Experts warn against the 'dangerous' lawn mowing hack going viral on TikTok

It seems that every week there's a new TikTok hack that's meant to help our lives along - and now that summer's in full swing the lawn ideas are coming through thick and fast.

But be careful what advice you listen to. Heed this TikTok lawn mowing hack warning so you don't end up in trouble.

The hack involves removing the grass box from the lawnmower and propping open the rear cover. The cuttings are then redistributed across the lawn, fertilising the dry and patchy areas. However, the lawn maintenance experts at Toolstation warn this hack could be dangerous.

'We wouldn’t recommend this hack. Without a lawnmower's rear cover or grass box in place, there's a chance rocks and other dangerous objects could be picked up and ejected at speed.'

TikTok mowing hack warning

The short video went viral as it appeared to be an example of great budget garden ideas.  The TikTok video which was shared by amateur gardener Oliver Joseph, has gained a whopping 1.4 million views as it shows how to easily fill in a lawn after the recent heatwave left many homeowners with unsightly dry patches.

But Toolstation, and fellow TikTok users warned that leaving the box or cover open can cause rocks or other items to fly out and injure you, someone else or your property,

'These fast-moving, heavy projectiles could cause serious injury to anybody nearby - including pets. In particular, it could cause a lot of harm if it were to hit the face or eyes. We all want a lush, green lawn, but it certainly isn’t worth losing an eye over!'

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Instead, the lawn experts recommend buying a mulch mower to achieve the same effect without the worry of dangerous projectiles.

'This type of lawnmower is designed to spit out 'mulched' grass as your lawn is trimmed - leaving behind clippings that'll keep your garden well fed with rich nutrients.'

'Unlike with this hack, mulching mowers are designed for this purpose, so you’ll avoid any issues with flying rocks!'

Alternatively, don't worry too much about your lawn during a heatwave. 'With the intense heat and lack of rain forecasted this week, it’s likely your lawn will be left with scorched patches,' say the experts at Toolstation. 'But remember, these often look more severe than they actually are. '

'Especially after a heatwave, grass that appears dead is actually usually just brown and will perk up with a bit of water. So, don’t panic when assessing the health of your lawn post heatwave!'