How Often Should You Sharpen Your Lawn Mower Blades? 10 Signs It Might Be Time

Keep your lawn mower blades sharp for optimal lawn care.

Your lawn mower is an essential tool for maintaining the yard, but when the blades start to dull, it won’t work as well. When this happens, homeowners need to either sharpen the blades themselves or take them to a local home improvement store that offers blade sharpening services. A lawn mower with dull blades may not seem like a big deal, but it can have a significant impact on the appearance and health of the lawn.

Dull lawn mower blades will tear the grass instead of cutting it, leaving the shredded ends more vulnerable to lawn diseases and browning. If the blades are too dull, they may even rip out entire patches of grass, turning the lawn into a pockmarked spectacle. Before the lawn becomes a victim of dull mower blades, use this guide to find out how often you should sharpen your lawn mower blades, and 10 signs that it might be time to do so.

Related: The 7 Best Lawn Mowers of 2024 to Keep Your Yard Tidy, According to Testing

How Often to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

Setting up a regular maintenance schedule for your lawn mower and other tools will help ensure they are ready for use whenever you need them. Typically, the blades on a lawn mower should be sharpened about once every 20 to 25 hours of use. This means that if you usually take one hour to mow the lawn, then after you have mowed the lawn about 20 to 25 times, you should sharpen the blades.

However, if you haven’t been paying close attention to the amount of time you spend mowing the lawn, then at a minimum, the blades should be sharpened once per mowing season. Though, for optimal lawn health, it’s recommended to sharpen the lawn mower blades about two to three times per season. This will ensure that the blades are sharp enough to cut the grass instead of ripping or tearing it. Additionally, sharp mower blades put less stress on the engine and require less effort by the user to push the mower because the blades cut cleanly through the grass with minimal resistance.

Related: How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn? 8 Tips to Time It Right

Factors that Impact Sharpening Frequency

When you are trying to figure out how often to sharpen the mower blades, there are several factors that can impact the sharpening frequency, such as the type of grass, the height of the mower deck, and hard obstacles, like rocks, tree stumps, or garden edging stones. Make sure to take these factors into consideration to better determine how frequently your mower blades should be sharpened.

Mowing frequency: How often you use the mower is one of the top factors to consider. The more frequently you mow the lawn, the faster the blades will start to dull, so you may find that you need to sharpen the blades more than two or three times per mowing season for the best results.

Hard objects or obstacles: Running over a rock or other hard object can dull the blades of the lawn mower more quickly. It’s important to avoid items like curbs, rocks, garden edging stones, or tree roots. If you do hit one of these objects, make sure to inspect the lawn mower blades after use for any signs of damage or dulling.

Regular cleaning: Cleaning your mower blades regularly can help keep the mower blades sharper for longer by removing dirt and built-up lawn debris from the bottom of the mower. The blades are then able to rotate freely without constantly coming into contact with debris which can prematurely dull the edges.

Alter the cutting height: Operating your mower at the right cutting height for your lawn can save stress on the blades. Setting the cutting height too low can cause the lawn to burn out under the hot sun and may also force the mower blades into contact with any dirt clumps, bumps in the yard, or low-lying obstacles, like small rocks.

Determine the grass type: Different types of grass need to be cut more frequently than others to maintain the optimal health and appearance. Additionally, some types of grass are tougher than other types, causing the lawn mower blades to dull at a faster rate.

Related: How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn? 8 Tips to Time It Right

10 Signs It’s Time to Sharpen Your Mower’s Blades

Setting a regular sharpening schedule is the best way to keep the lawn mower blades sharp and in top condition, but there are also several signs you can look out for that can indicate that it might be time to sharpen your mower’s blades. Keep an eye out for any of these signs if the mower blades haven’t be sharpened in a while.

Torn or ragged grass: This is a sure sign that the mower blades are having difficulty cutting the lawn. When the lawn mower blades are too dull, they cannot cut through the grass fiber, but the speed of the rotating metal blade is still enough to tear the grass apart. However, this can leave the grass more susceptible to browning, yellowing, and lawn diseases.

Uneven grass: Grass that isn’t cut evenly can be another indication that the lawn mower blades need to be sharpened. This can occur if the blades are too dull to cut through the grass, resulting in torn or ragged grass standing at uneven heights.

Discolored grass: A lawn with yellow or brown patches may be due to dull lawn mower blades tearing through the grass instead of cutting it. The torn edges are more vulnerable to yellowing or browning, leaving the lawn looking rough and uncared for.

Longer mowing times: Mowing the lawn typically takes longer when you’re using a lawn mower with dull blades. This is because it takes longer for the mower to tear through the grass than it would to cut the grass, resulting in a longer mowing time for the homeowner.

More effort required: When the lawn mower blades are dull, it can be more difficult to push the mower across the yard. Homeowners using a push mower will need to work harder to force the lawn mower through the grass, causing a higher rate of fatigue.

Slow operation and frequent stalls: This can be a result of dull mower blades. When the mower blades are dull, the lawn mower is forced to work harder to essentially break through every bit of grass, putting more stress on the engine. When this occurs, the mower may slow or stall altogether.

Several passes over the same area: It might be necessary to go over the same areas multiple times in order to cut the lawn to the desired height if the lawn mower has dull blades. This is because the sheer rotation force of the dull lawn mower blades may not be enough to break through every blade of grass on the first pass.

Using more fuel than normal: This is a common symptom of a mower with dull blades. The lawn mower is forced to work harder, leading to a faster rate of fuel consumption.

Dents or nicks in the blade: Damage to the blade can indicate that the lawn mower blades should be sharpened or replaced as soon as possible, depending on the severity of the damage. Minimal nicks can typically be removed by sharpening the blades, but serious damage may necessitate a blade replacement.

Visual inspections: Visually checking the blades after each use is one of the easiest ways to tell if the mower blades need to be sharpened. It’s recommended to inspect the lawn mower blades before and after each use to check the sharpness of the blades and to ensure there isn’t any significant damage that needs to be addressed before using the lawn mower.

Related: Can You Mow Wet Grass? The Answer, Plus 7 Mowing Tips

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