June 29 is Outdoor Equipment Maintenance Day, a day to help you keep our outdoor equipment in good working order. Don’t you hate it when you’ve decided today’s the day to mow the lawn or break out your leaf blower, and instead you find yourself spending the day trying to get it running? Yeah, us too. That’s why this holiday is so great — if you take the time to service your equipment before you need it, you avoid this scenario.
Outdoor Equipment Maintenance Day timeline
Invented by Edwin Beard Budding in 1830 in England, the first lawn mower was a push machine with a cutting cylinder.
Invented by William Beazley in the U.S., the rotary mower featured rotary blades that were horizontal to the grass and cut the grass to a uniform height.
Kyoritsu Noki, now Echo, realized that their crop dusters were being modified and used as leaf blowers, so they designed and released a proper leaf blower — the PB-9.
Known as a string trimmer, this machine was invented by George Ballas in the U.S. and works by spinning a line instead of a blade to cut grass.
Outdoor Equipment Maintenance Day FAQs
What are the examples of equipment maintenance?
This depends on what equipment you own, but generally this refers to: replacing oil, air, and fuel filters, lubricating bearings and gears, cleaning equipment, and inspecting fuel tank caps.
How to secure outdoor equipment?
It’s a good idea to store your lawn equipment in a locked storage shed or container. Your lawn equipment is an investment, so chances are that you spent a pretty penny on it, don’t throw that money away by not taking proper safety precautions. Lawn equipment is prone to being stolen.
What are the three types of equipment maintenance?
Equipment maintenance falls into three main categories: preventive, corrective, and predictive. Preventive maintenance aims to prevent failures, corrective maintenance addresses existing faults, and predictive maintenance uses data to anticipate future issues.
Outdoor Equipment Maintenance Day Activities
Oil and lubricate your tools
Take the opportunity to lubricate the moving parts of your machines. This will give you a chance to inspect for any wear while also keeping your equipment in top working condition. Regular lubrication avoids parts wearing down due to friction, meaning your equipment will last longer.
Keep garden tools clean
Sounds contradictory, right? Keeping the tools most likely to get dirty, clean. Well, there are a few reasons to keep them clean. First, it keeps them in good working condition — you avoid a buildup of dirt and debris, as well as avoid them rusting. You also avoid spreading disease — if you used your tools on a diseased plant, you should clean and disinfect them after to avoid spreading it to other plants.
Sharpen your blades
If you want the cleanest cut, you need a sharp blade. Your lawn mower blades, shears, and other cutting tools need to be sharpened regularly to keep them cutting properly. You should also oil them regularly to avoid them rusting or friction.
Facts About Grass
Bamboo is the tallest grass
Some bamboo types have been known to grow up to 130 feet tall.
Almost 12,000 different species
There are approximately 11,500 accepted species of grass.
Grassland covers 40% of the Earth
It's estimated that somewhere between 31% and 69% of Earth is covered by either agricultural, semi-natural, or natural grassland.
Wimbledon Tennis Court
This is arguably one of the most expensive lawns — the cost of maintenance and the special grass blend adds up to a hefty price tag.
Kentucky Bluegrass isn't from Kentucky
It's actually native to most of Europe, North Asia, and mountainous regions in North Africa.
Why We Love Outdoor Equipment Maintenance Day
Keeps your equipment running for longer
Doing regular maintenance of your equipment will keep them running smoothly and prevent wear from friction.
It saves you money
Regular maintenance can prevent costly repairs and extend the lifespan of your outdoor equipment. Replacing parts or an entire machine can be expensive, so a little preventative care goes a long way.
It saves you time
When your equipment is well-maintained, it's ready to go when you are. You won't waste valuable time troubleshooting, trying to start a stubborn engine, or making emergency runs to the repair shop.
Outdoor Equipment Maintenance Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 29 | Sunday |
| 2026 | June 29 | Monday |
| 2027 | June 29 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | June 29 | Thursday |
| 2029 | June 29 | Friday |
