Now that spring is here, lawns are growing at a fast pace. Once the blades of grass are more than three to four inches in height, they need to be trimmed. Here are some tips on how to stay safe when mowing your lawn.

Use Ear and Eye Protection

A lawn mower's noise level easily reaches 95 decibels, according to Landscape Management. Repeated exposure to this noise level or a long duration of exposure to it could lead to hearing damage. Earplugs or over-the-ear hearing protection reduce your risk of hearing loss. Be sure to regularly check the foam of your hearing protection. If the foam splits, cracks or shreds, it is time for new personal protection equipment. You should also wear safety goggles when mowing the lawn. Sticks, stones or other debris hidden in the grass could be pulled into the deck, through the blades and into the air. The safety glasses protect your eyes from airborne debris.

Cover Your Skin

Wear close-fitting clothing when mowing the lawn. Loose clothing could get caught in the mower's deck. You should wear long sleeves that reach to your wrists. Wear long pants tucked into socks. Avoid wearing any jewelry when mowing the lawn. It could get caught in the deck or fall off and get sucked into the blades. If you have long hair, pull it back into a ponytail, bun or braid.

Protect Your Hands and Feet

Always wear close-toed shoes or boots when mowing the lawn. No matter what type of lawnmower you use, it is possible for your feet to slip, which could cause you to fall. A sturdy, thick-soled shoe with good treads keeps you steady and allows you to maintain a grip either when walking or when pushing the pedal of a riding mower. They also prevent the mower from catching your foot. Gloves are also essential to safety when mowing the lawn. Leatherwork gloves are the best choice, and there are vegan-friendly faux leather options available as well.

How to Safely Mow Hilly Areas in a Landscape

Most lawns are not perfectly flat. If your lawn has a dip or even several hills, it can be a challenge to safely mow these areas. When mowing hilly areas in your landscape, make sure the grass is completely dry. Wet grass could cause the mower to slip. Wet grass also clogs the mower. Set the blade to maximum height so that you do not accidentally buzz the grass to the soil line. Use a self-propelled mower at its lowest speed for particularly steep or challenging hilly areas. Always mow side-to-side with a self-propelled mower. Never mow up and down a hill. Mowing up and down puts your safety at risk and is more difficult to do. The opposite is true if you use a riding mower. Only go up and down hills, not side-to-side, if you have a riding mower.

Sulkies allow you to complete your yard work in a timely manner whether you happen to be a general contractor or manager. Attaching a sulky for your mower lets you stand behind the mower. Therefore, a sulky is a detachable piece of equipment. Using a sulky will reduce the strain on you, the operator, and will increase mowing productivity.

Read the Owner's Manual for Your Lawn Mower

The owner's manual for your lawn mower and for your sulky will inform you of how to make them last a very long time, even during wet seasons. If you don't take the time to do preventive maintenance, your lawn equipment will not last nearly as long as it otherwise should. Taking proper care of your lawn mower and sulky should give them a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years.

Go to a Professional

A professional should ensure that your lawn mower and the sulky for your mower are working correctly. Prices vary between $50 and $75 depending on the amount of work needed to tune up your equipment. Various types of repairs for lawn mowers and sulkies may include replacing an air filter, draining gas, and/or performing a basic diagnostic test.

Annually Replace the Spark Plug

Spark plugs need to be replaced once a year before spring starts. You should always remove the spark plug before moving on to other activities, like checking underneath your lawn mower, to prevent accidents. Don't forget to mark your calendar.

Make Sure the Lawn Mower Blades Are Sharpened

If the blades are blunt instead of sharpened, they will end up tearing up the grass instead of cutting it in a clean manner. This, in turn, damages the grass and leaves it weak and vulnerable. You should only have to sharpen the blades of your lawnmower once a year, at some point before spring starts. If the blades are bent or damaged, they need to be replaced in a timely fashion.

Check Your Mower's Tires

Your mower's tires should be fully inflated so that your machine can run efficiently. This will also keep your sulky in good working order.

Keep up With Cleaning

Clean your mower after each and every use before you put it back in the shed. Your mower should be free of clumps or debris that might prevent the blades from working quickly and efficiently.

Check Your Mower's Air Filter

Your air filter needs to remain clean and unclogged to maintain proper mower and sulky maintenance. Replacing an air filter is not expensive, and should probably be replaced once a year regardless of the condition it is in.

Get Into the Habit of Checking Your Mower for Oil

If the gas engine gets to a point that is too low, you can end up damaging the engine of your mower. You should check your mower for oil each time that you check for engine fuel.