What's That Smell? What to Do When You Run over Dog Poop with Your Lawn Mower
It's funny how that while your dog thinks of you as their master, you're the one who has to clean up their poop! Scooping up that poop is a chore that every dog owner knows very well, and you probably do it diligently each day. Sometimes you might miss some of it, and this can be bad news when you're mowing the lawn. Sure, lawn mowers will go straight through that poop, but this is bad news for your lawn, and often for your lawn mower. So what do you need to do if you accidentally run over one of your dog's lawn "gifts"?
Accidents Happen
It's easy enough to miss a pile of poop. Their mess can sometimes be confused with autumn leaves, or you might be mowing in the evening with reduced visibility. There's also the possibility that your precious pooch pooped while you were getting the lawn mower out of the garage. However it happened, it's obviously highly unpleasant if you happen to push your lawn mower over a pile of your dog's mess.
Obliteration
Of course, the blades of your lawn mower are going to obliterate any dog poop that they encounter. This can (rather unsurprisingly) cause something that's akin to a poop explosion. The blades blitz the dog poop and spread it over your grass. Quite often your only clue that this has happened is the appalling smell. Dog poop in fact contains nearly twice as many bacterial microorganisms as that of humans. This is not something that you want spread across your lawn after it has been blitzed by your lawnmower blades. It can contribute to illness in humans and is a pollutant if it drains to local waterways, which is certainly a possibility after it rains. So how can you clean up after mowing over one of your dog's deposits?
1. Don't compost the lawn clippings. Dog poop cannot be composted as the heat produced during the process is generally insufficient to kill any parasites that might be present. Dispose of these clippings with your household waste.
2. Hose down your lawn where the accident occurred. This might not be great for your local waterways, but it will prevent the poop (and the bacteria and parasites therein) from harming you and your family when you use the lawn. Instruct your children that they are not to play in the area until you've hosed it down.
3. Inspect your grass catcher once it has been emptied. Hose it down if there's an unpleasant odour.
4. Look at your lawn mower's wheels and clean the tyres as needed. Failure to do so can really stink up your garage or shed!
It can be highly unpleasant, but mowing over your dog's poop isn't such a big deal if you clean it up properly.