How to Clean a Walk Behind Lawn Mower Deck

Cleaning the underside of your walk behind lawn mower is a maintenance step that some of us may neglect. However, keeping the underside of your mower clean plays a role in the performance of the machine. Grass clippings and other debris cling to the underside of the lawn mower each time you mow. Cleaning the clippings maintains optimum airflow under the lawn mower deck and prevents corrosion over time. Remember to clean your lawn mower deck soon after you’re done mowing. If you wait and the grass clippings dry, they will be difficult to remove. Here’s how to clean a walk behind lawn mower deck.

Before performing any maintenance on your lawn mower, refer to your owner’s manual for maintenance instructions and safety information. Maintenance instructions vary by model, so depending on your lawn mower model our instructions may vary slightly.

Some walk behind lawn mowers are designed with washout ports. The deck washout port is a convenient feature that makes cleaning the bottom of the lawn mower deck easy.
If your lawn mower has a washout port, park the machine on a flat, paved surface and lower the cutting height to the cutting setting.
Remove the bag and attach a garden hose to the washout port.
Turn the hose on, start the lawn mower engine and stand behind the machine while you engage the mower blades.
Run the mower until no more clippings come out from under the deck.
When the lawn mower deck is completely clean, stop the lawn mower engine, shut off the garden hose, and disconnect it from the washout port.
Start the engine again, and stand behind the mower while engaging the mower blades.
Engage the blades for a few minutes to dry off the underside of the mower.
If your walk behind lawn mower is not equipped with a washout port, you can still clean the mower deck.
Park the machine on a flat surface, shut off the engine, and lower the cutting height.
Use your garden hose and aim it in front of the right rear wheel, right in the pavement.
After a few seconds, stop the hose and engage the mower blades.
Run the machine until no more clippings disperse from underneath the mower.
Once you’re completely done with the garden hose, run the mower again for a few minutes to dry the underside of the lawn mower deck.
If your walk behind lawn mower is not equipped with a washout port, you can also clean the deck by scraping the underside.
To scrape the underside of your mower, use a scraper or putty knife.
Make sure the engine is off and all moving parts have stopped before you begin scraping the lawn mower deck.
When you tip the mower on its side to access the underside of the deck, make sure the air filter side is up. This will prevent oil from flowing into the air filter and carburetor, which will prevent your mower from running.

Note: never use a pressure washer to clean your lawn mower deck. The pressure washer can force water into important areas of the mower that should not get wet.

Make cleaning your lawn mower deck part of your mower maintenance routine. Keeping a clean mower deck ensure maximum airflow and high performance.

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