Mokena Ace's Six Lawnmower Tips

Scott Youdris, store manager of , offers these simple tips for do-it-yourselfers looking to get their lawnmower engines out of the garage or tool shed:

1. Drain old engine oil and replace with new oil.

2. Replace the old spark plug with a new spark plug.

3. Replace the air filter. "I don't recommend trying to clean an old filter," Youdris said. "Oil and dirt get trapped in there. There's really no good way to get all of that gunk out."

4. Sharpen or replace old cutting blades. "You might want to rebalance them, too," Youdris said. "It's a service we offer."

5. Add a product called Start Your Engines! to the gas tank. "This will help with difficult-to-start engines and help clean the carburetor," Youdris said. "And it will help the engine stay running over the long haul."

One more thing?

6. Youdris recommends adding Sta-bil to your mower's gas tank. He said the fuel stabilizer helps keep gas fresh and keeps it from gumming up the carburetor.

For more information, visit Mokena Ace Hardware on Facebook.