Things You'll Need:
- 1 qt. can of motor oil specified for your mower
- 12-oz. can of lubricant WD-40
- 16-oz. spray bottle of Simple Green all purpose cleaner
- 16-oz. spray can of carburetor cleaner
- New air filter specified for your mower
- 16-oz. can of automobile wax
- Hose with nozzle
- Plastic 4-qt. pan
- Small paintbrush with 1/2-inch bristles
- Putty knife
- Old, disposable towel
- 3 disposable rags
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Step 1
Position mower in a location in which dirt and grime to be removed will not present an environmental or contamination problem, and turn the mower up on one side exposing the under side of the deck. Using a wide-blade putty knife, scrape the underside of the deck until accumulation of grass clippings is removed from the deck to include the grass clippings chute.
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Step 2
Spray under deck with Simple Green all purpose cleaner and allow this to work for 5 minutes before using hose to wash thoroughly using maximum pressure nozzle setting.
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Step 3
Dry the underside of the deck using an old towel or several rags. Once dry, spray all under deck surfaces with lubricant WD-40.
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Step 4
Turn mower upright and use rags wipe down all exposed surfaces on the top side of the deck and engine, paying particular attention to hidden surfaces beneath the engine and beneath the air filter housing. To clean engine cooling fins, cover putty knife blade with a rag and insert blade between fins to clean oil and dirt residue between all fins.
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Step 5
Spray exposed deck surfaces with Simple Green all purpose cleaner and allow this to work for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly with water from hose.
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Step 6
Thoroughly dry the deck with a towel and add a protective coating of automobile wax.
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Step 1
Remove any remaining gasoline from the fuel tank by removing the cap and tilting the mower and pouring the remaining fuel out into a bucket. Any fuel remaining in the tank may be removed either by inserting a paper towel into the tank and siphoning the remaining fuel, or by running the engine until empty.
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Step 2
Drain old engine oil by removing plug in the bottom of the crankcase and catching this in an plastic pan. If mower does not have an oil drain plug in the crankcase, oil is drained through the the oil filler tube by removing the filler cap and turning the mower upside down. Old oil must be disposed of at a recycling center or at auto parts stores that provide this service.
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Step 3
Replace oil drain plug and add fresh oil to crankcase.
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Step 1
Remove and inspect the spark plug. If it is heavily fouled (heavy brown combustion buildup or heavy black oil buildup on the plug electrode) replace the plug with a new one that meets your engine specifications. If the plug is relatively clean and less than a year old, clean it with a spray carburetor cleaner and a stiff wire brush, wiping dry with a clean rag.
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Step 2
Check the gap in the spark plug.
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Step 3
Before reinserting, spark plug spray a generous coating of WD-40 into the cylinder and pull the starter rope five to six times to distribute the oil throughout the cylinder.
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Step 4
Replace the spark plug.
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Step 5
Remove and replace the air filter. Clean the air filter housing using a clean rag and a light coating of WD-40.
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Step 6
Spray a light coat of WD-40 lubricant on the throttle chain.
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Step 7
Store mower in a sheltered, dry environment and cover with a tarp or plastic drop cloth to prevent a winter accumulation of dust and dirt.
