Isn’t it frustrating when the string of your trimmer snaps while trimming weeds, overgrown grasses, and other plants from your lawn?
And I bet you’d agree that winding the trimmer line, time and again, is the least favorite chore of mowing a lawn. That’s why most people suggest soaking the trimmer line in the water to prevent it from snapping.
In this guide, I’ll let out everything you need to know about soaking weed eater strings in the water. Keep reading!
Are You Supposed To Soak Weed Eater String
Every spring season, when you take out the weed eater from the gardening shed to cut overgrown grass, you must hope that it works smoothly and efficiently as it’s supposed to. However, that’s not the case because the string keeps breaking every now and then, making it challenging to mow the lawn.
So, if your trimmer line keeps breaking more often than not, consider soaking it in water instead of tossing it in the bin.
Regardless of whether you own a Stihl or a Husqvarna weed eater, it’s advisable to soak the spool in water for about a few hours before winding it. To be more precise, trimmer lines are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture. However, over time, or with regular usage, they dry out and become brittle, which is why they break while trimming weed or grass.
Ideally, I suggest soaking the trimmer line overnight in a bucket of water before winding it in your device so that it becomes flexible and doesn’t break despite using it for hours. Also, I suggest you avoid storing it in the garage, pick-up trucks, stores, or other areas exposed to direct sunlight.
How To Soak A Weed Eater String In Water To Prevent It From Getting Brittle?
Step 1: Fill A Bucket With Water
The first thing to do is to take a bucket, preferably a five-gallon one, and fill it with water all the way up. Note that the water should neither be too hot nor too cold to avoid damaging the spool. Or, you can use airtight plastic tubs for soaking multiple spools or trimmer lines.
Step 2: Submerge The Spool
Next, take the spool that you’re planning to wind and put it in the bucket. If you have multiple of them, place them one by one in the container so that they’ll absorb the water properly.
By doing so, the strings won’t snap or fray and operate much more efficiently compared to untreated trimmer lines.
Step 3: Keep The Spools Submerged For About 24 Hours
Trimmer lines can be kept in water for as long as you’d want. However, I suggest keeping them submerged for at least 24 hours so that they absorb water well and cut weeds in a breeze.
Step 4: Dry The Trimmer Lines
After soaking in water, take the lines out and dry them before attaching them to your weed eater. If you attach a wet string to the device, it will pool the place with water and won’t function the way it should.
Hence, make sure you cut the required string from the spool and dab it with a towel to soak water from it. Once the string is dried, feed it to your weed eater, and your device will be ready for use.
Step 5: Test The Trimmer Line
Before mowing your lawn with a soaked trimmer line, I suggest testing it on a low-sitting pile of weed. That’s because if used incorrectly, it will damage the sidewalks, vinyl fences, and plants on your lawn. By doing so, you’ll know where to set the guard and the distance you must maintain with the device while mowing the lawn.
Why Does My Trimmer Line Run So Fast?
Here’s why your trimmer line runs out fast:
- The lever, cap, or spring on the weed eater is broken or malfunctioning
- The trimmer string isn’t treated or soaked in water
- The string is of low quality, which is why it isn’t long-lasting
- You may be using too thin trimmer lines for trimming weeds
Summing It Up
On that note, it’s time to wrap my guide. So, are you supposed to soak weed eater string before using it? Hope this addresses your queries!
Though it isn’t designed to last forever, you can prolong its lifespan by soaking it in water for a few hours. By doing so, you will enjoy uninterrupted usage as the string won’t dry out, while you trim weeds, grasses, and other plants with ease.
With that, I’ll call the curtains for today. Till then, take care, folks!