It’s almost that time of year when your chainsaw starts humming along, getting firewood ready for winter or clearing brush in woodlands, pastures and rangeland. We could spend several articles discussing general maintenance of different types of chainsaws, but for our purposes, we will focus on cleaning a gas-powered saw.

Any chainsaw operator has experienced wood chips, leaves and small branches making their way into the bar and disrupting the chains on their saw. It is a regular occurrence if you saw much brush or wood. That’s why chainsaw dealers and maintenance techs all advise cleaning the saw from any debris, resin or sap, or branches, leaves and other small twigs before storing the saw after each use.

It almost goes without saying that this debris will dull out your chain and cause problems with the engine. Such regular cleaning will improve the performance and longevity of the saw and its components. The last thing an operator needs is to have saw problems deep in the woods, especially when it could be prevented by maintenance and cleaning.

Gleaning from personal experience and from several professional sources, including the USDA Forest Service, here are a few specific cleaning tips for your saw after each use.

Safety first

Shut it down. Before starting, make sure the engine is off and the chain brake is applied.

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Wear your gloves. Protect your hands from the sharp edges of the chain and from dirt and debris by wearing gloves.

Keep it cool. Wait for the engine and chain to cool down after use before starting the cleaning process.

Protect those eyes. Protective eyewear will keep the debris and dust from your eyes during the cleaning process.

How about the engine?

Brush it out. Use a paint brush or other soft brush to clean the housing exterior of debris and dust.

Clean intake. Remove the bar from the saw. Operators need to remove the air intake housing and clean the air intake and housing with a light brush or air compressor, making sure air is coming in through the openings in the intake cover. This air is crucial because it keeps the machine from overheating.

At the bar

Clean it up. A damp cloth or light brush works well for cleaning debris and dust from the sprocket area of the saw.

Get in the groove. Much of the sawdust and debris from extended cutting settles into the groove where the chain runs on your bar. It’s always important to use some kind of tool to dislodge the dust from the chain groove and clean the groove so the chain runs in the channel where it’s supposed to.

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Better bar. Check each time for cracks, bends and edges that have been pushed out from the chainsaw bar. If the cutting is heavy, it is possible to bend the bar, so the chain doesn’t run smoothly into the groove.

At the tip. Make sure the roller tip, where the chain runs across the bar, is lubricated and the chain spins free around the tip.

Oil holes. Make sure the oil holes are free from dust and debris. Check your chain lubrication inlet and outlet. Refill the chain oil tank for the next use.

Back together. Assemble the bar and engine of the saw, making sure the chain tension is correct.

These are quick tips for regular or daily-use cleaning of the saw. When the chainsaw is stored over an extended period, there are more complete instructions that need to be followed so it is ready to go and up for a job when needed.

You can learn more from your local chainsaw dealership or maintenance technician.