As summer approaches, the days get longer, and so does the grass. With that in mind, it’s not long before you start thinking about cleaning off your electric lawnmower.
It’s not as simple as hauling your electric lawnmower out of the garden shed and getting to work.
What You Need to Clean Your Electric Lawnmower
The first thing you need to do is assemble the right equipment. You will need:
- Washcloth
- Bristle brush
- Compressed air
- Towel
Note that while cleaning your electric lawnmower can be a quick and easy job, if you’ve never done it before, it may prove more time-consuming than you expect. How long the job takes depends on how long your electric lawnmower has gone without cleaning and how much grime has collected over the years.
Unplug the Electric Lawnmower
It should go without saying, but the first step in cleaning your electric lawnmower is to disconnect it from the power.
Remove Attachments
The next step in cleaning your electric lawnmower is to remove all parts or attachments that can detach from the frame. This makes cleaning easier and allows you to get into hard-to-reach spaces.
It also leaves other pieces of the electric lawnmower, like the mulch plug and discharge chute, free for cleaning.
Use Warm Soap and Water to Wash Your Electric lawnmower
Extraneous pieces removed, you can start washing your electric lawnmower. The first step here is to soak the washcloth in the bucket of water and ring it out thoroughly.
Take your time wringing water from the washcloth. While more water may seem better, the more you use, the longer your electric lawnmower will take to dry.
The first part of the electric lawnmower to tackle is the handlebars. Typically these only require a cursory clean. However, a light wash will keep them looking better for longer.
Once the handlebars are washed, move on to the extension cord and its connectors. While it doesn’t usually need as much care and cleaning as other parts of the electric mower, double-checking that the connectors are properly cleaned will ensure they settle and give your electric lawnmower a better connection to the power supply.
Wiping the Deck
With the handlebars and conductors washed, now wash the electric lawnmower’s deck. As you do this, take care not to let water drip into the motor as this could cause the motor to deteriorate or fail. While motor failure may not happen immediately, you may notice it beginning to fail or degrade over time.
Take care when cleaning the vents as these keep your electric lawnmower cool and stop it overheating on hot summer days.
For extra efficacy, use compressed air to thoroughly clean the parts of the deck you couldn’t access with a washcloth.
Corded Versus Cordless Electric lawnmowers
How you proceed once the electric lawnmower’s deck is cleaned depends on whether or not your electric lawnmower is corded.
If your electric lawnmower isn’t corded, the next step is to remove trapped grass and dirt lodged in the mower’s battery. However, if the lawnmower is corded, you must remove the upper shell of the mower to remove grass, dirt, and other detritus.
If you can’t or don’t remove the shell for cleaning from an electric lawnmower, you risk damaging the motor as accumulated grass and dirt get sucked into it.
You can check out our Best Cordless Lawn Mowers for a wide selection of cordless lawn mowers.
Cleaning the Underside of the Electric lawnmower
The underside of an electric lawnmower often requires the most effort when cleaning. Damp grass can stick to the blades and develop mold.
If left adhering to the blades, the same grasses and molds can drop off as you mow, spreading the mold, and possible disease through the environment. To effectively remove built-up grasses and dirt, use a nylon bristle brush. Remember to take care around the blades and assess them for sharpness.
Note that if you have no luck with the bristle brush, inexpensive but effective alternatives include:
- A flat screwdriver
- Plastic hairbrush
Once you’ve removed the embedded grass with a brush, use compressed air to tackle what’s left. That done, you can gently run a washcloth over the undercarriage before righting your electric lawnmower.
Before you do that, though, using a silicone spray on the underside of the mower can prevent future grass build-up and save you time next time you clean your electric mower.
Reassembly
The final step in cleaning your electric lawnmower is to reassemble it. After that, you’ll soon be smelling the distinctive smell of fresh-cut grass.
Conclusion
Frequently cleaning your electric lawnmower helps ensure it works well for as long as possible. While it may seem daunting, the more often you clean your mower, the less time the job takes.
And if you do decide to clean your electric lawnmower, don’t leave it over the winter. The longer the dirt sticks to it, the harder it is to scrub off.