10 things you really shouldn't do when using your lawnmower!
May 3, 2023 | Gardening Tips | General Appliance Care & Advice | No comments
When the sun comes out and your grass starts to grow thick and wild, you’ll naturally want to give it a good trim. But wait! Before you plug your lawnmower in and give your lawn a good seeing to, it’s important to make sure you’re using your appliance safely and correctly.
After all, lawnmowers can be potentially dangerous appliances if mishandled. So, to make sure you don’t accidentally cause harm to your mower (or worse, yourself!), here are 10 things you really shouldn’t do when using your lawnmower.
1. Don’t run over the cable
When running your lawnmower across your lawn, it’s vital to make sure you don’t run over the cable. This could not only damage the cable and stop your mower from working, but it could also give you a nasty electric shock!
Instead, keep the cable clear from your path at all times to ensure the safe use of your lawnmower.
2. Don’t cut grass in the rain
This might sound like a given, but you should never mow your lawn in the rain! This is something else that’s not only a hazard to your mower but also to your own safety.
Water and electric appliances don’t generally go well together, so make sure you only use your lawnmower when the skies are clear!
3. Don’t mow a wet lawn
That being said, you might think it’s okay to use your mower on wet grass after the rain clouds have gone away. This is a big no-no.
First, mowing grass when wet can lead to an uneven cut. Second, it can sometimes cause your lawnmower to overheat. And finally, wet grass is slippery, and the last thing you want to do is lose your footing when using potentially hazardous machinery!
4. Don’t wear unsuitable clothing
It can be easy to want to wear casual clothing when cutting your grass. After all, it’s a fairly easy job, right? But it’s important to make sure you don suitable attire for the task at hand.
Sturdy shoes will help prevent any trips or falls, and heavy-duty trousers will protect your legs from any stones, debris or sharp objects the spinning blade might throw your way.
5. Don’t pull instead of push
If you find yourself mowing a particularly troublesome patch of grass in your garden, always avoid the temptation to pull instead of push.
Pushing the lawnmower gives you better control over your appliance, whereas pulling and walking backwards is much more likely to make you lose your footing and fall!
6. Don’t keep using the same blades
If your mower has seen a fair bit of action, don’t neglect the blades! Dull or damaged blades won’t be able to do their job properly, leaving your grass patchy and uneven.
Instead, make sure you replace your lawnmower blades once they’ve started to rust or lost their sharpness, and your lawn will be looking better than ever in no time.
7. Don’t leave your lawnmower dirty
Leaving your mower dirty is not only unsightly but risky too. When small pieces of grass and debris accumulate in your appliance, it can lead to engine damage, overheating and more.
Instead, cleaning your lawnmower regularly is an absolute must. A pair of safety gloves and a dry brush is all it takes to get rid of dried-on grass and mud, which leads us to…
8. Don’t keep your lawnmower plugged in when cleaning
Never leave your lawnmower plugged in when you’re cleaning it or carrying out repairs or replacements of any kind!
Instead, you should ALWAYS unplug and switch off your appliance for your own safety. A slight nudge is all it can take to accidentally bring your lawnmower to life during a clean, and we’re sure we don’t need to explain just how dangerous a spinning blade can be!
9. Don’t leave oil in the tank
If you have a lawnmower that requires oil, it’s important to know that you shouldn’t leave the oil tank full for too long. This can cause problems and safety hazards like rust and even motor failure.
Instead, lawnmowers should generally have their oil changed and topped up either once a year or after every fifty uses – whichever comes first!
10. Don’t store your lawnmower carelessly
When mowing season ends, don’t store your mower carelessly. If you keep your mower somewhere too hot, cold or wet over autumn and winter, it can not only damage the appliance but also be a fire hazard.
Instead, keep your mower in your shed or garage, and place it somewhere it’ll stay dry that isn’t close to any heat sources. By storing your mower correctly, it’ll stay in good shape until the time comes to use it again!
Hopefully, this blog has provided you with some helpful insight on using your lawnmower as safely as possible! While you’re here, why not learn how to safely care for your other garden appliances and tools too? Our blog post on how to spruce up garden appliances that have seen better days is sure to provide you with some handy knowledge that’ll help save your gardening gear!
Tags: appliance safety, Gardening, Gardening Advice, Gardening Tips, Lawnmower, lawnmower advice
