# Cleaning a Reel Mower



## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

Any advice on quickly cleaning a reel mower mid season? Looking for something I can just spray on and rinse off. A shop I used in the ATL area for my TruCut would use motorcycle cleaner and it always came out looking brand new, I just don't know if that is the best option. Thanks!


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## LittleBearBermuda (Sep 25, 2020)

I've use this and it works great.

Meguiar's Motorcycle EZ Clean Spray & Rinse - Easy All-Surface Motorcycle Cleaning - MC20016, 16 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G9KC1G/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_T8K9499WESR255FAHVZ4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Super Clean full strength. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes and hose off. If you have an electric pressure washer use that instead of the hose. Use your leaf blower to dry everything off really well.


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## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

@LittleBearBermuda and @Mightyquinn thanks for the responses. Are you spraying the entire mower include reel housing, motor, etc and then spraying down the entire mower with water to rinse?


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

cnet24 said:


> @LittleBearBermuda and @Mightyquinn thanks for the responses. Are you spraying the entire mower include reel housing, motor, etc and then spraying down the entire mower with water to rinse?


Yes, I spray the whole mower down but usually wait until the engine has cooled down if it's after a mow. When spraying the reel down you will want to rotate the reel and make sure you get the whole blade with the Super Clean. I have a pressure washer that I use to wash the cars so I just use that to rinse everything off focusing on the buildup on the reel as it does a good job of removing everything. I have been doing this for years with my Baroness and have never had an issue with anything.


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## cnet24 (Jul 14, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> cnet24 said:
> 
> 
> > @LittleBearBermuda and @Mightyquinn thanks for the responses. Are you spraying the entire mower include reel housing, motor, etc and then spraying down the entire mower with water to rinse?
> ...


 :thumbup:


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Put it on the kickstand, engage it and hose it down nicely. Can do the same with the cleaner when cooled. Be quick!

Dry it well- blower and sun, and don't forget to pop some grease and spray down the blade afterwards.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

FATC1TY said:


> spray down the blade afterwards.


I don't think in the grand scheme of things it does any harm but I don't think you are gaining anything by doing it. Any oil that you spray will be put on the lawn when you go to mow and plus it will attract dirt a lot faster too. If you are doing it to prevent rust and minor rust that does develop between mows will be worn off on the next mow. I guess if you are using the dry teflon spray it may be ok.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I was just about to ask what was sprayed on the reel. Mine gets a thin layer of rust almost over night but it cleans itself as soon as I engage the reel. I'm sure I'm losing a little bit of cut quality but nothing really noticeable.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Maybe I should have clarified, end of season.

Who washes their mower regularly? Not me! Y'all can book mark this comment when I sell my GM1600 here and see if it'll get less value. &#128514;

I use a dry Teflon and grease. If I get an unusually nasty mow that needs rinsed, I don't bother with the reel. Hell I don't bother with soap too, but I will grease the zerks.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

That makes a lot more sense


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## Herring (Sep 19, 2020)

After the rinse down how often to grease the zerks? I try to grease the reel and rollers every time but feel like I'm going through a lot of grease.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Herring said:


> After the rinse down how often to grease the zerks? I try to grease the reel and rollers every time but feel like I'm going through a lot of grease.


Not sure what the manufacturer recommends but Baroness recommends every 10 hrs for most of the zerks while some are only every 50 hrs. That equates out to about once a month for me. I think doing it every time you mow is a little excessive and you might be doing more harm than good as you don't want the assembly packed with grease with nowhere to go as that may create excessive heat build up but then again we don't use our mowers for prolonged periods of time either like a golf course would. Just trying to point out the pros and cons :thumbup:


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Typically, mowers get rinsed out after every use (golf course use) so the grass clippings never stay on the unit to rot and corrode metals. Plus, with the frequent checks/adjustments, nobody wants to work on a cutting unit covered in wet/rotten grass. Keep in mind that golf units are almost always cutting in wet conditions. (Morning dew) I've also noticed that when cutting dry Bermuda, I get very little residue on the mower compared to cutting Perennial Rye, which tends to leave a build-up in the mower, even in dry conditions.

I like to spray some AMSOIL MP on a reel (while spinning) that I won't be using again in the next 2-3 days, but this is entirely optional. MP is similar to WD40 (and WD would be fine for this as well), a bit lighter, and dries to a barely noticeable film, much like FluidFilm. This stops the surface rust that can wear a bedknife edge faster and the film properties keep it from depositing on the turf.

As for grease - on golf units, we would grease 1x week, and that would equate to roughly 10-15 hours of runtime. Perhaps a bit more on a greens mower in peak growing season. On a home unit, greasing that often could certainly be massive overkill and cause issues. I hit the 10-hour interval stuff on my mower once a month and everything else one or two times a season. Also, one reason for frequent greasing on golf machines is to combat all the moisture and water intrusion those units see. Home or golf, I still recommend using a "waterproof" grease on just about all mowers. Something marketed for boat trailer wheel bearings or marine use is usually a good choice. Even your rotary (assuming it has greaseable mower blade spindles) benefits from using a marine grease.


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## adidasUNT8 (Jul 23, 2020)

MasterMech said:


> Typically, mowers get rinsed out after every use (golf course use) so the grass clippings never stay on the unit to rot and corrode metals. Plus, with the frequent checks/adjustments, nobody wants to work on a cutting unit covered in wet/rotten grass. Keep in mind that golf units are almost always cutting in wet conditions. (Morning dew) I've also noticed that when cutting dry Bermuda, I get very little residue on the mower compared to cutting Perennial Rye, which tends to leave a build-up in the mower, even in dry conditions.
> 
> I like to spray some AMSOIL MP on a reel (while spinning) that I won't be using again in the next 2-3 days, but this is entirely optional. MP is similar to WD40 (and WD would be fine for this as well), a bit lighter, and dries to a barely noticeable film, much like FluidFilm. This stops the surface rust that can wear a bedknife edge faster and the film properties keep it from depositing on the turf.
> 
> As for grease - on golf units, we would grease 1x week, and that would equate to roughly 10-15 hours of runtime. Perhaps a bit more on a greens mower in peak growing season. On a home unit, greasing that often could certainly be massive overkill and cause issues. I hit the 10-hour interval stuff on my mower once a month and everything else one or two times a season. Also, one reason for frequent greasing on golf machines is to combat all the moisture and water intrusion those units see. Home or golf, I still recommend using a "waterproof" grease on just about all mowers. Something marketed for boat trailer wheel bearings or marine use is usually a good choice. Even your rotary (assuming it has greaseable mower blade spindles) benefits from using a marine grease.


Great Information! I understand the JD 220e uses two kinds of grease. Which marine grades would you recommend? Also, how many pumps of grease do you usually do on each fitting or is it just by feel? 
Thank you in advance!


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

adidasUNT8 said:


> MasterMech said:
> 
> 
> > Typically, mowers get rinsed out after every use (golf course use) so the grass clippings never stay on the unit to rot and corrode metals. Plus, with the frequent checks/adjustments, nobody wants to work on a cutting unit covered in wet/rotten grass. Keep in mind that golf units are almost always cutting in wet conditions. (Morning dew) I've also noticed that when cutting dry Bermuda, I get very little residue on the mower compared to cutting Perennial Rye, which tends to leave a build-up in the mower, even in dry conditions.
> ...


I almost always go by look/feel. I like AMSOIL's Marine Grease. (and bunch of their other stuff too!)

https://www.amsoil.com/p/synthetic-water-resistant-grease-gwr/


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