If you own a home and don’t want to pay for lawn maintenance service, chances are you own a lawn mower. There are many different varieties of lawn mowers, all offered from an even bigger variety of brands, but when it comes down to the basics of maintenance, keeping our mower in good condition is relatively simple. Avoiding a few simple mistakes can mean saving you money in costly repairs later on — or worse, having to replace your lawn mower sooner rather than later.

Where you store you lawn mower matters

Storing your lawn mower can be a major inconvenience for some owners. Storing your mower in a shed or garage is usually ideal, as it is protected from weather and the elements. Of course, this isn’t an option for every lawn mower owner, but leaving it outside uncovered can be a costly mistake. Being left in the elements, even if slightly covered under a port, can cause rust or damage from flying debris. Depending on what area you live in, you might also find small critters like rats and mice making a home in our mower and chewing through the electrical wires. If you can’t keep your lawn mower in an enclosed area, your next best option is to invest in a cover

Take some time to clear your lawn of debris

Depending on how big the yard you are mowing is, cleaning up any debris can be quick, but it can also be a hassle. Large sticks, rocks, or trash that has made its way into your yard might seem like no match for your lawn mower’s powerful blades, but it can cause a surprising amount of damage. NAPA also suggests removing weeds while you’re clearing the yard also means that your lawn mower won’t spread their seeds around the yard.

Commit to proper lawn mower maintenance

We spend plenty of time and money maintaining our other vehicles like our cars, trucks, and motorcycles, but it is easy to skip over maintenance routines with our lawn mowers. As you could expect, proper maintenance is a key factor in keeping your lawn mower running and in good condition for as long as possible, and because the tasks tackled by our mowers are different than what our road-focused vehicles encounter, maintenance can be a bit different. One of the worst mistakes you can make is skipping over a quick rinse after you’re done mowing, checking the oil, and replacing filters at whatever interval is recommended for your specific mower.

Most mower owners are guilty of a few of these mistakes, especially when it comes to the seemingly tedious tasks like clearing the yard of debris and rinsing the mower after use. But, avoiding these mistakes is important to keeping your mower in the best condition possible for as long as you can and can save you costly repairs and replacements down the road.