How to Clean Your Lawn Mower Deck

Cleaning your mower deck will keep your mower running well for as long as possible. Here's how to do it right.

By Tobie Stanger

Updated by Yasmeen Khan

Updated March 15, 2026

Cut grass flying out from under a lawn mower. — Grass clippings can cling to metal mower decks, leading to premature rust. Cleaning your deck properly will help it last for years without issue.

With grass-cutting season season upon us, make sure to clean the mower deck regularly for optimal performance. Properly removing grass clippings and other yard debris from the deck is important for smooth, even mowing. If you don’t, your mower—and therefore your lawn, and maybe your budget—may suffer.

“I’ve seen mowers rot away,” says Dave Trezza, who leads lawn mower testing at Consumer Reports. Grass clippings and other yard debris, especially when they are moist, can deteriorate the metal deck of a lawn mower if they are not cleaned away regularly, he says.

Caked-on clippings will also affect the mower’s performance by preventing proper airflow. So it’s important to clean a mower after each use, Trezza says. And avoid mowing the grass when it’s wet, such as early in the morning when there’s dew.

Tobie Stanger

As a senior editor at Consumer Reports for more than 30 years, Tobie Stanger specialized in helping readers shop wisely, save money, and avoid scams. Her home- and shopping-related beats have included appliance and grocery stores, generators, homeowners and flood insurance, humidifiers, lawn mowers, and luggage. She also covered home improvement products, including flooring, roofing, and siding.