How bad is it to mow a wet lawn?

[calamitous]

So we’ve been getting off-and-on rain now for a few weeks here in the Midwest. It is not constantly raining, but the lawn’s not getting a chance to dry out. It’s looking pretty seedy by not and it’s kind of driving me crazy.

I’ve heard it’s bad for the mower to mow wet grass, but is it really? I know I’d have to watch for bogging down, but other than being slow, would it harm the equipment any?

For reference, I’ve got a gravely zt-hd 60” zero turn.

 

[StarTech]

Well do you like replacing a rusted deck more often. I get those Gravely mower in here where I scrape anywhere from 5 to 10 gallon bucket of build up from under the deck. All this retains moisture which promotes rusting. I just charge the customer more for the cleaning so I can repair the actual deck problems.

 

[SeniorCitizen]

Clean deck while it's still wet .

 

[bertsmobile1]

You will get a poor cut and depending upon just how soft the soil is can even make ruts in the soil which will require top dressing.
No one ever dies because they did not cut their grass every week .

 

[Skippydiesel]

Well do you like replacing a rusted deck more often. I get those Gravely mower in here where I scrape anywhere from 5 to 10 gallon bucket of build up from under the deck. All this retains moisture which promotes rusting. I just charge the customer more for the cleaning so I can repair the actual deck problems.

I agree with Star Tech and would add:
Wet grass will develop a strong very corrosive liquid as it decays.
The liquid loves alloys (blade spindles, etc) and will turn it into a crumbling mess, very quickly -$$$$ to replace.
Its is slower to damage unpainted steel but the effect, in the end, is accelerated corrosion, reducing the lifespan of your mower.
DO NOT MOW WET GRASS
DO NOT WASH YOUR MOWER (f you must, may be once per year, when you put it away for winter, but make sure it's absolutely dry before storage)
BLOW IT CLEAN WITH COMPRESSED AIR (Special attention to under engine cowling, blow out chaff from cooling system - I do mine running)