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Lawn Mower Storage Tips for Winter

As Good As Grass editor:
Preparing a lawn mower for winter storage is easy to do with seven simple steps from AllAboutLawns.com. Not only will proper winterizing save you money and frustration, winter maintenance will help reduce emissions when your lawn mower is running in the spring. A lawn mower in good working condition is both safer and better for your garden lawn. This article may also be of interest to our artificial grass customers who need to store their redundant grass cutter.

With rainstorms pelting the West Coast and snow falling in the Great Lakes, it is time for homeowners across the country to properly winterize their lawn mowers with help from AllAboutLawns.com (http://www.allaboutlawns.com). Winterizing mowers takes several steps, including draining the gas, cleaning the mower, replacing air filters, and changing the oil. When not properly maintained, lawn mowers can not only be frustrating and costly but also damaging to the environment and unsafe. Older mowers, especially those that haven't been properly maintained, do not cut grass as well and may be dangerous. Checking your grass cutter should certainly be part of your garden maintenance checks.

Following these easy maintenance steps for your lawn mower this winter will save you time and frustration with lawn mower repairs next spring:
* Drain the gas out of the tank
* Clean the mower with a brush and hot soapy water, making sure to rinse well
* Sharpen the blade
* Replace the air filter
* Change the oil
* Apply a little oil to the sparkplug hole
* Lube the cables and throttle control
* Store your mower in a garden shed or your garage

According to Consumer Reports, a self-propelled gas-powered lawn mower can cost $200 to $900. Winterizing your lawn mower can help you avoid that kind of annual expense and can free up money for other home improvement projects.

Proper mower maintenance, before winter and throughout the year, can also help reduce mower emissions by as much as 50 percent, reports the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) in "National Wildlife," the organization's bi-monthly magazine. The manager of NWF's Climate Change and Wildlife Program, Jeremy Symons, notes that tuned lawn mowers use 30 percent less fuel, last longer, and save their owners money. "By using energy more efficiently and cutting down on emissions, homeowners can help stretch limited resources, cut down on air pollution, slow global warming and protect wildlife habitat."

Lawn mower maintenance is not only beneficial for the environment, it also increases lawn care safety. In addition to being hard to start, old lawn mowers can deliver an uneven cut or may be unsafe. If the lawn mower is beyond reviving with the above maintenance tips or if an estimate on lawn mower repair is costly, consider purchasing a new lawn mower this winter. Stores are often eager to sell mowers at great prices during the winter months. Information about various types of lawn mowers and how to maintain them is available on AllAboutLawns.com (http://www.allaboutlawns.com/lawn-mowing-mowers/its-easy-being-green.php).

AllAboutLawns.com is a comprehensive grass and lawn care resource. Visitors can ask staff questions in the lawn forum or benefit from hundreds of articles on seasonal lawn care, grass types, weed prevention, mowers, and other garden lawn maintenance equipment.