When is it anti-social to mow your lawn? We ask the experts

Man mowing lawn in garden
Man mowing lawn in garden (Image credit: Shutterstock)

With summer on the way, you’ll want to get your backyard in tip-top shape, ready for relaxing or entertaining outdoors. Tasks such as mowing the lawn, pruning and trimming the hedges are essential for having the best looking garden in the neighborhood. 

However, when it comes to cutting your grass, you’ll want to make sure that you also don’t annoy your neighbors in the process! And while you might think that we can carry out our gardening maintenance whenever we’re in the mood for it, you’ll be mistaken. 

Whether you prefer to mow your lawn first thing in the morning, or late evenings, the continuous buzz of a lawn mower or other loud power tools, could become a nuisance to those around you. In fact, most of us are not aware of when it’s anti-social to mow your lawn and what times are actually acceptable. 

To shed light on this question, we’ve asked garden experts to share the ideal times to mow our lawn — and tips to reduce noise levels. So if you want to make sure you keep your neighbors happy, here’s when it is anti-social to mow your lawn.

When is it “rude” to mow your lawn?

Grass clippings when mowing lawn

Grass clippings when mowing lawn (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Generally, it is considered anti-social to mow your lawn before 8am and after 8pm.

Generally, two times are considered anti-social to mow your lawn — before 8am and after 8pm, when most people are winding down to relax at the end of the day.  

“A survey revealed that 47 percent of people would rather their neighbor not use their lawn mower before 9am, with the average lawn mower producing 90 decibels of sound,” says Brian Davenport, Co-Founder of The Solar Centre. “Mowing your lawn after 11pm will certainly not win you any popularity with your neighbors or council. The evening is far from ideal as well, as this can disturb the people around you spending time in their gardens”.

In fact, mowing the lawn at anti-social hours is one of the common rude habits your neighbors hate, so it’s always best to consider your gardening habits. 

When is the best time to mow your lawn — and benefits?

Garden is a shaped and healthy lawn

Garden is a shaped and healthy lawn (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Mowing your lawn mid-morning (8am - 10am) is also considered beneficial to your lawn

So, when is the acceptable time of day to get out your lawnmower? Where possible, it’s advisable to mow during the mid-morning or late afternoon to avoid disturbing neighbors in the early morning or late evening hours. “At the earliest, you should be cutting your grass from 8am, but the best time to start is from 9am, which is considered more socially acceptable and works with typical working hours, especially during the week,” says Davenport. “Over the weekend, it may be better to start at 10am. Not only will this be appreciated by your neighbors, but it will also best protect your grass.”

In addition, mowing your lawn mid-morning (8am - 10am) is considered beneficial to your lawn for several reasons. By this time, the dew has usually evaporated, leaving the grass dry,” states Samantha Richards, garden and gazebo expert at Gazeboshop. “Dry grass allows for a cleaner cut, reducing the risk of disease and fungal infections as a result. During the warmer months of the year, mid-morning temperatures are typically cooler than midday, reducing stress on both the grass and the person who is tasked with mowing. Mowing during this time also allows the grass to recover quickly and takes advantage of the sunlight for photosynthesis throughout the rest of the day.”

Alternatively, if you can’t mow early in the morning, you could opt for late afternoon instead. “Late afternoon (4pm - 6pm), can be a good alternative time for mowing. Firstly, the temperature typically starts to drop, reducing stress on the grass and the person mowing. And secondly, grass has several hours of daylight left to begin the recovery process before nightfall.” 

G & F 1852-3 Women Soft Jersey Garden Gloves: $11 @ Amazon

G & F 1852-3 Women Soft Jersey Garden Gloves: $11 @ Amazon
Combining practicality with pretty, we recommend these women's gardening gloves for an affordable, but dependable accessory. They ranked as the best gloves for small hands in our best gardening gloves test. We found them to be both comfortable and soft, with good dexterity. Plus, you get three colors in a pack which is amazing value for money.  

Tips to reduce noise pollution

An orange robot lawn mower cutting the lawn around flower beds

An orange robot lawn mower cutting the lawn around flower beds (Image credit: Shutterstock)

In addition to mowing at the right times, there are some ways to keep the noise levels down to a minimum — with the right gardening tools. 

“Gas or electric mowers are very loud machines compared to robot lawn mowers, so the best way to reduce noise when mowing the lawn is to get a quieter mower,” advises Ken Kohlmann, gardening expert and VP of Yarbo. “Robotic lawn mowers essentially move in silence. You’ll never have to worry about waking up the neighborhood with the roar of a tractor. Autonomous lawn mowers are so quiet you can actually run them during the night hours without disrupting the peace and quiet.” 

Davenport adds, “If you’re a frequent lawn mower user, consider creating a noise barrier by installing shrubs, fences, and walls to deflect some noise that could be bothering neighbours.” 

“Some mower models may even have noise-reducing attachments that can be fitted to reduce noise. And of course, it’s always worth notifying your neighbours  when you plan to cut your grass as a courtesy.”

More from Tom's Guide

Cynthia Lawrence
Content Editor, Homes

As the Homes Content Editor, Cynthia Lawrence covers all things homes, interior decorating, and garden-related. She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features. 

Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. and House Beautiful, amongst many.

With a rather unhealthy obsession for all things homes and interiors, she also has an interior design blog for style inspiration and savvy storage solutions (get rid of that clutter!). When she’s not testing cool products, she’ll be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain!

Read more
Striped lawn
Expert reveals the kitchen waste item that can help you create a green and healthy lawn
Mixed variety of roses in bloom
7 gardening tasks you should do in February for a bountiful spring
Suburban home with snow on lawn, plants, trees and roof
How to protect your lawn from snow damage — top tips from experts
ANTHBOT Robot Lawn Mower promotional images
AI makes yard work easier. Here's how to reclaim your weekends with smart lawn care
A man sleeping on his back snoring next to his partner who's covered her head and ears with a pillow
How to sleep next to someone who snores, according to a specialist
Weed plants growing between concrete pavement bricks
Experts warn against this viral weeding hack — don’t try this at home
Latest in Home
Wyze Cam v3
Wyze adds AI-powered filter to its security cameras to cut down on notifications that are “no big deal”
eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20
Hurry! This top Eufy robot vacuum mop is nearly 50% off for Amazon's Spring Sale
Tineco Floor One Stretch S6
This wet and dry vacuum is an essential part of my weekly cleaning routine — and its price just fell 42% in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale
ANTHBOT Robot Lawn Mower promotional images
AI makes yard work easier. Here's how to reclaim your weekends with smart lawn care
Rusty pruning shears
How to spring clean your gardening tools — two household ingredients that really work
a photograph of the dreame h12 pro wet and dry vacuum cleaner cleaning up spilled cheerios on a hardwood floor with an amazon spring sales deals badge
I loathe spring cleaning — but these awesome Amazon Big Spring Sale vacuum deals might make me change my mind
Latest in Features
Rusty pruning shears
How to spring clean your gardening tools — two household ingredients that really work
Wordle answer for #1,244, Thursday, November 14
I used ChatGPT to help me win at Wordle — here's what happened
a photo of a woman with strong abdominal muscles
Forget the Reformer —5 pilates exercises you can do with just a resistance band
A hand feels the temperature regulation of the SPRINGSPIRIT Dual Layer Mattress Topper.
What is a bamboo mattress topper and should you buy one?
2025 Mini Cooper Countryman SE All4 review.
I drove the Mini Cooper Countryman EV for a week — here’s my pros and cons
Troubadour Apex 3.0 Backpack
I tested this laptop backpack for 6 months — and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made