How To Use Leaf Blower

For me, the onset of fall is always accompanied by the nightmare of clearing piles of leaves.

Although I have spent a significant number of years looking after my lawn, keeping it in pristine condition during the spring is something that I don’t look forward to. As a result, the onus to keep the yard clean during these months fell on my husband.

Being the good wife that I am, I decided to ease his burden by getting a leaf blower. Since my husband spends a lot of his time with yard equipment, I figured operating it would come naturally to him, but I was wrong.

After watching him struggle with handling the blower, I decided to research all about using a leaf blower the correct way. 

Besides seeking online help and talking to my friends who own one, I practiced using it to have a better understanding of my findings. Hi! I’m Stacy, and today, I have curated this guide on using a leaf blower. 

So, let’s get started!

How To Choose The Right Leaf Blower?

Before I dive into the deets of using a leaf blower, here’s a quick bonus section on choosing a suitable leaf blower. In this regard, a few important things (aside from the budget) to consider are the lawn dimensions and the approximate quantity of leaves to be cleared.

For smaller yards or those with medium to light leaf accumulation, you can invest in a low-power, corded model. However, larger lawns with high leaf accumulation will require the services of a heavy-duty leaf blower powered by gas or batteries.

Steps To Use A Leaf Blower

Step 1

I’d strongly recommend deciding the “landing spot” for the final pile of the leaves beforehand. This will help you work systematically so that collecting the blowing leaves doesn't drive you crazy!

For instance, you can place a tarp at a designated spot and blow the leaves in that direction, as it would be easier to haul the pile from here to the compost heap. Likewise, if you plan to dump the leaves directly into the compost post, blow the leaves in small sections to simplify the task.

Step 2

I prefer to start by clearing the leaves under the hedges and around the edges of my house, simply because it brings all of them to the middle. This makes it easier to blow the leaves towards one particular direction. 

While blowing in straight lines for linear features, use gentle U-shaped sweeping motions to shift the maximum number of leaves in one go. Moreover, holding the blower at a shallow angle will blow more leaves in one motion. 

If your blower has a vacuum mode, I’d suggest using it to deal with tight and otherwise inaccessible corners of the yard.

Step 3

When it’s time to clear the larger areas of the yard, work sideways in an up and down motion that’s somewhat perpendicular to the direction in which you’d want to blow the leaves. 

I find this technique very effective in gradually moving the leaves towards the tarp. Otherwise, blowing them forward will just create a pathway via the accumulated leaves while blowing them to either side. You’d then have to put more effort into bringing them towards the desired direction.

Step 4

Once all the leaves are almost near the tarp or towards the direction where you’d want them to be, blow them from the outside to the inside, roughly along the perimeter. Long story short, assume that the leaves have accumulated in a circular shape, and you need to work along the circumference to blow them to the middle.

Bestseller No. 1

BLACK+DECKER Electric Leaf Blower, Handheld Blowers for Lawn Care, Lightweight, 180 MPH 180 CFM, 7-Amp, Corded (LB700)

• 7 Amp motor provides a powerful and efficient blowing performance
• Moves up to 180Mph to 180CFM for fast and easy cleanup of leaves and debris. Uses: Ideal for clearing debris from lawns, driveways, sidewalks, and decks
• Built in cord retention prevents frustrating interruptions during cleanup

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Bestseller No. 2

Leaf Blower Cordless with 2 Batteries and Fast Charger, 210 MPH Battery Powered Blower with 3 Nozzles, 3 Speed Modes, Lightweight & Small Electric Leaf Blowers for Lawn Care, House, Leaves, Dust, Snow

• [High Speed Motor For Efficient Work] Our cordless leaf blower is designed with a powerful motor of 20000 RPM, and the wind speed is up to 210 MPH, which can easily remove leaves, snow, and be used for car drying. You can complete large-scale cleaning tasks quickly and effectively with this cordless blower
• [3 Speeds Control & 3 Different Nozzles] This 20V mini leaf blower features 3 different speed designs and comes with a bend nozzle, a round nozzle, and a flat nozzle, which can be adjusted to the wind speed and the length adjustment according to different usage scenes. It can not only be used for cleaning under the ground and working table, but also can be used for the roof and dealing with small and precise spots, covering all kinds of cleaning tasks easily and efficiently
• [With Two 2.0 Ah Batteries and One Fast Charger] Our battery powered leaf blower is equipped with two 2.0Ah batteries and one charger, which can be replaced at any time to ensure sufficient power to handle various tasks without the need for frequent charging. It can work for up to 50 minutes at the lowest speed, and fast charging within 1 hour and 20 minutes

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Some Other Points To Consider

Now that you have an idea about how to use a leaf blower, here are a few other factors to keep in mind before taking on the job. After all, no one would like running behind leaves all day long!

1. Put On Safety Gears

Even if you don’t feel like wearing your gloves while using the blower, I wouldn’t recommend skipping safety goggles, as twigs or leaves can get into your eyes. 

Likewise, most leaf blowers have a sound output ranging from 70 dB to 75 dB, which is both annoyingly loud and damaging for the eardrums. So, don’t forget to put on your ear protectors.

2. Wait For A Less Windy Day

While you may not have a completely non-windy day for cleaning your yard, look up the forecast to choose a seemingly still day. Or, bring out your leaf blower on a mildly windy day, where the wind is blowing in one direction. In fact, you can place your tarp according to the wind direction to make the job easier.

3. Wait For The Leaves To Dry

Unlike a blow dryer that eliminates the moisture content in your hair, a leaf blower works best only if the leaves are completely dry. 

You can test the wetness (or dryness) of the leaves by directing the blower towards a specific area. If the leaves move slightly or even if they don’t move at all, it’d be better to let them dry for a couple of days.

4. Don’t Try To Blow Away Every Single Leaf

A lot of homeowners unnecessarily tire themselves out by trying to blow every last leaf with the blower. Since a leaf blower is essentially designed to clear leaves in bulk, it may not remove individual leaves scattered throughout the lawn. So, you might want to pick those last pieces with a rake or simply with your hands.

Conclusion