Maintain mowers

Petrol mower care

A mower needs regular maintenance to keep it in top condition – particularly when using it in winter’s damp conditions. Cleaning off all the grass debris will prevent rusting and it’s worth giving further protection by spraying a lubricant over the moving parts, particularly to stop the blade mechanism seizing up. Give the spark plug a clean to make starting the engine trouble free.

1 REMOVE the spark plug so the engine doesn’t start while you are working on it by disconnecting the lead.

2 USE a wire brush to lift all the bits of grass off the mower blades. Go over the casing and wheels too, to get rid of debris.

3 PULL the dipstick out and see if the engine has enough oil. Do this after the mower’s been upright for a few minutes.