How to look after your lawn mower in winter: 5 steps before you put your mower into storage

With the grass no longer growing and lawn mowing predominantly paused until the spring, you may be tempted to lock the mower away for the next few months and forget about it.

Lack of use isn’t an excuse to neglect your essential garden tools though. Before you put your mower into winter storage, ensure you get the best out of your mower come spring, by performing the following steps:

 

Clean your mower

cleaning-mower

Make sure you clean your mower of all debris and grass build up as this can cause rust and erosion over time.

  • Remove the spark plug
  • Hose down the mower to remove grass and debris and loosen up any dried up build up
  • Use a blunt implement to scrape the inside of the deck, removing any clumps of grass
  • Wipe down with a cloth

 

Perform an oil change

oil-change-jd

To ensure a good start come string, ensure your mower is stored with a full, fresh supply of engine oil.

In a well-ventilated area with the engine warmed up and the battery removed and spark plug disconnected, drain the engine of the old oil, using a dipstick to check that the level is empty.

Once empty, add fresh oil. Finally, change the oil filter.

Empty the fuel tank or add fuel stabiliser

fuel-cap

Fuel loses its combustibility over time so it is important to consider the fuel tank before storage to protect it from erosion and ensure the mower starts and performs well come spring.

For smaller machines, a straightforward way to do this is to empty the fuel tank by running the machine while idle until it runs out of fuel.

Alternatively, for larger mowers, adding a fuel stabiliser may be the safest way to store your mower for the winter. Add to the tank and run the engine to ensure it filters through. Finally, fill up the tank to avoid condensation.

Always get advice on the right fuel stabiliser and best technique for your type of machine and fuel type.

 

Get your mower serviced by an expert

Powercut-service-mower

Of course, instead of doing all the above and more yourself, you could simply hand it to the experts to prepare your mower for winter, sharpen your blades, and do a full service of all its parts.

At Powercut we don’t just sell lawn mowers as part of some broad offering. They are at the very heart of what we do. We are experts in these machines, what they do, and how best to service them.

Our manufacturer-approved, state-of-the-art service facilities combined with the experience and expertise of our staff ensures your mower is in the safest and most professional of hands, and guarantees your warranty is up to date, adding value to your investment.

While the winter is here and your mower is no longer in constant action, why not take the opportunity to book it in for a life-extending, performance-enhancing service with one of our experts and let them treat your mower with the care it needs in order to be in best working order for the spring?

 

Remove battery and store

battery

Finally, once cleaned and serviced, place in a cool, dry area, remove the battery, cover and store.