One Simple Step That Can Keep Your Spring Mowing Safe

Spring in Minnesota is an awesome time of year. The weather is so inviting; folks just want to spend as much time as possible outside. Of course, part of that comes from being bound indoors during the long cold winter.  

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If you’ve been outside any at all recently, you’ve likely started hearing children playing, and seeing folks walk around the neighborhood.  

Pretty soon, you’ll also start hearing another popular sound of spring; lawnmowers. Your neighbors will be cutting their lawns themselves or hiring someone else to do it for them. 

If you are planning to mow your own grass this year, there is one easy step you can take to help try to avoid a disaster. 

Many people use a portable gas can to retrieve gas from the store and deliver it to their house for the mower. It’s a lot easier than getting the mower itself there, plus you’ll have enough gas in the can to maybe fill up your mower more than once.  

Here’s the easy step I referred to earlier, before you put gas in the can, make sure you place it on the ground to do so. A 2023 Readers Digest Article talked about common mistakes that people make while filling up their tanks and cited that static builds up during the filling process into a plastic gas can. 

If you put your gas can in the trunk of your car, which likely has carpet, or even in the bed of your pick-up truck, if you don’t place the can on the ground, the static in the can could lead to a spark, starting a fire.  

The article also discouraged people from using milk jugs or other plastic containers. They quote the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety who says to only use containers that are approved for gasoline. 

This tip is a small thing that could help you in a big way. Here’s to a safe and successful mowing season.