How to Winterize Your Manual Lawn Mower

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (3 Ratings)

Reel mowers are the ultimate in simplicity, both to operate and to care for. However, even this simple machine will perform far better if you put it away properly each season.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Penetrating Oil
Gloves
Scrub Brushes
Steel Wool
Wire Brushes

Step1

Scrape off any dried clippings and dirt with a stick, followed by a wire brush.

Step2

Scrub the mower, if necessary, with warm, soapy water and a scrub brush. Put it in a dry, sunny place to dry quickly and thoroughly.

Step3

Remove any rust by rubbing the affected area vigorously with a small piece of steel wool. (Be sure to wear gloves.)

Step4

Take the mower to a sharpening professional, usually listed in the yellow pages under "Lawn Mowers - Sharpening and Repair," for blade sharpening.

Step5

Spray the sharpened blade and any other steel parts with a penetrating, lubricating oil.

Step6

Store the lawn mower so that no metal is touching the garage floor or any other surface that is likely to get damp over the winter.

Tips & Warnings

If the mower has a clippings collection bag, now is the time to hose it off as well. If needed, also give the bag a scrubbing with warm, soapy water and rinse well. Put it in a warm, sunny spot to dry thoroughly before storing.
Unless you're confident in your skills, don't sharpen a reel blade mower yourself. Its curving shape makes it difficult to hold firmly and to sharpen effectively.