Your mower can get wet under different circumstances. It could be you left outside in the rain, due to the morning dew, or maybe you left it out overnight. When this happens, it is normal for you to panic that your mower is damaged. The question is, is it really damaged?

Can your lawn mower get wet? Yes, a lawn mower can get wet if exposed to a lot of water. You should not consciously expose your lawnmower to water. Although the machine can survive little wetness, being very wet may cause the engine not to restart. Moisture in the mower’s spark plug chamber, air intake ports, or carburetor may cause the motor not to restart.

Moreover, if the mower is extremely wet, the fuel might have mixed with the water, which is another reason the engine will not restart. That is why you should place your away from water. Should it get wet, you have to perform some maintenance before you can use it again.

This article will look into what can make your mower wet, what you should do if your mower gets wet and how to fix a wet electric mower. We will also discuss how to tell a wet mower and other lawnmower related questions. Keep reading to learn more about how to handle a wet mower.

What Can Make My Mower Wet?

As mentioned above, several conditions can make your mower wet. The most common is leaving the mower out in the rain. However, some situations are not common, but you should be informed.

Your mower can get wet due to condensation if stored and covered with a plastic sheet or any other non-porous sheet for a long time. Therefore, to avoid this, make sure you uncover the mower ones in a while to release any accumulated moisture.

• Storing fuel in the machine for a long time without adding a fuel stabilizer can also introduce water into the fuel tank. 
• Cracks and dents on the mower could introduce water to the fuel, which means the engine may not fire up when needed.
• Other circumstances include morning dew or moisture after leaving the mower outside overnight.

So What Should I Do to a Wet Mower?

Even though the water on your mower does not necessarily cause any short-term damage, it could cause the engine to stop. It is also recommended you keep your mower away from moisture if you want it to last longer. 

However, accidents are unavoidable and weather conditions unpredictable. Anything could happen and your mower may get wet. So, what should you do? Do not panic. We have highlighted in detail the steps take.

To start, if the mower is slightly wet, you can do the following.

• Start by wiping the deck using a dry rug.
• Once the mower’s exterior part is dry, start the mower and let it run for several minutes. In this case, it is unlikely that little moisture will hinder the engine from firing up. Allowing the mower run helps it to dry on its own using the heat produced. 
• Alternatively, you can place the mower out in the sun to dry. Once it is dry, allow the engine to run for some minutes.

However, if the wetness is in excess and the engine is not cracking up, you can do it. Note the following steps are done, only after you tried the steps highlighted above.

Step 1: Check the spark plug and remove it. The spark plug is found at the back of the engine. Remove it to check for any moisture. Usually, the spark plug is very dirt and if moisture is trapped, then it wet, which prevents it from going off. 

Step 2: Clean the sparkplug using a sandpaper ad dry it thoroughly

Step 3: Make sure you leave the spec between the spark plug and electrode to air and dry properly in case of any moisture

Step 4: When you are satisfied each part is dry, fix back the spark plug

Step 5: Try to start the mower; if the engine fires up, it is good for use. If it doesn’t proceed to the next step

Step 6: Remove the air filter and inspect its condition.

Step 7: Depending on its condition, you may have to clean the air filter or replace it with a new one

Step 8: With a clean or new air filter, you may fit it back and try starting your mower again. Alternatively, you can progress to the next step before replacing the air filter. The latter helps to save time and effort used should the mower not start.

Step 9: Before fitting back the air filter, check the carburetor. If it wet, clean it and dry it thoroughly. You may have to spray some starting fluid into the air inlet behind the air filters on the space net to the carburetor. The starting fluid helps the carburetor to start properly.

Step 10: Once the carburetor is dry fit, it back followed by a wholly dried air filter. If this doesn’t get your mower’s engine to start, move to the next step.

Step 11: The next step is to check if the gasoline is contaminated. If water gets into the gasoline, it will gather at the bottom of the tank since water is denser than gasoline.

Step 12: To get rid of the water, empty the gasoline into a container, then pour the water. Allow the gas tank to dry. 

Step 13: When you are sure the tank is dry, put fresh gas and try to start your mower. If, after all this work, the mower does not crank up, it is time to pull your final card.

Step 14: Check if the fuel tank is contaminated with water. Oil that has mixed with water looks milky.

Step 15: If the oil has mixed water, you will need to clean the tank. Start by draining the oil. Fill the tank with new oil then drain it off. This ensures that you get rid of all the water. Once you have drained the second batch of oil, fill the tank with fresh oil.

Step 16: Once you have tried all these steps, your lawnmower is ready to start.

Water in the oil will affect the engine’s performance since the engine will not be adequately lubricated. One of the quickest ways to dry the parts mentioned above is by spraying dry compressed air. You can also spray them with a volatile cleaning solvent. The latter works best for cleaning and drying a carburetor.

Before trying out any of the steps above, make sure you read your lawnmower manual and be on the lookout for any special instructions.

How to Fix a Wet Electric Lawn Mower

Just like any other electric machine, a lawn mower cost an arm and leg. You, therefore, would hate to leave it out in the rain or expose it to moisture. However, accidents happen. In such instances, if you act fast, you can save your electric mower from permanent damage. Here are the step you can take 

• Expose the motor by opening up the engine section of the mower
• Dry the motor and the wiring making sure you leave no trace of moisture
• Apply an electric contact cleaner in the engine section of the mower
• Check if the wring has lost resistance. You can use a megohmmeter like this to test the resistance of the wring and reestablish it.
• Fix back the arts of the motor and try to start it.

How to Tell That the Mower Is Wet

Other than the surface of the mower being wet, there are other signs to look out for if you suspect your lawnmower is contaminated with water.

Not Starting – if your mower’s mortar is not starting, it is likely that some engine parts are contaminated with water. As discussed before, since water is heavier than oil, it tends to settle at the bottom of the fuel tank. Therefore, the engine or mortar will suck the water first before it gets to the oil.

Water, on the other hand, is not combustible and neither is it a lubricant. As such, the engine will not have fuel to run on and will not power on.

Sudden stops– if you mower shuts down out of nowhere, there may be some water in the engine parts. Make a point of cleaning those parts and drying them thoroughly.

A decreased power– if you notice that your machine is running on lower power than usual or lacks acceleration, you need to be concerned. Some water may be accumulating in the engine parts.

Unusual smoke– if your fuel-powered mower starts to produce a lot of smoke, which is not a norm, it could be water. Water may cause poor combustion in the piston chamber, which will cause the engine to reduce a lot of smoke.

Check the engine– the other sure way of telling if your mower is wet is by checking the engine. Move the mower into a darker room then use a flashlight to shine into the engine’s tank. When water is mixed with fuel, it tends to form bubbles like shapes that are not known as globules.

Alternatively, you can reel some fuel through the fuel line onto a piece of metal. If the fuel has mixed with water, it will bead up.

Related Questions

Are there waterproof lawn mowers? 

No, there are no waterproof mowers. In fact, most machines are not waterproof. This is a common question, especially if the mower is labeled water-resistant. If a lawnmower is water-resistant, it means that it can withstand exposure to a certain level of moisture without getting damaged deepening on its resistance capacity. As such, if exposed to large amounts of water, you risk damaging your mower.

That said, there are protective covers that are made to specifically protect your mower from water and other hazardous elements like UV light. In most cases, these covers are purchased separately, depending on the needs of your mower.

Can I hose my mower when cleaning it? 

Now that we understand your mower is not waterproof, you must be wondering if it is safe to use water when cleaning, more importantly, if you can sue a garden hose. Well, do not worry; yes, you can use a hosepipe to clean your lawnmower.

However, you will just have to adhere to some guidelines. For starters, make sure the engine of the mower is cool before you start hosing the mower. As you are cleaning your mower, avoid the engine, transmission belts and cables. Each of these parts is highly susceptible to damage once exposed to large amounts of water.

Other than that, never aim the hose at the side of the lawnmower since you may end up wetting the air filter. Still on cleaning your mower, never use a pressure washer. When you are done hosing your mower, leave it to air dry completely.

See Also: Will Mowing Wet Grass Ruin Lawn Mower