Artificial Landscape Turf Care: How To Clean Artificial Grass
Artificial grass offers the beauty of a perfectly manicured lawn without the hassle of mowing, weeding or fertilizing. However, like any outdoor surface, it can accumulate dirt, debris, and sometimes stains over time. Proper maintenance will ensure your artificial landscape turf maintains its lush appearance and will serve you well for years to come. In this comprehensive guide, SYSTURF walks you through the step-by-step process of cleaning your artificial landscape turf, ensuring your outdoor space remains pristine and inviting.
Artificial Landscape Turf Maintenance and Cleaning
Although you might think, using artificial turf is all about reducing maintenance! You don't want to spend time maintaining your landscape artificial grass!
Contrary to common artificial landscape turf myths and misconceptions, artificial landscape turf is not zero maintenance.
Worry not, as artificial landscape turf maintenance is quick, easy, and takes considerably less time than maintaining natural lawns.
While you spend more time enjoying your yard than maintaining it, devoting a fraction of the time you need to maintain a natural lawn to proper artificial turf maintenance and care will ensure you enjoy a lush, green, natural-looking artificial turf in the next several years.
We divide artificial turf maintenance into three distinct categories:
- Regular/routine maintenance and cleaning
- Removes spills and stains
- Long-term lawn maintenance
What Tools Are Needed for Artificial Landscape Turf Maintenance?
As with any investment, you'll want your artificial landscape turf to look good year-round. the
Although the maintenance of artificial landscape turfs is not as intensive as that of natural lawns, you still need to take responsible steps to ensure your lawn is maintained properly.
Thankfully, artificial grass can be cleaned with just a few tools and ongoing maintenance.
Leaf Blower: When leaves or other natural debris fall onto your lawn, they can be easily removed with a leaf blower.
Garden Hose: A hose that extends far enough to water your entire lawn will ensure you wash all the lawn fibers.
Hose Nozzle Attachment: Attach the nozzle and bottle assembly to the end of the hose and mix equal parts water and vinegar to sanitize lawns where pets defecate.
Push Broom: Sweeping artificial turf with a stiff-bristle push broom will rejuvenate tangled fibers and help them stand firm.
Rake: A simple garden rake can help keep lawn fibers from knotting.
Daily Maintenance and Cleaning of Artificial Landscape Turfs
As with most areas of our lives, the daily maintenance of artificial turf is very important to ensure the longevity and beauty of the garden.
Creating a cleaning and maintenance routine will help make maintenance part of the habits you already have at home.
While artificial turf doesn't require as much routine maintenance and cleaning as some other household spaces, spending a few minutes each week will help keep your artificial turf looking lush, green, and natural for years to come.
For general maintenance, a leaf blower is ideal for removing surface organic matter, while a soft-tipped rake can be used to remove heavier objects.
The environment in which your lawn is installed and its overall traffic/use will affect your cleaning and maintenance routines.
Some factors, such as pets, children, trees, and climate, should be considered when determining how often or how often to practice these habits.
Weekly Artificial Turf Maintenance
Weather and season will determine the best artificial turf maintenance for your lawn.
In Texas, cities like Houston are seeing higher humidity and more frequent storms, while families in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio areas may need to be concerned about extremely hot conditions.
Rainwater can be your best help in cleaning your lawn, washing away pollen, dust, dirt and debris.
If you live in an area that lacks consistent rainfall or has prolonged drought, a garden hose once a week may be sufficient.
Monthly Artificial Turf Maintenance
Like anything beautiful in our lives, it takes a little effort on your part to make your artificial turf look lush, green, natural and inviting.
Have you ever seen a vintage car or antique furniture in good condition?
These items are likely to be regularly cleaned, maintained and cared for to ensure they outlast similar items.
Frequency of use will determine the frequency of cleaning and maintenance.
If your artificial turf lawn is regularly visited by children and/or pets, you will need to spend more time cleaning and maintaining it.
For dust, dirt and leaves that cannot be removed with a leaf blower or garden hose, your best bet is to use a stiff bristle broom/brush.
Be sure to sweep along the natural grain of the turf so that it stands upright.
Never use a brush with steel bristles on your lawn, as this could cause lasting damage.
Frequent, consistent removal of dirt, dust, and debris from high-traffic areas will help keep artificial turf looking great.
How to Clean and Maintain Artificial Turf for a Long Time?
One of the main advantages of artificial turf is reduced maintenance compared to natural turf.
Having said that, there are some things that should be removed or cleaned from artificial turf as soon as possible.
- Pet urine
- Solid waste
- Spills and stains
- Burns
How to Remove Pet Waste from Artificial Grass?
The use of artificial turf for dogs by homeowners has increased rapidly over the past decade.
One of the most common residential artificial turf applications is as a ground cover for dog runs and designated dog potty areas.
The main reason for the switch is to prevent brown dog urine spots from ruining the natural lawn, not to mention, your four-legged friend will love the texture and feel.
Pets are still pets, though, so it's important to clean up after your puppy.
To easily remove animal waste, keep these tips in mind:
- Wait for Waste to Dry: Waiting time is important after your pet completes the task. Allow solid waste time to dry and prevent contamination of artificial turf.
- Regular Rinse: Rinse the lawn with a hose regularly to keep the lawn surface hygienic. This facilitates the excretion of the animal's urine. Frequent rinsing of the lawn is especially important in areas that don't get much rainfall.
SYSTURF's Soft And Skin Friendly Landscape Artificial Grass is perfect for pets. It prevents the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew which can cause stains, odors, and product spoilage. It also helps prevent bacterial buildup, keeping your lawn free of pet urine smells.
Removing Spills and Stains from Artificial Grass
Spills and stains are part of everyday life.
If you have children, pets, frequent visitors, etc., there may be increased traffic on your property.
Over time, accidents can happen.
But don't worry, because cleaning your lawn is similar to cleaning other areas of your home.
For dry spills, clean up with a shop vacuum.
Make sure to keep the suction end of the hose away from the turf surface to avoid picking up the fill material along with the debris.
Spills should be rinsed thoroughly, using a commercial disinfectant if necessary, but be sure to rinse afterwards so the solution can be washed across the lawn.
For stains such as paint, use a water-soluble solution to clean up.
Never use acetone or petroleum-based products on your lawn, as this may cause long-term damage.
Entertaining guests, outdoor living, and providing children with a safe place to play are often cited as the main reasons homeowners install artificial turf. However, these activities may result in food spills.
Make sure to remove food waste promptly to avoid attracting pests, and if you find chewing gum on your lawn, use ice to remove it from your lawn.
How to Remove Spills, Stains, and Other Contaminants From Artificial Grass?
Kids playing hide-and-seek or wrestling in the backyard resulting in a bruised nose, traveling with a drink or a plate of food, and of course there's always one person who spits gum on the grass all the time.
While inevitable, response time to spills is critical to maintaining artificial turf.
Try not to allow spills time to set, as this can make cleaning up later difficult and even lead to long-term damage.
Some tips and FYI from some experts:
- Artificial turf is stain-resistant, so spills and accidents are usually easy to clean
- Most spills can be rinsed off by spraying with a garden hose
- For stubborn spills that linger after rinsing the area, use mild natural soap + warm water or equal parts vinegar and water
- Chewing gum and other sticky substances can usually be removed by hand
- For stubborn gum, ice cubes can help remove
- For removing stubborn items, a plastic putty knife can help
Important Note: Do not use harsh chemicals or solvents to remove spills or gunk from artificial turf.
How to Get Bacteria Out of Artificial Grass?
While bacterial buildup is not a major problem with our artificial turf, in some cases you may want to consider spraying your artificial turf with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water to help eliminate any remaining bacteria.
One common situation that might use this method to remove bacteria is homeowners with multiple dogs, as more bacteria can accumulate over time due to the number of pets using the lawn.
How to Avoid Stains and Burns?
If you've ever spent time trying to remove a red wine stain from your carpet, you know how difficult, time-consuming, and frustrating a spill can be.
While severe stains or burns on artificial turf can be replaced, it's best to avoid them altogether.
Certain spills can discolor or damage synthetic turf, such as:
- Cigarette burns
-
Grills and fire pits
- Oil, grease, battery acid
Final Thoughts on Artificial Turf Maintenance and Cleaning
Choosing to upgrade your lawn with artificial turf is a long-term investment that can provide homeowners with additional amenities. the
SYSTURF's mission is to help you love your yard!
When you invest in our products, we want you to have all the information not only for purchase and installation but for the life of your lawn as well.
Routine cleaning and maintenance are common to owning a home, and artificial turf care is no exception.
However, with a little routine and consistency, you can help ensure you have a yard you'll love for decades to come.
Artificial landscape turf simplifies the lawn care process, allowing you to enjoy the lush, beautiful courtyard without the hassle of regular maintenance. If you are interested in installing artificial lawns, please contact us, SYSTURF can provide you with professional service and durable, quality lawns for you to enjoy in the next few years. Whether you want to reduce backyard maintenance, install the green, or build a playground, SYSTURF can help you every step of the way.
As a professional custom artificial turf manufacturer, SYSTURF artificial turf has multiple advantages to meet the needs of various applications. A major advantage lies in its low maintenance costs and excellent durability. Unlike natural turf, SYSTURF artificial turf requires minimal maintenance, saving time and resources. It is resistant to heavy use and changing weather conditions, maintaining its appearance and function over time.
Plus, SYSTURF artificial turf ensures a consistent, verdant surface year-round, no matter the weather. Its vibrant color and even texture last without fading or blemishes. Plus, it offers all-weather playability and remains reliable even in the rain, eliminating the mud and slippery problems that plague natural turf. To sum up, SYSTURF artificial turf perfectly combines the advantages of practicality, aesthetics, and performance, which not only improves the quality of leisure space, but also has a positive impact on resource conservation and sustainable development.