How to Winterize a Lawn Mower

The proper maintenance of your lawn mower defines how much it will return you. If you make a good effort in its maintenance, then obviously it will return you some good services. Among all the maintenance, winterizing a lawn mower is the mentionable one.

If you are a proud owner of a lawn mower. Then, you must know how to winterize your lawnmower.

However, today I will be talking about the detailed step on how to winterize a lawn mower.

How to Winterize a Lawn Mower

Removing or stabilizing the fuel:

Your first step for winterizing the lawn mower should be removing or stabilizing the fuel. Because the staying fuel in the tank can wreak havoc on the mower engine. Without it, a mixture of water from condensation and ethanol gas can cause corrosions, clogs and many other problems in the fuel system of your lawn mower.

So, your first challenge while winterizing the lawn mower should be making the tank dry. Without it, if you place your lawn mower in the basement during winter and there is the existence of any fuel inside of your fuel tank. Then, it may be the reason for a fire hazard. In this case, you may use a siphon or turkey baster for removing the larger quantities of fuel.

However, if you are planning to store your lawn mower in a shed or garage, then it is recommended to fill the tank with gas and then adding a stabilizer. For better results, you may run the lawn mower for a few moments in order to let the stabilized fuel work in its way.

Removing the battery:

Well, you maybe know that disconnecting the battery from the lawn mower during winter helps in preserving the battery power. So, it is highly recommended to disconnect the battery. For removing the battery safely, you should start by removing the negative lead and then the positive lead respectively. After removing the battery, check whether there is any trash or debris or not. If yes, remove them and clean the battery in a good manner. Check each and every terminal of your battery for corrosion.

After being done, place the battery in a cool and dry place. You should not keep your battery near any flammable and heat sources.

Removing the spark plug:

Bad spark is one of the most common lawn mower issues. It is always recommended to remove the spark plug for preventing the mower from accidentally kick-starting. To avoid this kind of accidental issues, you should disconnect the plug and clean the nearby area of the plug so that there should not be any existence of debris in the chamber.

After that, use a spark plug wrench for removing the spark plug. Then, spray a bit of oil to the cylinder and then replace the spark plug by tightening it gently.

You should also check the spark plug whether there is any corrosion in the plug for not. If you find the plug corroded, then you need to replace it with a new one.

Cleaning or replacing the filters:

However, your lawn mower supposed to hold two filters. These are the air filter and the fuel filter. Both of the filters work on keeping the debris away from reaching the carburetor. So, it’s important to take care of your filters. You should clean them in a good manner. Better change them at least once in a season. Thus, you will get the best result.

Changing the oil:

You may know that the routine oil changing will help to extend the engine’s life of your mower. So, it’s better to drain the oil from the mower and then replace it with the newer one. You may do this from the local transfer station.

Scraping the mowing deck:

Well now for scraping the mowing deck, you should start by disconnecting the spark plug wire for preventing any accidental starting. Then, prop the mower securely. After that, simply unbolt and remove the mowers blade.

Once you have removed the mowers blade, then your next task is to scrape the clapped grass from the outside of the deck using a knife. Because the grass clipping may hold moisture that can cause rust. After that, you can spray on a liberal coating of WD-40.

Sharpening the blades:

For getting your lawn mower working properly, a sharp blade is a must. So, you badly need a sharp blade to cut the grass properly. However, if you find your blades are cracked, chipped or bent. Then you should replace them with new blades.

Cleaning and lubing the mower:

Lastly, just before storing your lawn mower, you should use a damp cloth for wiping down the engine wheels, housing, handle and top of the deck. After wiping down, use a towel to dry the mower. You may lubricate all the movement points and cables using a high-quality lubricant spray.