Cleaning your robot lawn mower: how to take care of your ¡MOW®
Your iMOW® robot mower needs a bit of care and attention to keep it performing well. Find out how to clean it correctly.
21.11.2025
How often should I clean my ¡MOW®?
For proper functioning it’s important to keep your robotic lawn mower clean. We recommend cleaning your robot lawn mower weekly, though in rainy weather it will get dirty more quickly and need more frequent attention.
Cleaning your robot lawn mower: step-by-step instructions
If you don’t want the grass to grow beneath your feet, but you hate the hassle of mowing the lawn, a robot mower is the answer! The iMOW® cuts your grass automatically, giving you a perfectly mown lawn without any of the effort. Your robot mower needs regular cleaning to stay in peak condition – particularly during the grass cutting season and before extended breaks in use. Making sure to remove any plant residue or sap after each use will ensure a clean cut for your lawn, as well as a long life for your robot mower.
We explain in five steps how to clean your robot mower: Wir zeigen Ihnen, wie Sie in wenigen Minuten die Reinigung des Mähroboters durchführen:
Before cleaning your robot mower, leave it to cool down for approximately five minutes. Lock the mower by pressing and holding the STOP button for 5 seconds and selecting “Lock iMOW” under the Commands or Safety menu; this will ensure your robot mower doesn’t start up while you are cleaning it.
Place your iMOW® robot lawn mower on a firm, level surface. Remove all dirt from the exterior, using a damp cloth or soft-bristled brush to avoid scratching the hood.
N.B.
Do not use aggressive cleaning agents! These may damage the metal or the plastic surface. Do not clean your robotic lawn mower under running water or with a high- pressure cleaner or garden hose.
To make cleaning the underside of the machine easier, tip the robot mower onto its side and lean it against a wall.
Remove the mowing blade by pushing in the tabs on the carrier plate with one hand and loosening the fastening nut with the other.
Remove the carrier plate and clean the area underneath it with a brush. It is especially important to do this when the robot mower has been working after wet weather, as the wet dirt hardens between the plate and the mower unit housing. This can increase power consumption and make the mower noisier to use.
Clean the carrier plate and blade of your robot mower. Any grass stuck to the blade can be cleaned off using a wooden stick. Be very careful when cleaning the blade!
STIHL pro tip: Silicone or wooden kitchen spatulas are good tools for cleaning a robot mower, as they are sturdy enough to remove stubborn dirt without scratching the mower housing. Flexible silicone spatulas are great for cleaning in corners and curves.
When cleaning your robot mower you should check the mowing blade for wear. We recommend replacing the mowing blade after every 200 operating hours; your iMOW® will automatically alert you when it’s time.
STIHL pro tip: When your blade gets blunt and is no longer cutting cleanly, it’s time to replace it. Never sharpen the iMOW® blade, always replace it. This will ensure that your robot mower works correctly and runs quietly.
Unplug the docking station. Wipe the robot lawn mower charging surface with a damp cloth. Clean the contacts that connect the mower to the charging station if necessary, using a microfibre cloth or a soft-bristled brush.
Reassemble all the pieces of your mower after cleaning:
Slide the carrier plate onto the blade shaft.
Place the mowing blade and the fastening nut on top of the carrier plate. Make sure the retainers are sitting correctly in the mowing blade holes and screw in the fastening nut until you hear a click.
Carefully check the mowing blade is sitting correctly and installed firmly.
Put the mower back on its wheels and wheel it into the docking station. Press the symbols shown on the display to reactivate the iMOW®.
Cleaning and reassembly is finished, and your mower is ready for the next cut.
Unsure how best to use your iMOW®? Your STIHL dealer will be happy to answer any questions you have, and can also carry out important maintenance tasks on your iMOW®.
Summary: cleaning your robot mower
- Clean your mower once a week in normal weather conditions
- Always read the safety instructions and wear heavy-duty work gloves
- Leave the mower to cool down for approximately five minutes before cleaning it
- Avoid aggressive cleaning agents, high-pressure cleaners and running water, as they can damage the mower and its electronic components
- Never sharpen the blade, always replace it with a new one. Your robotic lawn mower will indicate when the mowing blade needs changing
