The ideal conditions for cutting a lawn are when the grass is dry but the sun isn’t blazing. Mornings, when the dew has evaporated and the summer sun isn’t at full strength, are ideal.
But the weather doesn’t always make using your lawn mower convenient. Heavy rain in the hours before you want to cut your lawn can spoil your plans. It’s tempting to go ahead.
The risks of cutting a wet lawn
1. Electrocution
Electricity and water can create a dangerous situation if you have a plug-in electric lawn mower.
All EGO lawn mowers are cordless and battery-operated, so the risk of electrocution is very low.
It’s possible to use a petrol lawn mower to cut wet grass without risk of electrocution. From a health and safety perspective though, they give off potentially damaging sound levels, toxic emissions and vibrate much more than an EGO lawn mower.
2. Damage to your lawn mower
Your battery operated lawn mower shouldn’t be exposed to water as it might suffer water ingress and damage over time.
While mowing dewy grass occasionally won’t matter, mowing the lawn in drizzle is a risk to the tool and the 56V lithium-ion battery, and damaged equipment creates a risk for the user too.
3. Slipping
A level, well-drained lawn will be less slippy underfoot but there’s still a risk. Don’t consider trying to mow a sloping lawn that’s seen recent rainfall. Thousands of people each year suffer injuries while gardening - don’t be one of them!
If you do have a sloping lawn and you’re thinking about replacing your mower, a self-propelled mower makes it so much easier. But there’ll still be a risk if the ground or grass is wet.
You should always wear good boots and trousers for health and safety reasons when using a lawn mower, whether it’s been raining or not.
4. Lawn damage
If you do slip, it’s possible you’ll scrape the lop layer of turf with your footwear, which will need repairing with new turf or lawn seed.
If your lawn is uneven or you set your blades at too-low a cutting height, the damp conditions make it easier to accidentally scalp the turf in patches too.
If you really must cut dewy grass, set your cutting height to at least 35mm (EGO battery-operated lawn mowers have a wide range of cutting height between 20mm to 95mm, depending on the model).
5. Clumping and collection
Wet grass is harder to cut through when it’s soaked, and the weight of the water makes it tougher to get a level cut.
Plus, it’s sticky. Even the most powerful lawn mower will get clogged up with damp grass on the underside of the deck, and it’s tricky to clean. You might also find, as a result, that the mower isn’t collecting grass in the bag as usual, but is leaving cutting strewn around.
Ideal conditions for mowing your lawn
If the summer rain means it’s been weeks since your last mow and the grass is looking like a meadow, don’t fret. Cutting your lawn less frequently is good for the insects and other wildlife that visits your garden - see our tips on eco-friendly lawn care.
- Cut your lawn when it’s dry but not too sunny
- Don’t mow a very long, damp lawn - use a grass trimmer
- A sprinkle of dew is okay but not ideal
- Wear safety boots and trousers in all conditions
Finally, your EGO lawn mower can be folded up for storage in your garage, along with all your other tools. Before each use, make sure the tool and the battery have not been subjected to water ingress from a leaky roof or flood.
Our lawn mowers come with exceptional warranties of up to 5 years but this only covers defects arising under normal usage and doesn’t cover exposure to water or rain, or improper maintenance or storage. If you’re planning to store a battery for more than 30 days without using it, make sure you’re keeping it in a moisture-free environment.