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Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference.

That’s true when it comes to two simple but important lawn-care tips that are widely overlooked – keeping your mower blades sharp and clean. Most mower manufacturers recommend that mower blades be sharpened every 25 hours of use. Depending on how big your lawn is and how often you mow, that could mean sharpening two or three times a season.

Yet some mower-owners never clean or sharpen their blades. It takes time, a few pieces of equipment, or a trip to a sharpening service, and is easy to forget in the grand scheme of life.

So why bother if the grass is getting cut off anyway? The biggest reason is that dull blades cause ragged cuts that tear the tops off the grass blades rather than sharply cutting them. Rough cuts result in bigger openings in the grass-blade tips that cause more moisture loss (especially bad in hot, dry weather) and a greater likelihood that diseases will invade the grass.

Sharpening mower blade
According to mower manufacturers and most lawn care professionals, mower blades should be cleaned and sharpened twice a season.
BanksPhotos / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Why it’s important to clean and sharpen mower blades

As you mow, your blades’ main job is to cut grass, but if they are full of debris, are dull, or have knicks it makes it hard to do their job well. If you notice your grass isn’t being cut in even heights, if the blades look as though they’ve been torn instead of sliced, and if your grass blades have brown, frayed edges - it’s time to clean and sharpen.

When grass blades are cleanly cut, this results in much healthier blades of grass and an overall healthier lawn.

How often to clean mower blades

For the normal lawn maintenance guru - twice a season is generally enough to keep your mower blades working and functional. Lawn care professionals will tell you every 25 hours - but remember, their mowers are used at a much higher frequency than the normal, everyday resident. The best thing to do is keep an eye on your grass. If it isn’t cutting well, it may be time for a cleaning.

According to mower manufacturers and most lawn care professionals, mower blades should be cleaned and sharpened twice a season. So if the quality of your cut is suggesting it’s time to do something - you can take a stab at it yourself, or contact a local resource to clean and sharpen them.

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