How to Store a Lawn Mower (Garage, Shed or Outside)
In This Guide
Where you keep your mower between uses matters more than most people think. Good lawn mower storage keeps rust, moisture, and stale fuel from turning an easy spring startup into a repair bill. A garage is ideal, a shed is close behind, and outside is workable if you take a few precautions. Below we cover the best spot for your mower, the fuel and safety steps that matter most, and how to store it so it starts on the first pull next time.
Garage, Shed, or Outside: Which Is Best?
The goal is simple: keep the mower dry and away from anything that could ignite fuel vapors. Here is how the three options compare.
| Location | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Garage | Best. Dry and secure. Keep it clear of the furnace or water heater. |
| Shed | Very good. Dry and out of the weather, ideal if the garage is full. |
| Outside under a cover | Last resort. Use a breathable cover and raise it off wet ground. |
Deal With the Fuel Before Anything Else
Stale fuel is the top reason a stored mower will not start. You have two good options, and both prevent the gummed carburetor that ruins spring startups.
Store it stabilized. Add a fuel stabilizer to a full tank, then run the engine for five minutes so treated fuel reaches the carburetor. A full tank also leaves less room for the condensation that causes rust and varnish.
Or store it dry. Run the mower until it stalls from lack of fuel, then drain the carburetor bowl. An empty fuel system cannot gum up.
Clean It Before You Put It Away
Grass left packed under the deck holds moisture against the metal and causes rust and corrosion over a long storage period. A few minutes of cleaning now saves a rusty deck later.
1. Disconnect the plug wire
Pull the spark plug wire before reaching near the blade.
2. Scrape the deck
Tip the mower air filter side up and clear packed grass from the underside and discharge chute.
3. Wipe it down
Dry the deck and wipe metal surfaces so no moisture is sealed in for the season.
Can You Store a Lawn Mower on Its Side?
It is best to store a mower upright. Standing it on its side or end can let oil drain into the cylinder, air filter, or muffler, which causes heavy smoke and hard starting when you fire it up next. Some manuals allow vertical storage with the air filter and spark plug side up, so check yours before tipping it.
Storing a Riding Mower
Riding mowers need a couple of extra steps. Remove or disconnect the battery and keep it on a trickle charger or in a cool dry place, since a battery left connected slowly drains and can freeze and crack in cold weather. Set the mower on a solid, dry floor, and if it will sit for months, take weight off the tires by checking pressures so they do not develop flat spots.
Long-Term and Off-Season Storage
For storage longer than a month or over winter, combine everything above with a full winter shutdown: stabilized or drained fuel, fresh oil, a clean deck, and a cover. Done right, the mower comes out in spring ready to start rather than needing a carburetor cleaning.
If your mower has been sitting on old fuel and now will not start, that is a classic gummed carburetor. Wildwood can clean the fuel system at your home and get it running again, then set you up so next season's storage goes smoothly.
Rather Have a Real Technician Handle It?
A Wildwood technician comes to your driveway, diagnoses the problem, and fixes it on the spot, usually in about an hour. More than 10,000 repairs completed since 2019, with flat rates quoted before we arrive so there are no surprises.