This Fall, Should You Remove Leaves or Mulch Them In?

When autumn hits, most homeowners face the same question: should I rake and remove my leaves, or just mulch them into the lawn?
The truth is — both methods can be right, depending on your yard, your trees, and your mower setup. Let’s look at what makes each approach work best.

Know Your Trees — Some Leaves Break Down Better Than Others

Not all leaves are created equal.
Some tree species have thin, soft leaves that decompose easily and even enrich your soil with nutrients. Others have thick, waxy, or acidic leaves that resist breaking down and can harm your grass.

Here’s a quick guide:

✅ Great for mulching:

  • Maple
    Ash
    Birch
    Poplar
    Cherry
    Elm

⚠️ Harder to break down, better to remove:

  • Oak (acidic and leathery)
    Hickory
    Magnolia (waxy)
    Beech
    Sycamore

If your lawn is mostly covered by tougher leaves like oak or hickory, removing them is the better option.

How to Mulch Leaves the Right Way

If your tree types allow it, mulching is efficient, natural, and fast — but it must be done correctly.

The goal: reduce each leaf to small pieces — about the size of a dime. This usually takes two to three passes with the mower. A sharp blade and dry leaves make all the difference. When you consider how much mowing effort this takes, or if you dont want to risk having to patch dead spots in the spring, just remove the leaves.

Tip: Drop your mower’s cutting height slightly lower than usual to help chop leaves more finely. If you’re using a mower bag, consider using a MowClean Bag Cover — it keeps fine leaf dust and debris inside the bag, protecting your lungs and keeping the air cleaner while you mow. Learn more here.

What Happens If Leaves Don’t Break Down?

If the leaves stay too large or thick, they can mat together and block sunlight and oxygen from reaching your grass.
This creates a soggy layer that smothers your lawn — and by spring, you may be looking at bare spots, dead patches, or mold growth.

Once the grass dies under the leaf mat, the only solution is to rake, dethatch, reseed, and nurture new growth — which means far more work (and expense) than simply managing your leaves properly in the fall.

Ways to Remove or Manage Leaves

If mulching isn’t the right option for your yard, there are several effective removal methods:

Rake and Bag – Traditional, but effective for small lawns or lighter leaf fall.
Mow and Bag – Run over the leaves with your mower and let the mower bag collect the debris.
For health and comfort, use a MowClean Bag Cover to trap the fine dust, pollen, and dirt that standard mower bags release.
Learn more or order yours at MowCleanBag.com.

Yard Vacuums or Leaf Vacuums – Great for large lawns or heavy tree cover; some can even mulch while vacuuming.

Hire Help – Lawn care services can remove leaves quickly, but be clear if you want them to remove the debris instead of simply mowing it in. Most will just mow your leaves and that will often leave you with patching and seeding work in the spring.

Bottom Line

If your trees produce soft, easily composted leaves — mulching can save time and enrich your soil.
But if your leaves are thick, wet, or layered deep, removal is best to protect your grass and prevent mold or dead patches.

Either way, mowing leaves kicks up fine dust and allergens — so protect yourself while you work.
The MowClean Bag Cover makes that job cleaner and safer, trapping what your regular mower bag can’t.

See how it works and watch the short demo video here.

How to Mulch Fall Leaves Safely With Your Lawnmower

When autumn arrives, the leaves come down — and many homeowners wonder if their lawnmower can double as a leaf cleanup tool. The good news? Yes, your mower can handle leaves surprisingly well. With a little preparation and the right approach, mowing leaves can save you time, recycle organic matter, and keep your yard looking neat all season.

Preparing Your Mower for Leaf Pickup

Before the first leaves start to fall, get your mower ready. One of the best tricks is to drop your mower blade and mow your grass short. Keeping the grass low makes it easier for the mower to pull in leaves and prevents them from sitting on top of long turf.

Also, give your mower a quick check-up:

  • Empty out the bag or collector.
  • Sharpen your blade for efficient cutting.
  • Make sure the chute and air vents are clear.

These small steps will make mowing leaves much smoother when fall arrives.

Watch the Weather to have Dry Leaves

Leaves mow up best when they are dry and crisp. Wet leaves tend to clump, clogging your mower and leaving behind messy clumps. If you keep an eye on the forecast and tackle the yard after a dry stretch, your mower will pick up leaves much more efficiently.

Protect Yourself from Dust with MowClean

One of the biggest drawbacks of mowing leaves is the cloud of fine dust that comes from the mower bag. This dust contains mold spores, and tiny organic particles that are not healthy for your lungs or eyes.

That’s where the MowClean Bag comes in. It’s an air-filtering mower bag cover that fits over your existing mower bag. Installation is simple — just slip it over the bag and secure it in place. In minutes, you’ll have a dust-trapping filter that makes mowing leaves safer and healthier.

With a MowClean Bag:

  • You cough less and protect your health.
  • You keep dust out of your eyes and lungs.
  • You make mowing a healthier experience for your whole family.

If you already use your mower for leaf cleanup, upgrading with a MowClean Bag is a smart way to protect your health.

Recycle Your Mulched-Up Leaves

Don’t bag and toss those leaves away! Mowers chop them into small pieces, which makes them perfect for:

  • Mulching garden beds to insulate soil over winter.
  • Composting to create rich organic matter.
  • Improving soil health by mixing shredded leaves back into the yard.

Mulched leaves decompose faster, returning nutrients to the soil and giving your garden a natural boost come spring.

A Serious Note About Fire Safety

While mowing leaves is efficient, it can create a hidden danger: fine dust and debris can build up inside and around the mower’s engine. This material is flammable, and when the engine gets hot, it can begin to smoke — or even ignite.

Always, always let your mower cool outside your home for at least 15 minutes after mowing. Never store it immediately in your garage or shed while it’s still hot. Fires can happen quickly, and taking this small precaution can prevent serious damage. A friend of mine burned down half their home after mowing leaves by storing a hot mower in the garage immediately. Be aware of this.

Final Thoughts

Using your lawnmower to clean up leaves this fall is a smart, efficient way to save time, recycle natural materials, and keep your yard in shape. With a little preparation, attention to weather, and the protection of a MowClean Bag, you can turn a messy fall chore into a safer, productive task.

Stay safe, protect your health, and make the most of those autumn leaves.

Bag Lawn Grass, Reduce Allergies At Home

If you or your family suffer from seasonal allergies, you may already know that mowing the lawn without a bag cover can make symptoms worse. But did you know one simple change in your lawn care routine can help reduce allergens around your home? Bagging grass clippings with MowClean does more than keep your yard tidy — it can significantly cut down on pollen, mold, and other irritants.

Here’s how bagging your lawn clippings can make a real difference:

1. Removes Allergen-Carrying Grass Pollen

Grass pollen is a leading trigger for outdoor allergies. When you mow the lawn, you disturb the grass and release pollen into the air. By bagging the clippings, you’re capturing much of that pollen before it settles on your lawn — or worse, dries out and floats back into the air later.

2. Reduces Mold Spores

When grass clippings are left on the lawn, they can retain moisture and start to decay — especially in shady or humid areas. This creates a perfect environment for mold growth, and mold spores are serious allergy triggers. Bagging the clippings eliminates this decomposing material, helping to keep your lawn dry and mold-free.

3. Minimizes Contact with Irritants

Whether you’re gardening, playing with your kids, or just enjoying your yard, it’s easy to come into contact with leftover clippings. These small pieces of grass often carry pollen and other allergens. Bagging removes that layer of irritants, creating a safer, cleaner surface for you and your family.

4. Decreases Airborne Particles

Lawnmowers don’t just kick up grass—they also stir dust, plant fragments, and even pet dander. These particles cling to grass clippings and can continue to blow around the yard after mowing. Using a sealed or filtered grass bag can trap many of these particles at the source, keeping your air clearer.

5. Improves Overall Lawn Health

Grass clippings can build up into a thick thatch layer that traps moisture and creates an environment for allergens like fungi and insects. By bagging clippings regularly, you reduce thatch and promote better air flow and lawn health—making your yard less friendly to allergen sources.

Take Control of Allergies with a Cleaner Lawn, Naturally

If seasonal allergies impact your outdoor enjoyment, bagging your grass clippings is an easy and effective step toward relief. For the best results, use a high-quality mower bag designed to capture pollen and dust efficiently.

Protect your health and breathe easier this mowing season, try MowClean today.

Reduce your grass allergies now

Is lawn care causing your grass pollen allergies to be a nuisance?
Here are quality tips from health care and yard professionals to help you breathe easier.

Tip #1 – This is often overlooked, but if you take allergy medication, don’t forget to take the medication every day. It takes awhile to build a proper level in your body and it is your first line of defense.
Tip #2 – Wear a mask and keep it in good shape or replace it often.
Tip #3 – Mow your lawn frequently. This may sound counterintuitive, but letting your grass grow long increases the amount of pollen it releases. Cut your grass down to two inches or shorter.
Tip #4 – Pollen counts are generally lower in the evening so do your mowing in the evening.
Tip#5 – Use a mower with a bagger and a MowClean cover installed. Leaving the grass cuttings upon the yard to dry and blow in the wind just adds more pollen and debris in the air.
Tip #6 – Shower immediately after mowing.
Tip #7 – Flush nose twice daily with light saline or salt water to remove allergens.

I suffer from yard allergies too. Doing the things on this list helps me enjoy the yard a LOT more.

Know before you plant. These trees are bad for allergies

Know before you plant. Which trees are bad for your allergies?
Trees which are wind-borne pollinators are most likely to cause a seasonal allergic reaction. They produce pollen that is light and released in large quantities that can be easily inhaled. Some of these pollinators are so sly that you cannot even see them do it.

Trees do make your yard look fantastic but beware if you have allergies for the selection of a variety of tree that grows to product a lot of allergens in your yard is bad idea. The wrong tree will reduce enjoyment of the outdoors and can easily bring a lot of pollen into your home too. If you or a family member has a plant allergy, knowing which plants to avoid adding to your garden will allow you and your loved ones to enjoy your spring and summers more. Some trees will also deposit a lot of pollen into the grass of the yard for the mower to blow upon you when mowing. This will make allergies hard to bear.

So, let’s take a close look at the common trees NOT to select for your yard, for they are wind-borne pollinators. Further below, we will also list the trees that are much better to select for your yard to position your yard for less allergies and more enjoyment of the outdoors.

Birch Trees
Birch trees (genus Betula) are medium-sized deciduous trees known for their thin papery bark and striking fall colors. Their leaves are egg-shaped and can range from golden yellow to vibrant orange or fiery red. Common birch trees are often used as ornamental trees in residential landscapes due to their distinctive appearance and they grow quickly.

Cedar Trees
Although not native to the U.S., many varieties of cedar trees grow throughout the U.S. They are evergreen trees with needle-like leaves, thick trunks, and peeling bark. Cedar trees (genus Cedrus) are large evergreen conifers characterized by needle-like leaves arranged spirally on scented woody branches.

Oak Trees
Oak trees (genus Quercus) are hardwood trees or shrubs in the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and produce acorns borne within a cup.There are about 60 varieties native to North America.

Here is a list of the many other trees that also produce a good amount of allergens and should be considered carefully, before adding to your yard.

Elm Tree – The elm grows well in cooler regions. It can easily grow higher than 40 feet tall and has a full oval crown. The elm is appreciated for its shade but if you have allergies, this is not a great tree to have in the fall.

Juniper – Junipers are a favorite by many landscapers because they are low-maintenance. Despite its uses, the plant’s pollen is known for causing hay fever and skin issues.

Pine – This evergreen tree makes a lot of thick yellow powdery pollen in spring. Pine pollen, if you are allergic, can being about hay fever symptoms.

Walnut – The flowers of the walnut tree bloom in late spring and the pollen can cause allergies. Fortunately, walnut pollen is dense and does not travel far from the tree.

We hope this list helps others who wish to keep their allergies down and to live best outdoors in their own yard. In conclusion, if your yard has less allergens, you will breathe cleaner air and have much less pollen in your grass when you mow the lawn.  Remember, MowClean traps most of the fine dirt and pollen in the grass, improving the air for the person doing the mowing.

Enjoy the season!