LAWNMOWER CARE

It's Spring, a beautiful day, the lawn is in desperate need of a cut and you cannot think of a good excuse not to mow the lawn.  Out comes the lawnmower and it won't start, or it starts but you could cut off more with a pair of nail scissors.  You have to spend all afternoon sorting it out, it's getting dark and the grass is still in need of a cut.

To prevent this, when Summer is over, before putting your lawnmower away for the winter, give it an all over clean and check up.

• To prevent rusting whilst not in use, wipe all moving parts with a lightly oiled rag.
  
  

• Check the condition of the blades and cutters, do they need sharpening, tightening or even replacing.
   

• Examine electric mower cables for signs of any damage.   Any visible signs of wear means these should be replaced immediately.
   

• If you have a motor mower, drain the petrol and oil tanks and clean the spark plug.  Fill oil tank with clean oil but leave the petrol tank empty (petrol deteriorates).
  
  It has been brought to my attention that Aspen alkylate petrol retains its quality meaning you can leave it in your machines as long as you like without the risk of your carburettor getting clogged up. ***More detailed information can be seen at the foot of the page.
   

• If these inspections reveal repairs or part replacements are required now is the time to do it. Left until Spring and you could have trouble getting it done.
   

• Never leave a motor mower standing for months on a damp surface on in a damp place as this will inevitably make it difficult to start in Spring.   Stand it on a piece of cardboard or a block of wood and keep the area as well ventilated as possible to avoid condensation.

ON THE OTHER HAND OF COURSE, IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO BE TINKERING WITH THE MOWER RATHER THAN CUTTING THE GRASS, DISREGARD ALL THE ABOVE.

SAFETY TIPS

• Fill a petrol-fuelled mower outdoors and keep away from cigarettes or other heat sources. Wipe up any spills and replace petrol cap immediately and securing.
   

• Do not turn petrol mower on its side to inspect underneath which will result in the petrol and/or oil leaking out.
   

• If using an electric mower ensure it is fitted with a circuit breaker.  This will prevent an nasty accident should it come into contact with moisture or the cable is damaged in any way.
   

• Before mowing clear lawn of any foreign bodies (not the au pair) as these can be picked up and spun out by the blades causing accidents.
   

• Never run mower over gravel.
   

• Wear heavy shoes or boots when mowing.  Avoid loose clothing, jewellery and sandals.
   

• Tie long hair back.
   

• Mow across a slope rather than up and down.  You will have better control of the mower and will be less likely to fall towards the mower.
   

• Turn the engine off when leaving it unattended, however quick you intend to be.

More Lawn Mower Repair and troubleshooting tips

***Additional information on Aspen alkylate petrol mentioned above:-

When in your garden using hand held machinery such as a lawn mower, strimmer or a hedge trimmer, do you think of the harmful chemicals you could be inhaling or the impact it could be having on your garden environment?

There used to be a time when people operating hand held garden machinery had no choice but to bare the horrible emissions that their tools created. Not only are these emissions harmful to your health but they also have a serious impact on the environment around you. These times are now over with the introduction of the Aspen fuel range; an alkylate petrol which contains no benzene, sulphur or solvents – all of which are plentiful in normal fuel designed for cars.

Just one lawnmower running on normal unleaded petrol emits as much benzene per hour as 3 modern cars running on the same fuel. If you were to run a lawnmower on Aspen alkylate petrol then you can cut grass for 108 hours before you reach the same volume of emitted benzene as you would after 1 hour using unleaded petrol!

Aspen alkylate petrol will also enable your garden machinery to start easily after winter or summer storage. Ordinary petrol deteriorates if it is stored in containers or petrol tanks which results in starting and operating problems. Aspen retains its quality meaning you can leave it in your machines as long as you like without the risk of your carburettor getting clogged up.

Aspen is also adapted to give the least possible environmental impact on both your garden and the surroundings. The formation of ground level ozone (smog) is a major health and environmental problem which is caused by the reactive hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides that are emitted by combustion engines. Not only is this harmful for humans and animals but it also causes damage to agricultural crops costing billions of pounds each year. Research has shown that the exhausts from a small 2-stroke engine run on Aspen alkylate petrol will form 40% less ground level ozone than the same engine run on normal unleaded 95 petrol. 

For the editor:

Anglo American Oil Company Ltd supplies clean burning fuels and oils to the racing market and environmentally-clean and less harmful fuels and oils for garden and forest applications. Our mission is to supply clean burning products that improve the effectiveness of today’s engines resulting in improved engine durability and less harmful emissions into the environment.

This product is more expensive that normal unleaded and, as yet, not too widely available but you can find your nearest stockist here.

Lawn Mower Maintenance

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