St. Louis, Missouri (NAPSI) - Lawn care is a lot easier when you have a mower that starts quickly and gets the job done week after week. The key to making that happen can be as simple as doing a few easy and inexpensive mower maintenance tasks once a year.

“It’s like preventive medicine for your equipment,” says Synoilva Shaw, a Briggs & Stratton marketing coordinator and lawn mower expert. “For a few dollars and few minutes once a year, you can make your lawn mower last longer and run better.” For the typical push mower, an annual lawn mower tune-up includes changing the oil, spark plug and oil filter and adding a fuel preservative. It takes about 30 minutes and provides great benefits, including:

• A lawn mower that starts easily and runs smoothly at full power;

• Extended mower life, potentially avoiding major repairs;

• Reduced engine emissions because the engine will run cleaner;

• A small savings in the amount of gasoline used.

“Even homeowners who have never done a mower tune-up can do it right the first time,” adds Shaw. In fact, Todd Teske, the CEO of Briggs & Stratton Corporation, demonstrates how easily it is done by tuning up his own lawn mower on a how-to video on the Briggs & Stratton YouTube channel.

The company offers all-in-one tune-up kits that include everything needed to do a tune-up: the right amount of oil, an air filter, a fuel filter for riding mowers, a spark plug and fuel preservative. The kits are available at Briggs & Stratton dealers, home improvement stores or online at www.briggsandstratton.com.

The firm also helps homeowners dispose of their used mower engine oil easily and at no cost at participating Briggs & Stratton dealers. The used oil can be dropped off in any closed container. To find a dealer, visit recyclemoweroil.com.

As the largest maker of gas engines for outdoor power equipment, the company encourages homeowners to maintain the estimated 65 million lawn mowers in theUnited Statesas both a cost-saving measure and an environmentally responsible action.