Unless you live in Denver, where six inches of snow just fell, this time of year typically offers a period of happy respite in which you don’t have to mow the lawn or blow the snow. But before you put your feet up, take an afternoon to properly maintain your mower so it’s ready to roll next season. In our recent Facebook chat, Bob Markovich, Home and Yard editor, explained how.

Drain the gas. If you don’t generally add fuel stabilizer to your gas, now’s the time.
Give it a cleaning. After you run your mower dry, hose down the deck.
Sharpen the blade. Remove the blade and have it sharpened.
Change the oil. Drain the oil and be sure to replace the fuel filter.
Don't neglect the electricals. Spark plugs typically get replaced every 100 hours of operation, but if you haven’t been keeping track replace them annually.

For detailed step-by-step directions, read “Give your mower a little TLC before leaving it for the season.”