How to Store a Lawn Mower

Cool autumn days will be turning into frosty winter months before you know it, and that means it’s time to store your lawn mower. Before the snowflakes start to fall, take the time to rent a storage unit, prep your lawn mower for storage and stow it away. You’ll be rewarded with extra space in your garage that you can use to store your family’s cars or that snow blower you’ve had your eye on.

Putting your lawn mower in self storage is also a great way to ensure that it’ll be safe from the elements until it’s time to use it again. All you have to do is rent a storage unit online, follow our tips for lawn mower storage, and drop by your storage facility once summer rolls around.

Never stored your lawn mower in a storage unit before? No problem! Here’s how to do it in just four steps:

Choose a Storage Unit

The right storage unit for your lawn mower should be like that shed in your backyard but better.

Use our size guide to determine how much space you’ll need. If you’re just storing your lawn mower, a 5x5 unit will be fine (it’s like having a closet). But if you want to store other seasonal items, you may want a larger unit.

Choose self storage amenities that make storing your lawn mower easier. You may want drive-up access, so that you can literally park beside your storage unit to load and unload. Depending on where you live, you may want climate controlled storage.

Prep

Take the time to prep your lawn mower for storage and it’ll last for years. While you should always follow your manufacturer’s instructions, here’s a quick breakdown of everything you need to do to get your lawn mower ready for storage:

• Lay down a tarp or some cardboard on whatever surface you’ll be working on

• Put on heavy duty gloves to protect your hands

• Add fuel stabilizer to the tank and then run the mower until the fuel runs out. Gasoline and other combustible materials are prohibited in storage units, so this step is crucial.

• Remove the blade and clean it with water (Optional: Sharpen the blade.)

• Remove grass, mud and other debris from beneath the lawn mower with a wire brush

• Reattach the blade

• Clean the cooling fins with compressed air

• Set the lawn mower on its side, take the oil reservoir plug out and drain the oil into a pan

• Remove the battery and store it in a climate controlled storage unit or at home

• Dispose of oil and fuel safely by contacting your garbage collection service and inquiring about sites that accept these fluids

Transport

You don’t need to rent a moving truck to haul your lawn mower to your storage facility (though many storage facilities do rent trucks on-site should you need one). Believe it or not, you can fit your lawn mower in your car’s trunk.

Fair warning though: People damage their lawn mowers every year by moving them incorrectly. Common damages include loose handles and unresponsive brakes. Here’s the correct way to transport a lawn mower to a storage unit:

• Loosen the handles as much as possible without detaching them

• Fold the lawn mower handles gently down, taking care to move cables out of the way

• Lower the lawn mower into the trunk

That’s it! When you take your lawn mower out of storage at the end of winter, release the brake mechanism when pulling the handle back up, again making sure to avoid pinching the cable.

Store

Now for the easiest step of all: storing your lawn mower at the facility.

Place it towards the back of your storage unit, and keep items you might need before summer towards the front. Be aware of your facility’s hours (especially around the winter holidays) and ask about snow removal plans.

If you have any questions about storing any other seasonal items, take a look at our blog, where we’ll show you how to store everything from pool stuff to patio furniture.