A well-designed garden can increase your home value by 15%-20% on average. Hedges, in particular, are a great way to add beauty and privacy to your garden, but they need regular trimming to stay looking their best. This is where a hedge trimmer comes in. And if you want your trimmer to last, you need to maintain it— otherwise, its performance will deteriorate over time and there’s a risk that it’ll break down entirely. Fortunately, with regular cleaning, blade sharpening, and tightening of loose parts, you easily prevent issues and prolong the lifespan of your trimmer.
Clean and sharpen the blades
Hedge trimming is a dirty job. Leaf and branch sap builds up on the blades over time, which dulls their cutting efficiency. So, cleaning your blades regularly is a must. Just give them a quick wipe with a rag and hot, soapy water after each use. Leave them to dry before storing. You’ll also need to sharpen the blades every so often as they naturally become blunt the more they’re used. A simple flat file is all you need to do this. Always hold the file in the same direction as the cutting edge, and file slowly and methodically from back to front.
Clean the air filter
Hedge trimmers need good, consistent airflow to perform at their best. But, dust and debris naturally accumulate in the filter after each use, which means the airflow isn’t as powerful as it should be. This hampers the trimmer’s overall performance. So, clean the air filter regularly to prevent blockages. Consult the user manual for instructions on how to do this. Usually, you press a button on the trimmer to remove the filter. If it’s very dirty, replace it with a fresh filter. Otherwise, give it some gentle taps on a table to remove the dirt, before putting the filter back in place. If you’re in doubt about how to access the filter, it’s safest just to contact a professional repair service. The same goes if you’re experiencing problems with the trimmer due to a severely blocked filter. Appliance repair professionals are skilled at fixing both minor and large issues to get the machine working again as it should be and prevent a complete breakdown.
Tighten loose parts
Bolts, screws, and fittings can loosen over time and fall off the trimmer and potentially even damage it. And if you’re not really sure what’s fallen off and how this will impact the machine on its next use, this can be particularly worrisome. So, check your trimmer for loose parts every now and then. Read the user manual on how to tighten loose parts correctly (this usually involves a screwdriver). Also, get into the habit of knowing to never over-tighten loose parts. Over-tightening spoils the thread so it won’t fit into its hole so well, which just causes you more problems.
Hedge trimmer maintenance doesn’t have to be complicated. By regularly caring for your trimmer, you can keep it in excellent working condition and prolong its lifespan.
