Tried and Tested Tips for Safe Lawnmowing

You might find it strange but there’s no one who can assure you of safe lawnmowing except you.

Mowing a lawn should be a fun chore to do instead of a battle of nerves where you’re constantly exposed to dangers.

Unfortunately, hundreds and thousands of people lose their limbs and legs while mowing incautiously of their lawnmower safety.

Whether it’s your first time mowing or trying out a different lawnmower, it’s important to implement best practices for safe lawn mowing that keep you on the safe side.

At 10bestlawnmowers, we not only help people learn the art of mowing but also share important lawn mower safety tips to be safe from all possible lawnmower injuries that can make you hate this chore.

Table of Contents

Are Lawn Mowers Dangerous?

Like other machines, lawnmowers also, unfortunately, come with a bevy of dangers and threats that you should be aware of as taking precautions is better than a cure.

From explosions in the lawnmower engines to flying blades, you’ve got to take care of several factors in order to mow safely and have a pleasant time on your lawn.

Scratching your head already? Worry not, as our 10bestlawnmowers experts have summed up their years of experience to share the most effective lawn mower safety tips to help you take your lawn care safety to next level.

Why Is It Important To Learn About Safe Lawnmowing?

Truth be told, you can’t master the art of safe lawn mowing unless you have the right knowledge, valuable experience, and lots of practice with the best lawnmower on your lawn.

The more time you spend mowing your lawn, the better you learn about lawn mower safety and save yourself from the biggest potential damages which makes mowing a nightmare for many.

Here We Go Towards Safe Lawn Mowing!

Metaphorically speaking, having a beautiful, lush, and good-looking garden shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg but correct lawn mowing training that you’ll get here for FREE.

First things first, it’s important to understand all the complexities, working mechanisms, and know-how of your mower before mowing with it.

For this purpose, you can either read the operator’s manual or read the reviews of people who’ve used the mower before.

Once done, the next step is to follow the tips mentioned in this guide and look forward to a safe mowing experience for which you’ll pat your back always.

Easy-To-Follow Tips For Lawn Mower Safety

1. Choose the Right Lawnmower

Among all the diverse types of Lawnmowers, choosing the best one can be hard, especially if you’ve never bought one. The first rule of safe lawn mowing is to buy the best lawnmower that really contributes to your lawn and yard care.

The efficiency of your mower decides how well and safely it will mow your lawn causing no damage to those present in the lawn.

With growing demands and needs, Lawnmowers today come with a handful of safety features that offer ease to the user while mowing.

As per observation and statistics, the corded electric lawnmowers 201 were the most common cause of lawnmower injuries due to tangling of the cord.

That is why we at 10Bestlawnmowers advise you to take special care of the cord before, during, and after the mowing so you don’t hurt yourself.

Next comes the walk-behind mowers, they’re the safest type of lawnmowers for their manual drive power that doesn’t require any battery, engine or motor, involving electricity.

They are comparatively lightweight and easy to maneuver, which is essential for lawn mower safety for clumsy homeowners who often have a habit of slipping the mower.

Other than weight and performance, it’s important to check the safety features of the mower you’re planning to buy.

Have no idea about that? have a look at this quick breakdown of the most common safety features in lawnmowers.

Most Common Safety Features In Lawnmowers

Directional Flaps: The material of rubber flap differs from the type and model of mower you have. However, it is commonly found in push-lawn mowers to limit cover the opening of the rear deck, preventing glass clippings to outrage.
Training Shield Discharge Outlet: This one is pretty similar to the directional flaps and serves as a protective shield for the mower. The trail shield is located at the back of the mower and limits the shooting of dust and debris from the mower.
Handle Lever: Having control over the mower reduces the chances of injuries and damage to the lawn. It’s commonly found in walk-behind lawnmowers and is a big help in starting the mower and keeping it at optimal speed. It lets you start and stop the mower as per your wish.
Blade Brake Control: As the name suggests, the blade brake control in the lawnmower lets the operator disengage the mower blade in case of any mishap. It’s prevents the risk of damage when mowing bumpy slopes, steep hills and paved paths. You can also use the blade brake control to stop the mower blades without turning the mower’s engine off.
Safety Switch: The safety switch on the lawnmower is a big help in stopping the engine after releasing the control bar. It does a variety of jobs from stopping the ignition coil, reducing he speed of flywheel, preventing lawn mower sparks and much more.

Know Your Lawn Needs

Thanks to the amazing variety of the best lawn mowers available that have made it pretty easy for everyone to take the pick on the best one according to their needs.

Although every mower does a great job of mowing, chances are that they might not be the right fit if you’re concerned either about lawn mower safety or lawn and yard care.

For lawns that are less than 500 acres, a simple and effective push or walk-behind mower can do the job but not handle the bumpy slopes and tough yard.

With no complex internal parts, they mow in the simplest way possible while keeping you free from any risks and lawnmower injuries. Not only this, but they are also less noisy, effective, and energy-consuming than other complex types of mowers used for larger lawns.

As a good rule of thumb, consider the factors mentioned below when choosing the best lawnmower.

1 Lawn Size

2. Type Of Trass

3. Frequency of use

4. Ease of mowing

5. Lawn Texture

6. Special Needs

Now that you know what you want, start seeing the best lawnmowers in the market and weigh them based on the features keeping lawn mower safety in mind.

Next, apply your specific requirements to every lawnmower and select the best one that fits your needs without asking for a fortune.

To put you at ease, we’ve already summed up the list of different types of lawn mowers, so you get everything on the table without surfing the web for hours.

Maintain Your Lawnmower

From cleaning the cutting deck after ever mowing to storing the lawnmower in good condition, maintaining a lawnmower is a broad niche to cover.

But you don’t need to scratch every content as we have summed it up in a single article titled how to maintain a lawnmower. The more you take care of your mower, the better it performs on the lawn, offering safe lawn mowing.

With time, your mower is likely to suffer wear and tear from mowing and lose its efficiency, which is important to sustain from time to time.

Not maintaining the lawnmower regularly can make it dirty, damaged, and broken which may cause a spark or other disturbances during mowing.

Before mowing, always check your lawnmower’s state as storing it for a long time can also make it stubborn to start.

Whether you want your lawnmower to look the same for years or be safe from lawn mower injuries, perform, follow the steps mentioned below with respect to your mower features and quality.

If you face obstructions when mowing, then add a little oil to the engine and use a lawnmower blade sharpener to sharpen its blades for fine, sharp and precise cutting of the grass. For your ease, we’ve compiled a list of some best lawnmower oils and lawnmower blade sharpeners.

Best Lawnmower Oils

Best Lawn mower Blade Sharpener

Tips For Safe Lawn Mowing

1. Leave Some Length

Leaving a significant extent of length is one of the fundamental tips in safe lawn mowing that you must know before moving.

As you bring the mower to the lawn, adjust its cutting height to approximately 3 inches, which is the ideal mowing height to consider.

The shorter the length you choose, the more fine and precise cuts the blade makes.

However, always start with a quick sharp chop of the grass, especially if you’re unsure about the accurate length to have your grass blade on.

2. Lawn Scalping

Without a doubt, mowing on soft and flat ground is much easier, more convenient, and less time and effort consuming than on the unpaved ground with hills and slopes. That’s where lawn scalping comes in.

Scalping the lawn is the ideal solution to get rid of rough and overgrown grass so you can mow easily while exerting the least pressure on the lawn.

If you have Bermuda grass spread across your lawn, lawn scalping is no less than a blessing, especially between April 1 and April 5 (warm-season).

With flat ground, you won’t have to lower the height of the mower much but allow direct contact of grass with sunlight, water, and air.

3. Mow A Dry Lawn

Cutting wet grass is no doubt the most merciless act you can do ever to your lawn. Not only is it one of the common mistakes people make when mowing but also a major cause of lawnmowers getting old.

Apart from robot mowers and reel lawnmowers, no cutting grass machine can mow a wet lawn. After hundreds of experiments, we have concluded that the best time for mowing a lawn is early evening when your lawn is dry.

Make sure you don’t mow under the harsh sun or on a rainy day when your lawn is not feeling good.

When you cut wet grass clippings, they get stuck to the underside of the cutting deck, causing difficulty in mowing which isn’t a good sign for lawnmower safety.

4. Switch Directions

Switching directions between mowing can help you perform different cuts in a different way such as ripping, shredding, scathing the grass, and others while ensuring lawn mower safety.

Not only does it increase your mower’s efficiency but it also saves you from mowing over small objects present in your lawn while mowing. However, this isn’t possible without a lightweight lawnmower that is easy to maneuver and works best in a straight cut back-and-forth direction.

A good rule of thumb is to keep changing your lawnmower pattern.

5. Sharpen the Blades

Sharpening the blades is not only an important rule of safe lawn care to get clean, clutter-free, and even grass as the mowing result, but only an effective lawnmower safety tip.

The sharper the blades will be, the better, sharper, and precise it cuts through the cut, while taking care of lawn care.

If you don’t know lawns mowed by using a lawnmower that has sharp blades also restricts the exposure of pests entering the grass blades because of its sharpness – another bonus for lawn and yard care.

6. Set Wheel Height Correctly

Except for walk-behind mowers, nearly all lawnmowers allow the option of adjusting cutting height for users to have a convenient mowing experience and check lawn mower safety.

Basically, switching between the cutting height helps the user to mow on different levels and unlevelled ground without experiencing lawn mower injuries.

However, there’s no one rule of thumb for cutting height that can be applied to every lawnmower as different grass length has different requirements.

For example, Zoysia grass works well with a cutting height of 1/2 inch, whereas other cool-season grass types need at least 3 to 3.5 larger heights for fine and adjusted cuttings.

7. Better Late Than Never

Mowing repeatedly is also a red signal for your lawnmower safety and may cause damage to your lawn because of exerting unnecessary stress.

A number of homeowners follow specific mowing schedules according to their lawn needs which keep changing depending on the season and temperature of your region.

When you mow a trimmed lawn, the blade strikes each other during cutting and may cut out of the way which is an underlying threat to you and your lawn care.

As per 10lawnmowerexperts, a good practice is to mow once a week unless your lawn shows rapid growth due to the season or the side effects of any chemicals.

8. Clean The Yard Before Mowing

Regardless of how you use your cutting grass machine, cleaning it up before and after mowing every time extends its average life span and helps you spend less on lawnmower safety.

Once you’re done with this, clean your lawn from objects, leaves, and other things left on your lawn. If you have pets or children, make sure to pick up their toys before they get crushed under the mower.

With a clean lawn, you can take care of lawn mower safety by making sure nothing comes between your mowing and being a problem for you.

The easiest way to clean the lawn is by using a lawn raker or lawn blower to mulch the leaves or collect them in a compost bin for lawn composting. If you’re looking for one, check our recommendations

9. Fill In The Tank Full

If you’re using a petrol lawnmower or gas lawnmower, nothing is more important for lawn mower safety than filling the tank fuel.

As obvious as it sounds, a filled tank will offer you interrupted mowing which eliminates more than half of your threats if the mower stops midway and causes you injury.

If you’re wondering how full of gas you should fill in the lawnmower, the straight answer always fills the new diesel or gas when the tank is half full; so there’s nothing that can stop your mowing.

The reason to fill an adequate quantity of diesel and gas is to block the air spaces in the tank which turns the mower gas bad and you might need to fill it again.

10. Set The High’s

As a best practice, always give time to let the grass grow at least 2 1/2 inches long before you cut it short. Although no one likes tall and overgrown grass but mowing early may be a future problem for your lawn care.

Once you’ve decided when to mow, set the cutting blade at the right height that shouldn’t be too high or too low to not cut the grass effectively.

When you set the grass, it helps the mower to adapt the cutting height and only cut to a certain length without lifting the blades which is dangerous.

For further lawn mower safety, you can also adjust the mower deck by leveling it up to 1/8 for maximum and 1/2 for minimum inch length.

As a good rule of thumb, always bow down the front deck in front of the rear deck so that nothing shoots out from your mower in case of an accident.

11. Trim The Edges First

Visualize a beautifully mowed lawn with overgrown and bushy un-mowed edges. Sounds horrible, right? That’s where lawn trimming comes in.

By trimming the edges first, you get the ultimate sigh of relief to mow only the center of the lawn easily which is safe as compared to mowing the edges.

Not only it gives a curb appeal to your lawn, but it also takes care of your lawnmower safety as the heavy blades of the cutting grass machine often get damaged because of cutting in corners.

Along with that, it also prevents the entrance of flower beds which is no less than a blessing for your lawn and yard care.

FAQs: Things To Know For Your Lawn Care And Lawn Mower Safety

man mowing with riding mower for lawn safety

How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades?

Earlier above, we described the importance of sharpened blades for your lawnmower safety.

Now, we’ll tell you how to do that in the easiest way possible. Luckily, there are several lawnmower blade sharpeners available online that make it easy to choose one according to your mower model.

Although we’ve explained the process of sharpening lawnmower blades here, revising a few points isn’t a bad idea.

Remove the blade from the mower and place on a straight wooden bench.
Use a beach grinder or any good cutting grass machine blade sharpener to and slip it over the edge of the lawnmower blade.
Make at least 4 to 5 strokes until you can see sparks coming from the blade. Do the same thing on both the cutting edges of blade so you leave them sharpened.
Balance the sharpener blade on the same scale and check its sharpener by cutting something tough with it.
Note: make sure to wear proper safety equipment when sharpening the lawnmower blade.

Is Grass Raking Or Lawn Scarifying Good For My Lawn?

Grass raking and lawn scarifying both share the same purpose but different ways of doing so to clean the lawn from fallen leaves or others left out.

As the name suggests, lawn raking is done with the help of a lawn raker to not let grass stay for much longer on the lawn.

From reducing thatch to prevent moss and flowerbeds from the lawn, grass raking and lawn scarifying are very effective for effective lawn and yard care which means safe lawn mowing.

How To Identify And Treat Red Thread On Your Lawn?

It’s pretty common to see pests and other harmful bacteria entering the lawn and the red thread is one of them.

Over time, the grass in your lawn is likely to cause red thread, especially when you mow on wet grass.

As the name suggests, it’s red in a normal state and turns pink when dries up on the lawn. Therefore, removing red threads is easier than identifying wet grass after the morning dew.

To get rid of red thread on the lawn, fertilize and water the lawn well with a balanced quantity of nitrogen.

To identify the red thread on your lawn, wet the grass and have a closer look at the grass of your lawn.

Are Squirrels Bad For My Lawn?

Yes, squirrels have always been a threat to lawn and yard care and unquestionably bad for your lawn.

Upon entering the lawn, squirrels start digging the hole in the lawn and damage the lawn which can be an underlying problem for your lawn’s health.

Hence, squirrels can be extremely bad or even deadly to your lawn, if not taken well care of.

The holes squirrels make are called squirrel holes and should be treated right away in your lawn before the squirrels store food in them.

How Spiking The Lawn Helps?

Spiking the lawn is undoubtedly an efficient technique to create holes in the lawn and allow water to penetrate deep down the roots.

There are a variety of lawn spikers available for lawn owners that help them boost water, nutrients, and oxygen.

In short, lawn spiking helps in preventing surfaces from running off to allow maximum penetration of nutrients in the soil.

What Is Moles’ Lawn Damage?

As the name suggests, mole lawn damage is basically the damage holes, occur because of the capture of different types of pests and other ground-dwelling carnivores on your lawn.

They make underground soil tunnels in the lawn and make passageways for rodents to harm your grass. Therefore, the best way to prevent them is to clean the lawn and always be free from these tunnels.

Why Is Mowing Wet Grass Bad?

Mowing wet grass is the most common mistake that homeowners make when mowing their lawn. The contact of mower blades on wet grass can be a problem and may cause problems like rust and corrosion on the surface.

Cutting wet grass at first might look good as it cuts cleanly but is not effective in the long term. Wet grass clumps and may block the mower’s deck, which is essential for lawnmower safety.

Is Mowing In Shade Any Good?

Mowing shady areas is definitely not a good option unless they are less than 3 inches in height.

Plants need photosynthesis to produce their own food which is why it’s important to mow at a place where the photosynthetic rate is good enough to allow plants to make their own food.

Lawns with longer grass height get in direct contact with sunlight which grows strong, healthy, and beautiful.

When you mow long grass, it causes less stress on the roots and increases their need for water as compared to short-length grass that can be mowed easily.

How Long Should I Cut My Grass?

Knowing the right cutting height comes under the most important things a user has to take care of while moving. Depending on your lawn length, climate, and lawn needs, you should decide on the right mowing height on your mower.

As per 10bestlawnmower experts, a good rule of thumb is to cut the grass when it’s at least as long as 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches. Following this cutting height can give better, long-lasting, and amazing cutting results on your lawn.

How Sharpened Blades Protect The Lawn?

Difference between sharp and dull blade grass

Sharpening the blades by using a lawnmower blade sharpener cuts the grass from the roots while the opposite is true for dull blades.

When you cut grass from a dull blade, it tears or opens the grass blades, making it easy for pests, germs, and other bacteria to enter the roots and damage the grass.

How To Drain A Waterlogged Lawn?

Fixing a waterlogged lawn is very important if you need to get rid of the standing water in your lawn which may dampen the grass, disturbing your lawn care.

Luckily, there are a handful of ways through which you can drain a water-logged lawn and transform it into a healthy lawn. Some of these are aeration, applying fertilizer, planting bog garden, overseeing, collecting rainwater manually, etc.

How Often Should I Water My Lawn?

The best answer to when you should water your lawn is determined by the type of your lawn and its respective needs.

Experts recommend doing weekly watering for common types of lawn, while more often for Bermuda grass and other types.

Since different types of lawns have different water requirements, you should know about your lawn and water it regularly for its healthy growth.

How To Build A Riding Mower Pathway In The Woods?

Riding lawnmowers are one of the heaviest lawnmower types and moving them into the woods is one of the hardest things when mowing the lawn. To lift them up over the wood, you need heavy muscles and sufficient time to put them into the lawn.

Jack up the mower by sliding the hydraulic jack underneath the mowers.

Next, center the hydraulic jack at the right position beside the tire to have the perfect balance over maneuverability.

Lastly, crank the hydraulic jack to lift the mower without losing control.

How Do Things Break On A Lawnmower From age?

With time, lawnmowers are likely to age and face many troubleshooting problems in the lawnmower. The tougher mowing jobs your mower does, the more likely it is to have issues with the internal parts.

If your lawnmower has spent over 5 years, there’s more than a good chance that your cutting grass machine has many broken parts. You can identify these lawnmower injuries through the signs listed below.

Troubleshooting problems in starting the mower
Screeching sound coming from the lawnmower
Oil Leakage from the Lawnmower engine
unpleasant knocking sound from the lawnmower
Excessive need for lawnmower oil and gas
Frequent Engine Vibrations from the Lawn
White smoke blowing from the lawnmower

Can Lawn Mowers Run Over Small Twigs?

Yes, they can. With advancements in technology, lawnmowers now incorporate powerful engines, sturdy wheels, and powerful mechanism, that makes them capable of mowing over small twigs.

The more you mow on small twigs, the better it adapts its mechanism to handle tough mowing jobs.

As you mow on these small twigs, they get cut into fine, sharp, and precise clipping that mulches back into the lawn for its healthy growth.

What Is The Lowest Outside Temperature To use A Lawnmower?

The temperature of your region matters a lot when it comes to mowing the lawn. As a good rule of thumb, you should never mow if the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit as the grass in temperature gets frozen and difficult to get mowed.

Along with that’s, also don’t mow wet grass that has dew droplets on it as this could cause harm to your lawnmower blades and put extra stress on the soil.

How Do Ground Conditions Affect Mowing Operations?

Ground conditions play a massive role in affecting everything from mowing performance to the ultimate results after mowing. From lawn type, climate, use of the equipment, and lawn care to many other factors depending on how well the mower results turn out to be.

The best way to know your grass conditions is by inspecting it and spending enough quality time mowing for yard and lawn care.

How To Stop Lawnmower?

You can never mow safely unless you know how to stop the lawnmower at the right time. Each type of lawnmower has a different stop mechanism but the most common is stopping the throttle.

Make the mower standstill and unplug the spark plug so your mower stops safely. Some other formulas that are used to shut off the mower are:

Turn off the lawnmower switch to break the supply of electricity
Move the throttle in a straight downwards position into a cold start
Pull the trigger down to stop the lawnmower engine
Unplug the spark plug by pulling it out of the socket
Check the ignition switch and clean it properly

Conclusion:

We hope our guide to the best lawn mower safety tips and techniques will bring a positive difference to your lawn mowing and help you know all the ins and outs of lawn care.

The FAQ section includes secret and effective lawn care tips that our experts have finally shared with the readers, so make sure to bookmark this article.

Now that you’ve showered yourself in the learning of safe lawn mowing, it’s time for actual practice on the lawn for which you need the best lawnmower.

For your use, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best, high-rated, and positively reviewed lawnmowers that will help you mow safely and take care of your yard and lawn care.

Don’t forget to check out our articles on 6 best types of lawnmowers, the best lawnmowers for money, 6 best lightweight lawnmowers, and 7 best lawnmowers under $500.