So....What's Your Cleaning Procedure After Mowing?

[gabowman]

After owning my mower for 3 years now I'm pretty much in the rhythm of using the blower on the mower when finished and then rinsing it off good. I know this doesnt make the mower spotless but it does keep it in decent looking shape. When it was new I'd use soap on it but as with anything I own I guess I start slipping as the years go by.

So....what do you guys do after mowing, especially you guys that have owned for a few years now?

 

[bradmc]

I've only had my Hustler for 2 months, but this has been my practice with previous riders:

- I have a short 3 foot whip that I hook into the end of my retractable hose on my air compressor. The whip has a filter on it to screen out the oil from the pump so i don't blast the mower with an oily film. There is a jet nozzle at the end. I blow off all of the dust and grass from the mower, deck top, seat, engine bay...
- I pull off the intake air filter and blow it out from the inside with the air hose.
- I also remove the two plastic deck pulley/belt guards and get all the grass and crud out of there. I converted the guard hold downs from hex cap bolts to wing nuts to make the whole thing tool-less and quick.
- I lift the mower by its caster wheels on my Harbor Freight mower lift. I slide an old scrap of tarp under the deck and then use a plastic putty knife to scrape (usually) 10 pounds or more of clumped in grass from the underside of the deck.

Edit to add: I'll wash it with a hose and carwash soap each fall before putting it up for the winter.

 

[cpurvis]

- I pull off the intake air filter and blow it out from the inside with the air hose.

I would definitely NOT do this. Leave your air filter alone until it's time to replace it. Dirty filters actually do a better job of filtering than clean ones. You may want to clean the wrapper, if it has one, but leave the filter itself alone.

 

[kraky]

Blow off w/blower when done. Put away till next time.
Wash only when muddy or end of season. I use a gilmour foam gun w/soft brush for washing....lots of suds...low pressure cleaning. (Also great for the motorcycle or debugging the front of the car).
I also have a harbor frt lift for scrape outs....but if i mow when grass s dry it stays clean underneath.

 

[DK35vince]

Mine gets pressure washed and serviced at the end of the season.
During the mowing season it rarely get washed unless its really muddy.

 

[LeakyGasket]

I don't have a ZTR yet, but wash a Fastrak in my dreams.

 

[Freerider]

I don't bother washing. I may occasionally blow it off. I do drive it up on car ramps after cutting my 3 acres and lay on my side and dig out the grass clinging to the inside of the deck. Clean deck means better mulching of clippings.

 

[Ric]

I blow off the mower after every lawn I do or before I load it on the trailer. I all so blow out the air filter every couple of days with the air hose to get all the crud out of the filter. I don't ever wash the things, that would be never ending when you mow daily.

 

[cpurvis]

I blow off the mower after every lawn I do or before I load it on the trailer. I all so blow out the air filter every couple of days with the air hose to get all the crud out of the filter. I don't ever wash the things, that would be never ending when you mow daily.

See post #3.

 

[Ric]

See post #3.

I saw your post and I totally disagree. You should never imo leave or run your air dirty.