Artificial turf maintenance is an important procedure for keeping your turf looking great. It helps to extend the life of […]
Artificial turf maintenance is an important procedure for keeping your turf looking great.
It helps to extend the life of your turf and it can help improve its performance.
Regular artificial turf maintenance will ensure that you get the most out of your turf.
Artificial turf maintenance should be done at least once a month in order to maintain optimal performance and longevity; however, we recommend doing it every week or every other week for best results.
The frequency with which you need to perform artificial turf maintenance will depend on how much foot traffic there is on the lawn and whether you have a dog.
Artificial Turf Maintenance & Cleaning
If you’re thinking to yourself, “I invested in fake grass to eliminate maintenance! I don’t want to spend time maintaining my artificial grass lawn!”
Fear not, because maintaining an artificial turf lawn is quick and easy.
It requires significantly less time than maintaining a natural grass lawn.
You will be spending a lot more time enjoying your yard than maintaining it.
Dedicating a few minutes each month to proper turf maintenance and care will ensure that you’ll enjoy a lush, green, natural-looking manufactured lawn for years to come.
Below turf maintenance is divided into three categories:
Regular/Routine Maintenance & CleaningLong-Term Turf MaintenanceRemoving Spills & Stains
Tools Required for Artificial Turf Maintenance?
As with any investment, you’ll want to keep your synthetic turf looking presentable year-round.
Although artificial grass maintenance is not as intensive as caring for natural grass, you’ll still need to take responsible steps to ensure you properly maintain your lawn.
Thankfully, cleaning synthetic grass is manageable with a few tools and consistent upkeep.
Leaf blower: As leaves or other natural debris fall onto your turf, use a leaf blower to remove them with ease.
Garden Hose: A hose that extends far enough to water your entire lawn will ensure you wash all the turf fibers.
Hose Nozzle Attachment: Connect a nozzle-and-bottle assembly to the end of your hose to mix equal parts water and vinegar to sanitize your turf where pets have relieved themselves.
Push Broom: Sweeping the artificial turf with a stiff-bristled push broom will rejuvenate matted fibers and help them stand strong.
Rake: A simple gardening rake can help prevent the turf fibers from matting down.
Routine Artificial Turf Maintenance & Cleaning
To ensure the beauty and longevity of your artificial grass lawn, it’s important to practice routine maintenance.
Instead of randomly caring for your fake grass lawn, try to incorporate it into an existing habit or routine you have around your home.
Artificial turf doesn’t need to be cleaned every day as you might with other household spaces.
Setting aside a couple of minutes each week to care for your artificial grass will keep it looking lush and full year-round.
In general, to remove organic debris and materials from your lawn, a leaf blower is the ideal tool for the job.
Removing heavier objects can be done by simply picking them up or using a soft-tipped rake.
Weekly Artificial Turf Maintenance
One of the biggest factors contributing to your turf’s maintenance and cleaning requirements is foot traffic.
More foot traffic means your artificial grass will require cleaning and maintenance more often.
The weather and season will determine the best artificial turf maintenance for your lawn.
Rainwater can serve as your greatest ally in cleaning your turf by rinsing pollen, dust, dirt, and debris.
Here in Texas, rainwater isn’t very abundant.
For a lawn with moderate foot traffic, you can get by rinsing your lawn once per week with a garden hose.
Texas weather patterns are difficult to predict so keeping an eye on the weekly weather forecast will help you determine which course of action is best for your lawn.
Monthly Artificial Turf Maintenance
As we’ve established, maintaining an artificial grass lawn will require a little bit of effort.
The amount of effort pales in comparison to what is required with a natural grass lawn.
If you’ve ever seen an antique or classic car that’s in pristine condition, it has most likely been routinely cleaned, maintained, and serviced.
Once it has been restored, the amount of effort necessary to maintain the car’s mint condition is minimal.
The same thing applies to a fake grass lawn.
If you don’t have kids or pets, and the foot traffic on your lawn is minimal, then it won’t require much upkeep at all.
Alternatively, if your faux grass lawn experiences heavy foot traffic from kids and/or pets, then it will need a little more attention.
A few minutes each month will is all that is necessary to keep your synthetic grass lawn looking lush, green, and full.
Each month, to remove twigs, leaves, branches or other debris that has fallen from trees you can pick it up by hand, use a leaf blower, or a stiff-bristled broom/brush.
Turf fibers are directional, so remember to sweep against the natural direction of the fibers.
This will not only remove any fallen debris, but will help keep the turf’s fibers in the upright position.
It’s important that you don’t use a brush with steel bristles on your turf as this can cause lasting damage.
Long-Term Artificial Turf Maintenance & Cleaning
Of the many advantages of fake grass over real grass, one of the biggest is the comparative lack of maintenance required for artificial grass.
Retiring your gas-guzzling lawnmower will feel pretty damn good.
As durable, long-lasting, and low-maintenance as artificial grass is, it’s not indestructible.
There are things that should be removed, rinsed or cleaned from artificial grass as quickly as possible.
Dog & Pet Urine Solid WasteFood & Sugary BeveragesBurnsBelow we’ll take a look at each of the above, why you don’t want it sitting on your artificial grass, and how to remove it quickly and easily.
How to Remove Pet Waste from Artificial Turf
Pet turf or fake grass for dogs has exploded in popularity over the last decade.
It’s the most popular residential turf application here in Plano, and throughout Texas.
One of the most common areas that homeowners install artificial grass is in dog runs /dog potty areas and as a ground cover in dog-friendly backyards.
The most common reason for switching from real grass to fake grass is to prevent the brown spots from dog urine that ruin natural grass lawns.
While the nitrogen in dog urine won’t damage your artificial grass if left alone, over time it will cause a buildup of odor and bacteria.
To help prevent this from happening on your artificial grass installation, we recommend the following.
How To Deal With Dog/Pet Urine on Artificial Grass
Rinse regularly with water and a garden hose.
When your dog pees on your fake grass the urine does one of two things depending on the type of backing your turf has.
Hole-Punch Backing
With a hole-punch backing, the urine has to make its way to one of the drainage holes in the turf’s backing.
The holes are spaced 4? – 6? apart and allow water and urine to drain from the surface and into the base.
100% Permeable Backing
With a fully permeable backing, the urine will pass through any point in the turf.
This is the best type of drainage for pet-friendly applications because liquids pass straight through the backing and into the base.
Regardless of the backing your turf has, a small amount of dog urine will be left behind.
To maintain a fresh, clean, hygienic, and odor-free lawn we recommend rinsing it with a hose regularly.
The water will flush any residual urine and help combat the buildup of odors and bacteria.
How To Deal With Solid Waste From Dogs/Pets
Dealing with dog poop is pretty much the same with fake grass as it is with a real grass lawn.
When your dog does its business, simply wait for the waste to dry.
Once it’s had sufficient time to dry, use a doggy bag to pick it up.
It’s important that you allow time for the solid waste to dry, as it prevents the potential of smearing into the artificial turf.
Some pet turf products are equipped with antimicrobial protection to help prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew that can cause stains, odors, and product deterioration.
How to Remove Bacteria from Artificial Grass
The buildup of bacteria and odors with artificial grass isn’t a major issue.
That said, if you have a dog or dogs you may want to consider spraying your artificial turf with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water to help eliminate any lingering bacteria.
A common scenario in which one might use this method to remove bacteria is homeowners with multiple dogs.
Over time, bacteria can accumulate and cause odors due to the number of pets using the lawn.
Removing Spills, Stains & Other Contaminants From Artificial Grass
If your artificial grass installation experiences a lot of foot traffic or is in an outdoor living space then spills and stains are to be expected.
If you have kids, pets, frequent guests, etc. the traffic flow on your turf is likely to increase.
Kids playing tag in the backyard or wrestling leads to a busted nose, a trip with a beverage or plate of food, and of course, there’s always that one person who always spits their gum out in the grass.
While inevitable, response time to spills is critical to maintaining your artificial turf.
Try not to give spills time to set as this can increase the difficulty of cleaning later or even lead to long-term damage.
Over time, accidents happen.
So, what should you do if you or someone else spills something on your synthetic lawn?
No need to worry!
Cleaning artificial turf is similar to cleaning up in other areas of your home.
Below we’ll take a look at a few different scenarios involving spills, stains, and other contaminants and explain how to clean them up.
Dry Spills
For dry spills, use a shop-vac for removal.
Be sure to hold the suction end of the hose off the turf surface to avoid removing infill along with the debris.
Spills should be rinsed thoroughly and if necessary, use commercial disinfectants, just be sure to rinse afterward in order to flush the solution through the turf.
Stains
Artificial turf is stain resistant, so cleaning spills and accidents is generally easy.
Most spills can be rinsed away by spraying them with a garden hose.
For stubborn spills that remain after hosing off the area, use mild natural soap + warm water OR Equal parts vinegar & water.
Stains, such as paint, will require a water-soluble solution for clean-up.
Never use acetone or petroleum-based products on your turf as this could cause long-term damage.
Food & Beverages
Entertaining guests, outdoor living, and a safe place for children to play are often cited as major reasons homeowners install artificial turf.
With these activities though comes the potential for spills.
Make sure to remove food waste promptly to avoid attracting pests.
Chewing gum and other sticky substances can usually be removed by hand.
For stubborn chewing gum, an ice cube and a plastic putty knife can help with the removal.
Important Note: Do NOT use harsh chemicals or solvents to remove spills or sticky substances from artificial grass.
Avoid Stains & Burns
If you have ever spent time trying to remove a red wine stain from carpet, you know how difficult, time-consuming, and frustrating spills can be.
While a major stain or burn on an artificial lawn can be replaced, it is better to avoid them entirely.
Certain spills can discolor or damage synthetic turf, such as:
Cigarette burnsGrills & FirepitsMotor Oil, Grease, Battery Acid
How to Remove Snow & Ice from Synthetic Grass
Depending on where you live, you may not have to worry about removing snow or ice from your synthetic grass.
Here in Texas, it’s not an issue.
If you live in an area that does experience snowfall removing it from your artificial grass is pretty straightforward.
The best option for removing snow or ice from artificial grass is to let the snow/ice melt naturally.
That said if you need to remove snow/ice from your artificial turf, DO NOT use metal or sharp-edged tools.
A push broom is your best option.
If there is a lot of snow, use a blower but do not go all the way down to the turf, leave an inch or two of snow and remove it with a broom.
How to Prevent Energy Efficient Windows From Burning or Melting Artificial Turf
The summer sun here in Texas is brutal!
Even the fall and spring months experience some incredibly hot days.
As hot as the Texas sun gets during summer, direct sunlight on artificial grass will not burn the turf.
When reflected off of energy-efficient windows or sliding glass doors, the sun is magnified and can damage artificial grass.
To prevent this, screens or protective films can be placed on the outside of the windows that are causing the reflection.
The benefit of screen/protective films include:
Low-cost solutionEnergy efficiency in the home. The U.S. Department of Energy states that an outside window screen is 7 times more effective than interior blinds or window tint.
Final Thoughts on Artificial Turf Maintenance & Cleaning
Homeownership comes with an immense amount of pride and a feeling of achievement.
Choosing to invest in artificial grass to upgrade your lawn, pet area, or outdoor living space can give homeowners a new amenity to enjoy.
When you invest in Plano Turf Installers we want you to have all the information necessary to make the most educated and informed decision possible.
Routine cleaning and maintenance are a part of homeownership and caring for your artificial grass is no different.
We will ensure that your yard, backyard dog run, or home putting green is a piece of your home that you and your family, especially your beloved four-legged members, will enjoy for years to come from the best artificial grass company in Texas.