DIY Turf Blog

Learn What Artificial Grass Maintenance Entails

 

artificial turf maintenance

No yard is completely maintenance free, but artificial grass maintenance is far less cumbersome than the work you must do to keep up with a natural grass yard.

Those who have traditional natural grass yards must constantly mow, weed, rake, water, fertilize, aerate, and use chemicals like weed killer and pesticides. Homeowners with artificial grass do none of that.

There are four basic things involved with artificial grass maintenance: rinsing, brushing, raking, and freezing away hard items like tree sap and chewing gum.

 

Rinsing

Rinsing will be necessary on occasion, especially if you have pets or children. Pets will use the bathroom on artificial grass just like natural grass so it will need to be cleaned afterward. Children sometimes may spill food items, like ice cream or popsicles they may carry outside on the lawn during play time, so that will need to be cleaned as well.

 

With pet urination, all you need to do is spray the area down with a spray hose. If your pet poops, you will need to pick up the poop and dispose of it before you spray down the area with the spray hose. You may need to use a special detergent purchased from the artificial grass company where you purchased the product if the fecal matter leaves a stain. The detergent can be gently brushed into the area to remove any stains. Then rinse.

Food stains can be easily removed using the same method. First, remove any food debris from the grass. Then, rinse with a hose and use the detergent if necessary.

 

Brushing

Your yard will need to be brushed regularly as part of your artificial grass maintenance routine to keep them looking fresh and upright. You should use a special brush designed for synthetic grass to simply move over the blades to fluff them up. Brushing is important in high-traffic areas because blades can be compressed from constant walking on them.

 

It is also essential to brush down into the filler. The filler is what supports the blades and it can also become compressed. Moving the filler around also releases any trapped contaminants, making for a healthier yard.

 

Raking

You may need to occasionally rake your yard in your artificial grass maintenance plan to help blades stand up straight or rework the filler. You will need a gentle leaf rake so as to not damage your synthetic grass. The company where you bought the product can advise you on exactly what type of rake to use.

 

 

Freezing

It may seem odd that you would need to freeze parts of your yard, but this is the only way to remove hard items like tree sap or dried chewing gum. Artificial grass suppliers have cans of refrigerants used for this purpose. Spray the affected area, using caution not to come into contact with the chemical. You can scrap the debris away once you freeze it.

 

Doing these simple things shouldn’t take more than a few hours a week. That is certainly a lot less than time spent maintaining a natural yard. Keeping up with artificial grass maintenance is easy and allows you more time for fun with your family!