Looking for some lawn mower storage ideas other than parking it in the corner of your shed?
In this guide, we’ll explain the 5 best ways to store a lawn mower, and how to ensure the mower is ready to use immediately in the spring.
Why is it important to store your lawn mower properly?
When you’re not using your lawn mower, it’s important to keep it stored correctly. This will protect the machine from rusting, corrosion, and the engine seizing up over time. It’ll also ensure that it’s ready to go as soon as you need it – whether this be next week or next spring.
Can you keep a lawn mower outside?
You can keep your lawn mower outside, as long as it’s well protected from moisture, dirt, and cold weather.
It’s not a good idea to leave your mower exposed to the weather because this can cause rusting to the bodywork and corrosion of the blade. Ideally, the best place for lawn mower storage is in a garage, garden shed or elevated surface that’s out of the sun and rain, but close enough so you can reach it if needed.
No matter whether you keep your mower inside or outside, you’ll want to cover it in storage to protect it from the elements. A tarp works well, but you may also use a thick plastic sheet to keep your lawn mower dry and covered up during storage.
What happens if I leave my lawn mower in the rain?
If you leave your lawn mower out in the rain, or without protection during bad weather like snow and ice, you may see rust appearing on the blades and cutting deck.
It’s important to take care of your lawn mower and store it properly for winter so that there are less maintenance issues come spring – otherwise you’ll be paying someone else to do the job!
Can you store a lawn mower in the house?
Yes, you can store your mower inside your house. But it’s important to be careful with where you place it, as wood floors or carpet may get damaged by oil leaks from the machine.
If possible, try and put down a tarp or old rug before storing the machine on top for protection, and then cover the mower in another sheet of tarpaulin, using heavy duty tape to secure the cover in place.
It’s important to be aware that if you keep the mower in the house, the fuel can go stale and develop a gasoline smell. The fumes from petrol aren’t something you want to have around the house, so it’s not the best place for mower storage.
Preparing a lawn mower for storage
When storing your lawn mower in a shed/garage, or on an elevated surface like a workbench, place blocks under the wheels so they don’t touch any surfaces that can be damaged by oil leaks.
Once you’ve turned off the mower completely, it’s also helpful to clean out excess grass clippings before placing the machine away for winter. This will help prevent rusting over time – remember, grass clippings are 80% water, and moisture causes corrosion.
You want to flush the fuel system and drain the fuel tank before storing your mower for long periods. Otherwise, the petrol will go stale, which can damage the engine when you start it back up again. Read more about clearing petrol from a lawn mower engine.
Finally, fold down the handles, remove the battery if it has one, and your mower is ready to be wrapped up and stored away.
Remember: if you have a cordless electric mower, the battery needs to be kept out of the cold. Bring it inside with you, and store it somewhere cool and dry for the winter. You can also hook the battery up to a trickle charger to ensure it doesn’t degrade from a lack of use over time.
Lawn mower storage ideas
Here are five of the best places for lawn mower storage whether you’re storing it away for the winter, or simply putting it away in between each mowing session.
1. On a rack or shelf in the shed
Keeping your mower on a shelf in your garden shed is a great way to keep the it out of the weather and still have it ready for use. Most sheds come with enough space to store the machine on a shelf so that you can push it up against one side, freeing up all of the other shelves and floor space in your storage area.
Using a shelf also ensures that your lawn mower won’t get buried under any other junk or equipment that you have in the shed, which will make it easier to find when you need to use it again.
If possible, try and dedicate a shelf just for this purpose – if you don’t have a spare shelf, then at least one corner of the shed should be enough space to store your lawn mower.
2. On a rack or shelf in the garage
If you don’t have a garden storage shed, or your shed doesn’t have room for your mower, you can also store it in the garage.
The reason we recommend the shed first and foremost is it’s more likely to be closer to your garden, where you’ll use the mower. Carrying your mower back and forth from the garage can be tiresome, depending on the distance and the type of petrol or electric mower you have.
However, putting your lawn mower in the garage is a perfectly acceptable way of storing it, provided the garage is not too damp.
3. Using vertical storage – hang up the mower in the shed or garage
Some lawn mowers can be stored vertically, rather than on a shelf. In this case, you’ll need a special rack, and if hanging it vertically, it’s best to store your lawn mower in the shed or garage rather than outside.
To hang up lawn mowers, you will need a space to attach the support, and a specialised mower anchor. You will also need to be able to screw hooks into the walls – the wooden walls of a shed make this very easy.
The best types of lawn mower to store vertically are lightweight, foldable mowers, especially hover mowers, as they are often designed to be hung up.
4. In a dry, shaded area of your garden
If you don’t have space in your garage or shed, you can store your mower outdoors, in the garden. If keeping your mower outside, it’s very important to keep it in a dry and shaded area.
If you don’t have space for your mower inside, then try to find an outdoor location that’s not too damp or exposed to the cold – this is where most lawnmowers will rust the fastest.
No matter how sheltered the lawn mower is outdoors, it still needs to be covered up properly with a tarpaulin. This protects against water and dampness if there’s any rain, but also prevents the top of the mower fading from sunlight exposure.
It’s also important to remember that when storing your lawn mower outdoors, you’ll still need to clean it thoroughly before putting it away to clear dirt and grass clippings from the blades and cutting deck.
5. In a dedicated lawn mower shed
Lawn mower sheds are often made of metal or plastic and are designed to look like a small barn, similar in size to a dog kennel. They can be positioned at the back edge of your lawn, near the garage, or down the side of your property if there’s enough space for storage.
People choose mower sheds because they’re more convenient than storing the mower outside on its own. The shed helps to protect the mower from the weather, meaning that it won’t rust or get damaged as quickly. You don’t need to worry about wrapping up the mower in tarp or other material, as the shed helps to protect it from the weather.
The downside? They can be expensive, and are often too big for smaller gardens, although there are small lawn mower sheds coming onto the market at the moment.
It’s a good idea to measure your garden and look for a wooden shed that suits the size of space you have available.
Have a better lawn mower storage solution we haven’t mentioned? Leave us a comment below to share your lawn mower storage ideas.
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I’m Josh, and I’m the head writer at Lawn Care Pro.
I love everything lawns, but I’m a bit of a lawn mower nerd. I spend a lot of my free time tinkering with mowers, and planning my mowing schedule for the next few weeks.
I’m also into cars, which comes in very helpful when servicing a mower engine!