Honda mower deck rust. How to Remove Grass Buildup from a Lawn Mower Deck

How can I maintain my lawn mower by removing grass buildup?

What causes grass buildup? How can I clean my mower deck? How can I prevent grass buildup from happening in the future? The answers to these questions will help you take care of your lawn mower.

What causes grass buildup?

Sometimes things are hectic, and it is easy to extend the time between each mowing session. Or other days you have time now, but the grass is a little wet—that can’t make that much of a difference, can it? In both instances, your mowing practices will cause grass buildup in the mower deck.

A good practice when mowing is to cut off the top third of the height. If you are trying to cut more than that or don’t adjust your mower deck for taller grass, you are going to accumulate more cuttings.

Lawn mowers aren’t designed to routinely cut wet grass. Wet grass is heavier than dry grass, so the lawn mower can’t throw the wet grass out as far or have enough power to throw the clippings as far back into the bag. Wet grass clippings have a natural tendency to stick together easily. When this is combined with not being thrown out as far when cut, the clippings stick to the underside of the mower and can get caked on.

Why is grass buildup bad?

While grass buildup in your mower deck can affect the performance of the mower blades and compromise the look of your freshly cut lawn, it also leads to rust and corrosion of the underside of the mower deck. With the increased grass buildup, there is naturally going to be more moisture in constant contact with the metal deck unless it is cleaned. The consistent moisture speeds up the development of rust and corrosion.

How to clean a mower deck

Cleaning your mower deck is going to take some time and effort, especially if you let the grass build up and get caked on. However, it is possible to clean up the grass buildup with a little work. Cleaning the deck should be done at least twice a year or more often if required. Below are some tips for cleaning your mower deck:

On walk behind mowers, ALWAYS empty the gas tank and make sure that you disconnect the spark plug before working near the mower deck. On riding mowers, it is not necessary to empty the gas tank, but ALWAYS remove the key prior to removing the mower deck.

On a flat surface, tip the walk behind mower on its side with the air filter facing up. This will expose the mower deck. For a riding mower or zero turn mower, either remove the deck completely or raise the deck high enough and safely secure it.

With a long-handled scraper or putty knife remove and properly discard the large chunks of caked on debris. (Use caution when working around the mower blade). With a garden hose and spray nozzle, or a high-pressure washer if available, soak any remaining debris and let set for a while. After the remaining debris has had a chance to soak, use the jet” setting of the spray nozzle to remove any remaining debris. Any stubborn material can be removed with a stiff scrub brush.

Allow deck to air dry before use.

Household items

It doesn’t take a bunch of expensive products in order to clean up your grass buildup. You likely already have some of these common household items to help you get the job done.

Using the garden hose to spray off the grass buildup will easily remove the buildup that isn’t solidified. Once you have the loose clippings out of the way, you can work on removing the caked-on buildup with a scraper or putty knife.

Mower deck sprays

Mower deck sprays help make cleaning your grass buildup easier. By spraying your mower deck with a mower spray, the grass clippings don’t stick as easily. When you go to clean up any grass buildup after you’ve used a mower deck spray, you will notice it’s easy to hose off the underside of the mower deck and consider the job done! Make sure that after you’ve hosed off the mower deck to clean it, you allow it to dry completely before spraying again.

How to avoid grass buildup from happening again

Avoiding grass buildup doesn’t have to be a labor intensive, time-consuming task. With a few simple tricks, you can know you’ve done your part to help prevent grass buildup in your mower deck.

Applying mower deck coating

Mower deck coatings are a good preventative measure to take. By applying a simple spray lubricant, you can help prevent the grass clippings from sticking to the underside of your mower deck. The lubricant can be as simple as spray on vegetable oil!

Along with this, the lubricant will also make it easier to clean the underside of your mower deck, as well as prevent it from rusting. A key factor in applying a lubricant is making sure the deck is completely dry before spraying it on.

Wait for grass to dry

A very simple and easy way to ensure grass buildup doesn’t happen in your mower deck is to always mow when your grass is completely dry. Dry grass will not clump and stick together. When you mow your lawn while the grass is wet, it clumps up and usually stays on the top and sides of the inside of the mower deck.

Where can I get my lawn mower serviced?

Is your lawn mower in need of service beyond a simple mower deck cleaning? The team at Koenig Equipment has seen it all. Schedule a service appointment with our expert technicians so your equipment is prepared for the next cut.

How to repair a lawn mower

A lawn mower is a mechanical device utilizing one or more rapidly rotating blades to cut a grass surface to an even height. The first lawn mower was invented by Edwin Budding in 1830 in Thrupp, just outside Stroud, in Gloucestershire, England.

If you plan to operate a lawn care service business or you’re just planning to take care of your own lawn, this is one of the very first equipment you will need. Since a lawn mower is essential for you to maintain your lawn or your customers’ lawn, taking preventative measures is helpful to avoid damage. Take care of it so it will take care of you!

Easy maintenance

You can use a light coating of spray lubricant to the underside of your mower deck to keep the grass clippings from sticking. Grass clippings hold moisture and cause rust to your mower. Also, tilt the machine after use to expose the air filter. Sharpen the cutter blades, empty the fuel tank, and clean the bottom of the machine before retiring for the day.

The reason why you need to be proactive in maintaining your lawn mower is because even a small patch of rust that begins to eat into metal of your lawn mower deck can spread if not properly treated.

A tiny tear on your lawn mower seat can be problematic if neglected as well. A rip or tear on your riding lawn mower seat’s covering gets bigger each time it is used which may allow some of the foam to come out and create a dent of missing material in the seat.

If the damage has been done, you need to know how to fix or repair minimal issues to avoid getting behind your schedule by having to send your equipment to a shop and wait for them to fix it.

You do not need to buy a new lawn mower if the issue is a rusty deck or a ripped seat because you surely can salvage your lawn mower by fixing it yourself. If you choose to hire a lawn mower repair professional to fix your lawn mower, you can simply walk into a Home Depot or any local lawn mower repair shop near you. You will likely spend between 40 and 90. Price may vary by region and even by zip code.

Rust repair

To fix your rusty lawn mower deck yourself, start by wearing your gloves, goggles, and mask for protection. Disconnect the spark plug and remove the rotor or cutter blades.

Prepare the surface

Next, prepare the outside and underside surface of the machine by cleaning off the rust using a wire brush or P40 sandpaper. Get off as much rust as possible, you do not want to go through all the hard work just for the rust to show up again after a few days. You also need to remove all the rust down to the bare metal of the deck, removing paint and exposing the shiny part to give the patch the best chance in sticking

Once you are done, apply etch to quickly dissolve any rust left on your lawn mower deck, leaving a zinc-phosphate coating. Prime with a rust-inhibitive primer to prevent rust from going back. You can apply two coats of primer, allowing the first application to dry first before spraying the next.

If removing the rust left you with a big hole, use a patch or a malleable aluminum to cover and shape for it to be strong again. You can use a piece of paper or cardboard to get a rough shape and size of the surface for template. If the hole is too big, you should cut the patch one inch bigger than the hole. Stick the aluminum or the patching and just mold and glue it on the inside the deck. To do this, combine equals parts of epoxy resin and hardener, it will work both as a filler and as an adhesive. Spread the mixture over the rust holes on the lawn mower deck from the inside. Apply the same mixture to the outside of the deck if needed and let it cure for about 24 hours.

Smoothen the surface

Tidy up the area being treated. Sand down using a P80 sandpaper to smoothen and level the surface to the deck. Clean the surface to remove rust and dust before painting.

To finish off, you can just paint the surface you are trying to fix with the existing color or you can repaint the whole deck. I’m sure your neighbors will wonder how many lawn mowers you have!

Lawn mower seat repair

A lawn mower seat allows you to be comfortable while working, so having a ripped or worn out seat cover will cause you discomfort. When it rains, a tear on your seat cover will let the rainwater soak the foam which will eventually give you a wet bottom! Otherwise, the foam will harden and be very uncomfortable to sit on. You have an option to change your whole seat cover or just patch-up your existing one.

To repair torn or ripped lawn mower seats, clean the torn area and remove any debris or loose foam. You can use foam repair fillers to fill the empty gap of the foam. Once it has risen and spread, check for any more gaps until you reach the level of the existing foam. Let it cure according to the manufacturer’s instruction.

When the foam has already dried up, remove excess foam from its surface using a knife, then sand it down to make it smooth. To patch, you can buy a vinyl repair kit which includes the adhesive and the vinyl leather patch.

Choose a repair kit with colorant that matches the leather of your seat. Cut a patch that is an inch bigger than the area treated. Tidy up by trimming ragged edges around the tear and wiping with a washcloth or cotton soak with alcohol. Apply the adhesive from the kit to the back side of the custom-cut vinyl patch and press it down to the damaged section. Let it cure according to the instructions on the label.

Conclusion

Remember to correct any rust on your lawn mower or any tear on its seat as soon as possible. Do not wait for it to get worse. Always clean your mower before you rest for the day to avoid bigger problems.

The Best Honda Lawn Mower – Tested and Reviewed

As you move up to the commercial models you gain more features and pay more money.

There are 2 entry level, 4 homeowner, 5 prosumer and 3 commercial Honda lawn mower models to choose from.

Before recommending the best Honda lawn mower let’s talk about Honda mowers in general – are they the best brand?

Quick Look: 2 Best Honda Lawn Mowers For Most People

Why Buy A Honda Lawn Mower

Lawn mower rental companies and lawn care professionals depend on Honda lawn mowers to make their money.

Because they are the most reliable and durable:

• A Honda can be trusted to start right away – even if you haven’t changed the oil in years
• A Honda will continue to mow your lawn with a high quality cut – even if you lend it to your neighbors and they treat it like dirt
• A Honda lawn mower is easy to service and repair – even if you’re not a mechanic.

This is why rental companies only buy Honda’s…

…Because the renters don’t care about what they are renting and beat it up day-in-day-out. The rental company doesn’t make money if the mower breaks down. They need the mower with the least breakdowns – Honda.

Landscape professionals can’t afford to have lawn mower downtime because they are depending on it to feed their family. When they purchase a push mower, they purchase Honda – every time.

Honda has proven over the years they know how to make the best lawn mower and so it’s up to you if you want to spend extra to buy it for life.

Did you know?

Honda is the 26th strongest brand in the world. People buy Honda products based on earned trust. We loved our Honda in the past and so choose Honda for the future. (By the way #1 is Apple.)

Today – in this article – we’ll take a look at:

• The best Honda mower at each price point: entry level, homeowner, prosumer and commercial
• Honda lawn mower features that matter
• Where the best place to buy one is: online, local mower shop or big box store.

The Best Honda Lawn Mower in Each Category

As you move up in price Honda mower features and benefits are added.

• The entry level ‘HRS’ series Honda lawn mowers have a GCV160 engine and no grass bagging option – only mulch and side discharge.
• When you move up to the homeowner ‘HRN’ mowers the engine is upgraded to a GCV170 and you get grass bagging.
• Moving up to prosumer ‘HRX’ mowers you get the GCV200 engine, leaf shredding, NeXite deck, more cutting height options and a longer warranty.
• Once you get to the commercial ‘HRC’ mowers you get the GXV engine, hydrostatic drive and everything else mentioned above.

Entry Level – HRS Series – GCV160 Engine, Mulch/Discharge Only

There are 2 Honda mowers in the entry level category: The PKA (push) and VKA (velocity/self propelled) models.

We recommended the self propelled model (VKA) because it is more convenient and only 30 more.

Our Pick: Honda HRS216-VKA Self Propelled

The best entry level Honda lawn mower is the HRS216-VKA.

It is the most affordable Honda and best suited to new homeowners who don’t want to bag their grass clippings.

The Honda HRS216-VKA is side discharge and mulch only. If you want to bag your brag you will need to jump up the HRN series lawnmower below.

Honda offers 2 models of ‘HRS’ entry level mowers. The difference between them is push vs. self propelled.

We recommend the self propelled. It is an obvious choice for only 30 more. Self propelled allows you to mow quicker and with less effort.

The HRS216-VKA has everything you expect in a Honda mower (except bagging) and is an obvious choice if you are looking for a first mower.

Homeowner – HRN Series – GCV170 Engine, Bagging

There are 4 mowers in the homeowner category: PKA (push), VKA (self propelled), VLA (electric start), VYA (Roto stop blade safety system).

We recommend the VKA because it is the best value for money. It is over 100 cheaper than the electric start and Roto stop blade safety system mowers and only 20 more than the push-only model.

Our Pick: Honda HRN216-VKA Self Propelled

The best Honda mower for most homeowners is the HRN216-VKA you see pictured above in our garage.

It is a mower we have owned for 10 years and currently have 3 in the shed.

It is only 100 more than the ‘HRS’ side discharge mower and has the bagging option as well as the upgraded GCV170 engine and is self propelled.

In addition, you are getting the upgraded twin blade system and extra cutting heights from 1″ – 4″.

If you want an affordable workhouse for your lawn then this is a great option to look at.

Prosumer – HRX Series – GCV200 Engine, Leaf Shredding, NeXite Deck, Cutting Heights, Longer Warranty

There are 5 models within the prosumer HRX series.

Our pick – the HYA – is the 2nd most expensive within the prosumer category.

We believe the added cost is worth it long term.

Our Pick: Honda HRX217-HYA

All things considered the Honda HRX217-HYA is the best lawnmower on the market – even considering the price tag. It is that good.

If you want to invest in the most reliable and durable lawn mower then this is your best bet.

So what makes it worth the extra 500 over the HRN?

• GCV200 engine. The HRX has a larger 200cc engine for more power and torque to get you through tough/wet/long grass.
• Hydrostatic drive system. The self propelled mechanism on this mower is hydraulic instead of belt/pulley. This makes it much more versatile with infinite speed control and more precision.
• Roto-Stop blade safety. You can now easily stop the blades to grab and move a ball or toy without having to shutoff the mower engine.
• NeXite never rust deck. A never rust, never dent deck that is lighter and has a lifetime warranty is a huge upgrade.
• 5 year warranty. The HRS and HRN mower models have a 3 year warranty. The HRXs have 5 years under warranty.
• Larger grass bag. 30% more grass catching volume.
• Larger, better wheels. 1″ more diameter in the HRX wheels for better control and they also have ball bearings for a smoother experience.
• Easier storage with folding handle. Easily store your mower under your work bench with the quick release handle.
• Mow lower (0.75″). You can mow down to 0.75″ (19mm) with the HRX. This is great for a nearly golf green lawn look.

All you have to decide is if all those extra features and benefits are worth the extra money.

Both are Honda and both will last 15 years with proper care and maintenance.

Commercial – HRC Series – GXV Engine

Now we’re talking commercial mowers.

These are overkill for homeowners costing another 500 over HRX and 900 over HRN mower models.

Our Pick: Honda HRC216-HDA

The big upgrade on the commercial Honda mowers is the GXV commercial engine.

The GXV engine has a cast iron cylinder sleeve instead of aluminium. This allows daily professional use without greatly reducing the life of the engine.

The GX engine also has low oil protection to turn the engine off before any damage from low oil. Many components on the GC Honda engine will be plastic where on the GX they are steel for longer life and greater durability.

If you own a lawn care or landscape business and need a walk-behind mower then this is a great option.

If you have the money and want the best of the best for around your home then this is for you.

Honda Lawn Mower Features That Matter

Honda lawn mowers have a Honda small engine connected via vertical shaft to the mower blade. Turn the engine on and it spins the blade at a certain RPM. The blade is sharp and chops/cuts the grass as you move forward over your lawn.

Lawn mowers are pretty simple machines.

Here are the features to choose from to help decide if you want the entry level, prosumer or commercial model of Honda mower.

Engine Design, Type and Size

Honda designs their small engines to be reliable, durable and most important – repairable.

How do they make their lawn mower small engine repairable?

• From the top of the engine you have easy access to remove and replace the engine crankshaft
• The carburetor is easy to access and remove as it is attached via 2 stud bolts on the side of the engine
• The engine itself is designed to have less number of parts than previous models to make stocking replacement parts easier and less complicated.

What types and sizes of small engine do we see on Honda lawn mowers?

• GCV – All Honda mowers have vertical shaft engines.
• GXV – The ‘x’ stands for commercial grade Honda engine. The ‘HRC’ mowers have this engine type.
• 160, 170, 200 – These are the cc (cubic centimetres) of the engine or the volume of the combustion chamber. Bigger combustion chamber equals more power at the mower blade.
• OHV vs. OHC – Overhead valve vs. overhead cam. The gist: For a portable machine like a lawn mower the more power you need the more compact you need the engine. OHV engines are more compact for the power you get so the larger more premium mowers use a OHV style to keep the engine size down without sacrificing power. The GCV160 with the OHC is the same size as the GCV200 with the OHV despite being less powerful.

Let’s look at some more specs of each engine.

• GCV160. Peak 4.4 HP. Torque: 6.9 lb-ft (9.4 Nm) @ 2500 RPM. 0.93 liter fuel tank. 4-stroke OHC.
• GCV170. Peak 4.8 HP. Torque: 8.2 lb-ft (11.1 Nm) @ 2500 RPM. 1 liter fuel tank. 4-stroke OHV.
• GCV200. Peak 5.6 HP. Torque: 9.4 lb-ft (12.7 Nm) @ 2500 RPM. 1 liter fuel tank. 4-stroke OHV.

Mulch/Bag/Side Discharge/Leaf Shred

Most of you will want the option to bag your grass clippings. That means you need to get the prosumer or commercial mower. The entry level Honda mowers only side discharge and mulch the grass – no bagging. Commercial Honda mower have the added leaf shred feature.

• Entry level ‘HRS’ models. 2-in-1 Mulch/Side discharge of grass.
• Prosumer HRN models. 3-in-1 Mulch/Side discharge/Bagging of grass.
• Commercial HRX models. 4-in-1 Mulch/Side discharge/Bagging/Leaf shred of grass and leaves.

Transmission Control

Most Honda mowers are self propelled. Of the 11 models on offer, 2 are push only. At the entry level getting self propelled costs an extra 50.

• Push. You have to push the mower forward through thick grass and up hills.
• Self Propelled. The mower has an adjustable drive system (pulley and belt or gear components) you can engage to propel the mower forward and you walk behind it.
• Hydrostatic. A hydraulic system is used to propel the mower forward with infinite speed control and no external moving components.

Warranty

• 3 Years. Entry level HRS and prosumer HRN Honda mowers have a 3 year warranty. 3 months if you use in a commercial/rental setting.
• 5 Years. Only the commercial HRX mowers have a 5 year warranty on the mower and engine. A lifetime warranty on the deck material. Warranty goes to 3 months if used in commercial/rental setting.

Starter

Most people expect their mower to have a recoil pull starter and so this feature is down the bottom.

Some of the Honda mowers do have an electric starter for convenience.

• Recoil. Pull string starter like you’re used to.
• Electric Starter. On board battery helps you start the mower like a car. Some people dislike this because now you have to worry about replacing the battery down the line.

Deck Material

With proper care the 16 gauge steel deck Honda mowers use will last a lifetime. However, if you leave moist grass clippings stuck to the underside all winter long while in storage it will rust over time. The NeXite deck material will never rust.

• Steel. HRS and HRN mowers. Standard on most gas mowers. Tried and tested. Clean your mower decks before storing over winter and they will last a lifetime.
• NeXite. Comes standard on HRX mowers. Honda patented material will never rust. Lifetime warranty.

How Much Do Honda Lawn Mowers Cost and Where Should You Buy?

Cost

Here are the ranges of the manufacturer suggested retail (MSRPs) of the different Honda series lawn mowers:

Honda distributors sell Honda mowers in bulk to dealers, big box stores and e-commerce mower websites for a set amount per unit. The sellers decide how much above or below MSRP they want to sell based on how much profit they need to generate. Online mower stores can often offer lower because they have less overhead (no storefront).

Where To Buy a Honda Mower

The best Honda mower deals are usually online at speciality tool and mower e-commerce stores.

But sometimes it is more convenient for you to buy at your local big box store or small local mower dealer.

Returning it and claiming warranty will certainly be less hassle if you buy from your local mower dealer as they are authorized to do the repair and make the warranty claim for you.

Big Box Stores

• The Home Depot. There are 1,993 Home Depot locations in the USA. You should have no problem finding one close by to take a look at their Honda lawn mower selection. Home Depot has a great return policy should you need it.
• Lowe’s. There are 1,738 Lowe’s locations in the USA. Lowe’s has a selection of Honda mowers to choose from.

Local Mower Dealers

There are 1,000s of Honda dealers across the USA. Most towns over 5,000 people will have at least 1 local Honda dealer.

This is a great option to buy your Honda mower because they will act as your warranty holder and repair shop.

They will also be able to offer comprehensive buying help if you can’t decide which Honda is best for you.

Online

There are 100s of online e-commerce mower stores to choose from.

Warranty and Repair Considerations

If you buy online or from a big box store you will likely need to go to your local Honda dealer for warranty and repairs. They have all the parts and experts to do the repair and it will all be approved under the Honda warranty.

FAQs

What is the best oil to put in a Honda mower?

Honda takes normal engine oil depending on your local climate.

Synthetic oil is better than traditional oil but also more expensive.

What is the best type of gas to use in a Honda mower?

Your Honda user manual will tell you what type of unleaded gasoline to use in your mower. Honda advises not to use gasoline with more than 10% ethanol.

What brands use Honda small engines in their lawn mowers?

Many lawn mower brands choose to buy Honda engines for use in their push and riding mowers.

Toro, Swisher, Bad Boy Mowers, Snapper and Ferris all choose Honda.

• Best Global Brands. Rankingthebrands.com.
• Honda GCV200. Engines.Honda.com.
• Honda GCV160/190. Engines.Honda.com.
• Move Up with Honda Chart. PowerEquipment.Honda.com.
• OHV vs. OHC Engines: What is The Difference and Which is Better? LethalPerformance.com.
• Dealer Locator. PowerEquipment.Honda.com.

About your guide: Jamey Kramar is a certified Lawn Care Manager (NALP) and a Mechanical Engineer by trade. He has been writing about outdoor power equipment for 11 years and has been quoted in NYTimes, Popular Mechanics, HowStuffWorks, iFixit, Realtor.com, and more. He spends his spare time disassembling things and also building an off-grid cabin at his 200-acre property.

What is the best way to clean a lawn mower deck?

Especially when it comes to removing the caked-up grass from the underside of the deck.

So, what is the best way to remove caked-on grass from your mower deck?

Is there a product or method that works best to get rid of the grass?

That’s exactly what we are going to get into today.

After all, removing caked-on grass from your lawn mowers deck is part of regular lawn mower maintenance.

Below you will find the INSIDER methods lawn care pros use to clean their mower decks.

How do you clean a lawn mower deck?

Well, a good place to start is using the leaf blower to remove the grass off of the top of the deck at the end of each day.

But that will only get you so far.

And if you want to prevent your lawn mower’s deck from rusting out or failing prematurely. You really need to remove the caked-on stuff on the bottom of the deck.

So how do you do that?

Getting to Your Mower Deck’s Underside

The first step to cleaning your lawn mower’s deck is to get access to it.

If you have a common residential riding mower, you can pull the deck off in about 10 minutes once you get the hang of it.

And if you have a flip-up deck, you don’t have much to figure out.

On the other hand, if you are trying to clean a commercial mower. Getting to the underside of your deck SAFELY can be a challenge, and may require a bit of innovation.

You could build a ramp like the one pictured above, or you could purchase a jack to help you get to the underside of your deck.

Using a Scraper to Clean Your Mower Deck

Here’s the deal, when it comes to the underside, most lawn care professionals simply scrape their mower decks.

That’s it, that’s the BIG SECRET.

And they typically don’t use any product when it comes to removing caked-on grass from the underside of the deck.

So when it comes to cleaning the underside of your lawn mower deck, you may just have to get your hands dirty.

You can use several tools to scrape your mower deck including a:

However, it may be a good idea to treat the deck after you clean it to prevent grass from caking on the next time. To learn more on that keep reading.

What is the best product to clean a mower deck with?

When it comes to cleaning the rest of the mower. Including the top of the deck, what product should you use?

According to our research, the resounding answer for the best product to clean your mower deck with is Purple Power. Which is a commonly available degreaser.

41% of lawn care pros reported purple power as being their favorite deck cleaning product.

Further, we found that Simple Green was a close second taking in 31% of the vote.

Finally, the 3rd product recommended by lawn care professionals when it comes to cleaning a lawn mower deck was Ballard’s Mower Magic which snatched up 7% of the vote.

Ballard’s products are not as commonly available as its competitors are, so they can be harder to get a hold of. And many lawn care pros simply have not gotten to try the product, but they work great.

Good news! If you want to give it a try we have partnered with Ballard to get you exclusive deals. Not only do they sell great mower cleaning products, but they also offer a great lawn mower deck scraper.

One of the many benefits of being a GreenPal Vendor is access to exclusive deals!

“Just use a pressure washer”

20% of the lawn care pros that responded to our poll suggested that they don’t use ANY cleaning product. But simply use a pressure washer to clean their lawn mower.

While others reported using one of the products mentioned above along with a pressure washer.

Either way, a pressure washer is a much better way to clean your mower and mower deck than a garden hose.

Whether or not you use a product.

How often should I clean my lawn mower deck?

This is crazy but some lawn care pros find they NEVER have an issue with caked-on grass.

While others need to clean their lawn mower decks 2-3 times a week.

So really, how often you clean your lawn mower deck will depend on how often the need arises.

For example, lawn care pros that cut lawns in sandy areas find that the deck tends to clean itself.

The most common answer lawn care pros give is that they scrape the deck each time they sharpen their lawn mower blades.

And as we have covered in other articles, 75% of lawn care pros sharpen their blades at least once a week.

Ideally, you want to scrape your lawn mower deck before any caked-on grass has time to dry.

Due to the varying conditions you may experience, the answer to how often you need to clean your lawn mower deck can vary from after every lawn, to never.

Treating your Mower Deck After Scraping

Once you have scraped your lawn mower’s underside, some suggest that it’s a good idea to treat the deck with a product to prevent caking next time.

Simply using a product like WD-40, or even Pam can prevent grass from caking on your lawn mower deck in between cleaning.

That’s really all there is to it, scrape your deck, and wash with a product if you choose to.

And once the deck is dry, treat the underside with a quick spray to prevent buildup down the road.

Cleaning Your Lawn Mower’s Deck at the End of the Day

When it comes to cleaning the top of your lawn mower’s deck and underside. You will need more than a little bit of toilet paper.

Here’s the secret, most lawn care pros find that simply scraping the deck is more than enough to maintain their lawn care equipment.

But when you do wash the rest of your mower you may want to consider a product like Simple Green, Ballards, or Purple Power to really make your equipment shine.

Finally, don’t forget to post-treat the deck with a product like WD-40 to prevent build-up on the underside down the road.

Looking for more to read? Check out our guide to starting a lawn care company.