Scheduling Your Lawn Mower Maintenance

To help keep your lawn mower running smoothly, read your operator’s manual for routine maintenance schedules and technical specifications.

Because a regularly maintained, well-running mower helps keep your lawn healthy and beautiful, keep a calendar to schedule maintenance checks and organize a notebook with all mower service records.

Store your mower properly and have it serviced during the winter to guarantee that it will be ready to go when spring arrives. An annual service check from a mower maintenance professional – such as Your Local Lawn Doctor – ensures that the lawn mower is running safely and efficiently and not damaging your yard.

Routine Lawn Mower Maintenance Checks

Just like your car, a lawn mower requires regular oil, oil filter and fuel filter changes if you want it to last. While manufacturer recommendations vary, most advocate changing the oil after every 25 hours of mowing. For some homeowners, that’s once a year, so change your lawn mower oil every spring.

Sharpen your mower blade on a routine basis. A dull mower blade will shred the grass, causing a frayed or brown appearance and creating entryways for lawn disease.

When performing annual maintenance checks on your lawn mower, ensure that all nuts and bolts are tightened and that all belts, filters and safety shields are in place.

Fans and intake screens should be cleaned regularly to help keep your lawn mower operating correctly.

Lawn Doctor’s Lawn Mower Maintenance Service can help you winterize your mower. Proper service will ensure that your lawn mower is stored safely and ready to go for when mowing season begins in the spring.

Mower Fuel Storage Advice

When storing fuel for your lawn mower, use approved storage containers only – do not use bottles or jars. Also, label your fuel containers clearly so there’s no confusion.

If there’s still fuel in your mower when it's time for winter storage, add a fuel stabilizer to help protect against clogs in the carburetor. After you add the stabilizer, run the engine for five minutes to circulate the fuel through the fuel system.

Troubleshooting Your Lawn Mower

If your mower is hard to start, the spark plug could be dirty or damaged. Check your lawn mower owner’s manual for instructions on inspecting and changing it, or schedule a mower maintenance checkup with Your Local Lawn Doctor. Replacing the spark plug in your lawn mower annually is one way to assure good starts.

Gasoline has a shelf life of about one month, and old gas can clog the carburetor. So if it’s been over a month since you last mowed your lawn, get fresh gas.

For Additional Information, Contact Your Local Lawn Doctor:

Contact us for your FREE Lawn Evaluation or call Your Local Lawn Doctor today at 1.800.845.0580 to find out more.