleaning cloth to wipe away grass to leave your mower blades clean. If your mower blades have lots of buildup, you may need to use a soft-bristled brush to get them nice and clean. Finally, we recommend applying WD-40 Dry Lube which will coat the blades while also protecting them from dirt and grit. 

Cleaning Your Mower’s Deck

Keeping your mower deck clean is essential to the mower’s longevity and will increase the efficiency of your mower every time you use it. The mower deck is very susceptible to heavy grass and debris buildup and may need to be cleaned more often than your mower blades. Cleaning your mower deck requires many of the same tools we have previously discussed, with a few additions

• Garden Hose
• Soft-bristled brush
• Putty knife
• Cleaning cloth
• WD-40 Original
• WD-40 Dry Lube
• Mower Deck Cleaning Solution

The first step in cleaning your mower deck is hosing it down. Some mowers have a washout port that the hose attaches to on the top of the deck. In this case, you don’t want to disable your mower. Attach the hose to the washout port, lower your mower deck to its lowest position, and run the mower and the hose until no more grass or debris come out of the mower. If your mower doesn’t have a washout port, you will need to disable the mower and flip it on its side. Hose down your mower deck until it is damp and loose pieces of debris are gone. The mower deck is prone to heavier buildup and may have grass and debris caked onto it. In this case, we recommend a more serious cleaner that will eat away at this buildup without damaging the deck. Apply your cleaning solution after you spray down the deck and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. Once the solution has done its job, wipe the solution away with a cleaning cloth or a soft-bristled brush. If the buildup is extra heavy, you may need to use a putty knife to scrape away excess dirt and grass. 

Buying a Used Mower

In some extreme cases, grass and dirt buildup on the mower’s blades or deck can cause rusting or corrosion that renders the mower dangerous or useless. Shopping for a new mower can be stressful, but at Plain Direct we make the process simple. Our classified listings are filled with used mowers and mower parts at great prices and in working condition. 

Now that you know how to clean a mower deck and blades, we recommend inspecting the deck and blades of any used mower you are thinking about purchasing. This is a great way to identify how often the mower was cleaned, and looking under the mower can identify any rusting or corrosion. Our blog also has a guide to buying heavy farm equipment that contains a lot of great information that is also applicable to buying a used mower online. 

Do you have a used lawn mower you are looking to sell? Creating a listing is easy; simply create an account with Plain Direct to get started.