Maintaining a lawn mower can be as simple as keeping up-to-date on season and off-season maintenances. Below are some tools and items that will help you along the way.

- Screwdriver
- Oil (check owner's manual)
- Riding Mower oil filter (check owner's manual)
- Oil filter wrench
- Air filter (check owner's manual)
- Spark plug socket
- Drive socket wrench, whichever is appropriate for your machine
- New spark plug (check owner's manual)
- Spark plug feeler gauge
- Spray-on cleaner
- Wire brush
- Sturdy knife
- Clamp tool, scrap plywood
- Leveling Blocks
- Bench Vise
- Sharpening stone, motorized grinder, metal file.
- Cleaning supplies

There are four main areas to focus on for lawn mower maintenance:

1. Change Oil

The oil needs to be changed and monitored at the beginning of every season. Even if you think it does not need it, that is more reason to change it now than ever. Build up over past cutting seasons, dirt, dust, and other materials will collect in the oil and ruin the engine over time. Check the owner's manual for your mower for the proper procedure and oil type. Best bet is to filter the oil so no build up will occur. Some steps might differ towards the owner's manual guide.

- Make sure the engine is cool, mower is off and disconnect the spark plug ignition wire for safety measures.

- Make sure we have a flat, level surface to work on and place a piece of cardboard/oil spill mat under the work area to catch oil drips.

- Have an oil basin to catch the used oil being drained, remove the dipstick from the oil fill tube. (Riding mowers oil filter/drain plugs steps below)

- Traditional drain method tips the mower using wooden/leveling blocks. With the air filter facing upward, make sure the oil is completely drained into the oil basin. Easier method includes a siphon pump. Place the siphon drain tube in the oil fill tube. Prime the pump and once oil begins to flow, the free flow will continue.

- Add new oil to fill to the recommended levels. Please refer to the recommended oil in your owner's manual guide.

- Reinsert the dipstick and check for proper oil levels.

- Clean up any spilled oil and dispose the used oil to a proper facility.

- Reconnect the spark plug ignition wire and finish up.

Riding Mowers

Riding mowers usually have a drain hose attached. Refer to the owner's manual to find the location of the drain hose. Riding mowers will also have an oil filter ro replace.

- Clean the oil fill and oil drain areas with a shop towel to prevent debris from entering the engine.

- Remove the drain plug and allow the engine oil to completely drain.

- Replace oil filter using an oil filter wrench and clean any spilled oil.

- Add a little oil to the seal of new oil filter to help with the install.

- Do not overtighten the new oil filter when threading onto engine.

- Add new oil recommended on owner's manual to fill to the recommended levels.

- Reinsert the dipstick and check engine for proper oil levels.

- Clean up any spilled oil and dispose the used oil to a proper facility.

- Reconnect the spark plug ignition wire and finish up.

2. Replace or Clean Spark Plug

Over time, spark plugs wear out and affect how the engine runs and even changes the fuel efficiency. It is recommended to replace it every season to ensure your engine runs smoothly. The common signs that there is something wrong with the spark plugs are:

- Difficulty getting the mower started

- Engine suddenly stops running

- Fuel efficiency has significantly decreased

The gap is the little space at the end of the plug where the metal end bends at 90° angle. Please make sure the space in between does not change in measurement to ensure efficiency, use the feeler gauge to measure the gap. The plug will likely be coated in build-up, so be sure to clean it using the spray-on cleaner and your wire brush. If you come across hard-to-clean deposits, use a knife to scrape or chip them away. After cleaning it, if you notice any burned electrodes or cracked ceramic, you will need to replace it. If the part is in good condition, gap measured, and is under the advised time use period, you can reuse the spark plug.

3. Change or Clean Air Filter

Check your Owner's Manual to find the placement of the air filter as the vary from mower to mower. Usually on the side of the engine behind a plastic or metal cover. You might need screwdriver or wrench to open or loosen the cover on your lawn mower. Please note and take consideration when removing the filter as to how it fits, some filters are marked with top or other directions. The two types of filter are usually the accordion-style paper type filter, or a foam filter.

Accordion style paper type filters can be simply removed and cleaned with a high-pressure air hose to blow out all the debris. They will need to be replaced if they are too clogged and dirty.

Foam filter can be washed in water and detergent/soap solution. Apply a few drops of oil to it after drying. You may need to replace a foam filter, although pretty rare, as a good wash cleaning will do most of the time.

4. Sharpening Lawn Mower Blades

Removing the lawn mower blades is more than a maintenance, but this should be done early in the season for the first cutting. A sharp blade is needed for cutting grass, otherwise it tears the grass blade instead, which causes uneven growth in the future. Before removing the blade, detach the spark plug wire for safety measures. When removing the blade, use a scrap piece of wood and wedge it against the blade. Use the clamp tool to tighten it in place so you can loosen the bolts with a wrench by rotating counter-clockwise. Mark the top/bottom side with a marker for a helpful reminder when re-assembling.

You can sharpen the blade by placing it in a bench vice to grip and secure it. With either a metal file, sharpening stone, or a motorized grinder, these methods are varied from labor intensive, to getting assisted help from a cordless drill using a small grinding attachment. When using any of these methods, please take into account to follow the existing beveled edge on the blade by passing the file over the blade in the same direction each time.

To close out this read, here are a few tips when mowing the lawn:

• Use a grass catcher for the first and last cut of the season, for the time in between, use the cuttings as mulch to add nutrients on certain picked spots.
• Mow in different directions every time you do. This prevents ruts from forming and promotes a thicker lawn.
• Cutting height no shorter than 1 1/4" and not taller than 1 1/2". Taller grass holds more moisture and better for the root system to be more durable.
• Wet grass will not cut as well and tears it much like a dull blade. It also clogs the machine and leaves clumps of wet grass all over, yellowing grass under it.