How to Use Lawn Mowers Safely Through Pre-Use Checks, In-Use Rules, Environment Adaption and Post-Use Care?

More and more people use lawn mowers for home gardening and city greening work. But if you don’t use them the right way, accidents can happen easily. A 2024 safety report on gardening tools says 60% of lawn mower accidents happen because people don’t check the mower before use or use it incorrectly. Over 70% of these accidents are caused by broken blades or fuel leaks. Learning to use a lawn mower properly can keep you safe. It also helps you work faster and makes the mower last longer. You need to focus on four main areas of safety rules.

1. Before Using: Check Everything to Fix Problems Early

You need to do three checks before starting the lawn mower:

① Check the parts: If the blade is thinner than 3mm, replace it (this stops it from breaking when spinning fast). Tighten the screws to 8-10N・m (this stops them from coming loose and flying off). The safety parts (like the kill switch and hand guard) must be in good shape. If any are missing or broken, don’t use the mower.

② Check the power system: For gas-powered mowers, use the right gasoline (92# or higher). Never mix gasoline with oil. Don’t fill the fuel tank more than 80% full (this stops fuel from spilling and catching fire). For electric mowers, check that the battery has at least 70% power. Make sure the power cord isn’t damaged (this stops electric shocks).

③ Check the safety gear: You must wear cut-resistant gloves (to stop the blade from cutting your hands), goggles (to stop grass clippings from getting in your eyes), and non-slip work shoes (to stop you from slipping). Tests show wearing the right safety gear can lower the chance of getting hurt in an accident by 85%.

2. While Using: Follow Rules to Avoid Risks

When you’re mowing, follow the "Three Don’ts" and "Three Controls" rules:

Three Don’ts: Don’t go near kids or pets (stay at least 5 meters away). Don’t use the mower if you’ve been drinking alcohol or feel tired (your reaction speed drops by 50%, which makes accidents more likely). Don’t use it on rainy days or in wet areas (this stops electric shocks for electric mowers and stops gas mowers from turning off suddenly).

Three Controls: Control how fast you move (for walking mowers, don’t go faster than 3km per hour—this stops you from missing spots or losing control). Control how high you cut the grass (for the first cut, leave at least 8cm of grass stubble—this stops you from hurting the grass roots. Later, adjust based on the grass type, like leaving 5-7cm for cool-season grass). Control how much you turn (don’t turn sharply—this stops the blade from getting stuck and breaking. Slow down to less than 1km per hour when turning).

Data from a greening company shows following these rules can make mowing 20% faster. It also lowers the chance of the mower breaking by 40%.

3. About the Environment: Adjust How You Work to Reduce Damage

You need to change how you work based on the environment:

① Slopes: Don’t mow on slopes steeper than 15° (about 26.8%). Steeper slopes make the mower tip over easily. When mowing on slopes, move sideways (not up and down). This stops fuel from leaking.

② Clean up debris: Before mowing, pick up stones and branches from the lawn. Remove any branches thicker than 2cm. This stops the blade from hitting them and breaking. Statistics show 35% of blade replacements happen because people didn’t clean up debris first.

③ Avoid certain areas: Stay away from power lines (keep at least 1 meter away for electric mowers). Don’t mow near flower beds (this stops you from cutting plants by accident). When you’re near walls or flower beds, adjust the mower’s direction by hand. Leave a 10cm safe distance.

4. After Using: Maintain the Mower to Make It Last Longer

Do three maintenance tasks after you finish mowing:

① Clean and care for it: Use a high-pressure water gun (with pressure no more than 0.8MPa) to wash grass clippings off the mower. Take the blade off and sharpen it (this keeps it sharp and makes cutting 30% faster). Put anti-rust oil on it (this stops it from rusting).

② Care for the power system: For gas-powered mowers, drain any leftover fuel from the tank (this stops the fuel from going bad if you store the mower for a long time). Change the oil every 50 hours of use. For electric mowers, charge the battery right away. Store it only when it’s fully charged (this stops the battery from losing power).

③ Store it properly: Keep the mower in a dry, well-ventilated place (humidity no more than 60%). Keep gas-powered mowers away from fire. Store electric mower batteries separately. Calculations show proper maintenance can make the mower last 30% longer.

Now, lawn mowers are getting "smarter and safer". For example, some mowers have infrared sensors (they stop automatically when someone gets close) and slope warnings (they beep if the slope is over 15°). Sales of these mowers have gone up by 55% compared to last year. But no matter how the mower improves, learning the basic safety rules is still the key to safe use. Using a lawn mower the right way keeps you safe. It also helps the mower work at its best. This gives strong support to gardening and greening work.