Mowing Lawns on Wet Days – Tips for Keeping It Clean & Professional

Wet Weather, Real-World Problems

Let’s face it—running a lawn care business isn’t like running a shop. Mowing Lawns on Wet Days can be a pain, but when the rain sets in, we don’t just close the doors and wait it out. Every day missed means the grass keeps growing, and tomorrow’s run just got longer.

The reality is, when you lose a day to rain, your workload doesn’t disappear—it just shifts. You’ll either be cramming twice as much into the next clear day, rescheduling angry clients, or working late hours trying to catch up.

And the customers? Most of them don’t care that it’s been raining—they just want the lawn done. Fair enough too. That’s why having a clear wet-weather plan is essential. You’ve got to decide fast whether you’re mowing, moving, or maintaining.

But—and this is important—mowing in the rain is not business as usual. It’s messier, harder on gear, and if you do it wrong, it can leave lawns looking like a paddock after a music festival.

So in this post, we’re diving into the real-world side of mowing wet grass:

• Should you do it at all?
• If yes, how do you do it cleanly, professionally, and without wrecking gear or turf?
• And if not, how can you still make the day productive?

Because in this game, time is money—and rainy days don’t pay unless you make a smart plan.

Should You Mow in the Rain?

Mowing Lawns on Wet Days are part of the job. Sooner or later, you’ll wake up, check the forecast, and have to make a decision:
Do I down tools and wait it out, or gear up and push through the wet?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It comes down to your schedule, your gear, and your judgment. But here’s how I look at it:

Option 1: Take the Day Off and Play Catch-Up

This is the safest route—if you’ve built some breathing room into your week.

Maybe you’ve left Mondays light so you can reshuffle jobs, or you keep Fridays open for cleanups and quotes. If that’s the case, taking a rain day now and pushing jobs forward can work just fine.

Why this works:

• You avoid damaging lawns (wet turf is easily torn, especially by heavy mowers).
• You keep your gear in better condition (wet grass is harder on belts, spindles, and bearings).
• You stay clean(ish) and dry, which helps with morale if you’re solo or managing a crew.

But here’s the catch: If your run is tight or booked solid, this option might cost you. You could end up:

• Working weekends (or late evenings)
• Delaying clients (and possibly losing a few)
• Staring down a bottleneck that messes up the rest of your week

If you’re new or still building your schedule, taking a day off might be fine. But once you’re stacked up with regulars, losing a full day means double the hustle tomorrow.

Option 2: Mow in the Rain — But Only If You Do It Right

This is the option for the more seasoned operator who knows their gear, knows their lawns, and knows where the line is between “a bit wet” and “total swamp.”

Yes—you can mow in the rain.
No—you can’t mow the same way you do on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.

Done wrong, mowing lawns on wet days can lead to:

• Ruts and tracks in the soil
• Clumping and messy cut quality
• Stressed turf that’s more likely to get diseased
• Clogged chutes, broken belts, and stuck blades
• Ugly lawns—and grumpy clients

But done right, mowing in the rain helps you stay on track and keep cash flowing when others are canceling.

The key is knowing when it’s too wet. Some signs it’s time to walk away:

• You sink when you step on the lawn
• Water’s pooling instead of soaking in
• You’re leaving muddy tyre tracks or tearing turf

When in doubt, mow the high ground and skip the boggy bits. Be honest with the client. Tell them you’ll return to finish the soggy patches once they dry out.

Tips for Mowing Lawns on Wet Days

If you’ve decided to push through and mow in the rain, good on you—but don’t just charge in like it’s a dry summer’s day. Wet-weather mowing needs a different approach if you want to keep your work clean and your gear running smoothly.

Here are the best tips I’ve learned (often the hard way):

Use High-Lift Bar Blades

High-lift blades create more airflow under the deck, which helps throw wet grass up and into the catcher instead of clumping underneath. Regular blades can get bogged down fast when the grass is heavy with moisture, and your catcher turns into a sad, half-filled mess.
A high-lift blade makes a noticeable difference—especially if you’re running a mower with a tight chute or small catcher.

Sharpen Your Blades

Wet grass doesn’t cut cleanly unless your blades are razor sharp.
Blunt blades tend to tear instead of slice, which can lead to frayed tips, yellowing, and disease. In the dry, you might get away with a less-than-sharp blade. In the wet? It’ll show in your cut straight away—and your clients will notice.
I make a habit of sharpening my blades every week during rainy months. It’s time well spent.

Raise Your Mowing Height

This one’s huge.
Wet turf is softer, and if your mower is set low, you’ll scalp it in no time. Plus, the wheels sink slightly, which means you’re unintentionally cutting deeper than usual.
By bumping the deck up a notch or two, you’ll reduce the risk of tearing up the lawn and leave a cleaner finish.
You can always give it a tidy-up cut next time if it needs it.

Go Slower when mowing lawns on wet days

Take your foot off the gas. Wet grass takes more effort to cut, lift, and throw. If you push the mower too fast, you’re going to end up with blockages, clumps, and trails of half-cut mess.
Slow down, and let the machine do its job.
Yes, it’ll take a bit longer—but it’s quicker than stopping every two passes to unclog the chute.

Use a Line Trimmer for Soggy Spots

Some areas just aren’t worth trying to mow—especially shady corners, clay patches, or low points that turn into mush after a bit of rain.
Instead of leaving those areas untouched or ripping them up with the mower, grab your line trimmer and give them a tidy pass.
You’ll leave a cleaner finish and avoid damaging the lawn.
It might not be perfect, but it’s far better than leaving tyre marks and clumps behind.

Clear Your Chute Regularly

Wet grass is sticky stuff. Even with high-lift blades and a good catcher, you’ll need to stop every few lawns and clear out the chute or under the deck.
If you wait until it’s completely clogged, your mower will bog down, and the catcher won’t fill. Worse, you’ll end up spitting out lines of wet grass and doubling your clean-up time.
A quick check with a stick or scraper between jobs can save you a world of grief.

Rotate Your Raincoats

This one’s for your own sanity. Working in wet gear all day is rough—it’s cold, heavy, and miserable.
Keep a second raincoat (and ideally, a backup pair of gloves and socks) in the truck or van.
That way, when the first set gets soaked through, you can change out and keep working dry.
Nothing kills your mood faster than being soaked before lunchtime.

Start on the Grass, Not the Concrete

When mowing lawns on wet day, this one’s a classic rookie mistake. Firing up your mower on the driveway might feel convenient, but if the blades are wet and grass-coated, it’ll spray green stains all over the concrete.
Some of those stains can be a nightmare to clean, especially on light-colored pavers or exposed aggregate.
Start your mower on the grass, every time. It’s a small habit that saves you a bunch of scrubbing (and possibly an awkward call from a picky client).

What If It’s Just Too Wet?

Some days, you’ve got to admit defeat. If the ground feels like a sponge, water is pooling, or you’re sinking just walking across the lawn, it’s time to pull the pin. Mowing in those conditions isn’t just a hassle—it’s a fast way to damage a client’s lawn, wreck your gear, and risk a complaint you could’ve avoided.

But just because you can’t mow, doesn’t mean the day is wasted. You can still move the business forward if you use your time wisely.

Equipment Maintenance
Rainy days are ideal for doing the tasks you’ve been putting off. Clean out air filters, sharpen blades, grease wheels, check belts, change oil, or replace worn cords. Preventative maintenance now saves you lost time later when you’re back at full speed.

Marketing and Promotion
Work on the business while the tools are parked. Update your Google Business Profile, respond to reviews, schedule some social posts, or take a few fresh photos of your gear and work. The more visible and professional you look online, the more calls you’ll get next time the weather clears.

Admin and Invoicing
Get your invoicing up to date. Chase overdue payments. Review your quote list and confirm upcoming jobs. These are the quiet tasks that keep the money flowing and the stress down—use the down time to get ahead.

Quote Follow-ups
If you’ve given out quotes recently, follow up with a polite text or call. Sometimes people just need a gentle nudge. And now that you’re not up to your knees in wet grass, you can give each follow-up the time it deserves.

In short, if it’s too wet to mow, pivot to jobs that will help you earn or save money down the line. Work on the business—not just in it.

Managing a Crew?

If you’ve got a team, wet weather adds more than mud and missed lawns. It brings questions, safety concerns, and the risk of inconsistent work if everyone’s doing their own thing.

Set Clear Protocols
Write up a basic wet weather policy. Make sure everyone knows when to mow, when to hold off, and how those decisions are made. A quick text in the morning with the day’s plan goes a long way. This avoids one worker cancelling jobs while another plows through ankle-deep water.

Make Safety the Priority
Wet lawns are slippery. Hills get dangerous. If your crew is using line trimmers or battery-powered gear near waterlogged areas, that’s a safety risk. No job is worth a busted ankle—or worse. Make sure everyone has proper rain gear, knows the signs of too-wet-to-mow, and understands when it’s okay to call it.

Protect Your Standards
Customers won’t remember that it rained. They’ll remember a lawn that was torn up, scalped, or covered in clumps. If your crew is mowing in the rain, make sure they know how to raise the deck, slow the pace, and clean up properly. Quality comes first—even in the wet.

Managing a crew in wet weather takes more planning, but it’s worth it. The goal is to keep jobs on track, keep workers safe, and avoid unnecessary damage to lawns—or your reputation.

Play the Long Game

Wet weather is part of the job. Some weeks, it’ll push you to the limit. The key isn’t trying to avoid the rain—it’s learning how to work around it without cutting corners or burning out.

Make the call early in the day. Know your limits and your lawns. Be smart about when to power through and when to hold back.

If you’re mowing in the rain, do it right. If you’re not, make the day count with maintenance, admin, or marketing. And if you’re managing staff, give them clear guidelines so the whole operation stays consistent and professional.

It’s not about mowing every single day—it’s about making the best call for the long run.

How do you handle wet-weather mowing? Share your own tips and experience in the comments below.