Having your artificial lawn is arguably more manageable as it's low maintenance compared to having natural grass. Although the need for watering, weeding, and mowing your lawn is practically eliminated in synthetic grass, you still need to learn proper maintenance to preserve the look and quality of your synthetic turf.
Curious to know how to maintain artificial grass the right way? Well, you're in luck as Artificial Grass Solutions give you a comprehensive look at everything you need to know about cleaning artificial grass. Continue reading the article below to find out more.
To clean artificial turf, there must be particular methods that you should observe so as not to ruin the make of your fake grass, and to preserve its color and structure. Let's go through the following steps in cleaning artificial turf.
Step 1: Prepare all the tools you need - Unlike owning an organic grass lawn that needs fertilizer, a lawn mower, metal rakes, grass cutter, or trimmer, cleaning your artificial grass requires these tools:
a garden hose
leaf blower
artificial grass cleaner
vinegar and water solution
a softer-bristled brush
Step 2: Remove larger debris - You may start by removing debris that lay on top of your artificial turf. Using a soft-bristled brush, you can gently sweep away leaves that might have fallen from overhanging trees, small rocks, and other trash or solid waste that might have gotten stuck in the grass fibers of your artificial grass. A leaf blower or flexible lawn rake can remove debris with much ease.
Step 3: Apply cleaning agent on your artificial turf - Once you remove dust and other dirt, you can wet the artificial grass using a garden hose to flush out other dirt and remove solid waste. Follow the instructions of your preferred artificial grass cleaning solvent and brush gently.
Step 4: "Spot clean" areas, especially those with stubborn stains - You can use more of your preferred cleaning solvent to do some spot cleaning on a specific part of your artificial grass, especially when it may contain other sticky substances. For pet owners, you can use a disinfectant solvent within a spray bottle that's delicate on artificial grass to treat dog urine/pet urine that may contain an odor neutralizer and antimicrobial properties.
Step 5: Rinse off the turf cleaner on your artificial turf - Once you've finished applying the turf cleaner and have done spot cleaning either with vinegar and water with baking soda or other turf cleaning products, it's time to rinse your artificial turf thoroughly make sure that it doesn't leave any residue on your fake lawn.
Step 6: Brush your artificial grass - After letting your artificial grass air dry, it's time to brush your artificial turf to maintain the upright position of its natural grain. You may also focus on areas that have been flattened due to garden furnishings, such as a lawn chair or table.
Step 7: Check your artificial turf for weeds - For fake lawns with a soil base, you can use a weed killer when cleaning your turf to avoid sprouting weeds on your fake grass lawn. Follow the instructions on the bottle of your weed killer properly, for the best results.
What Solutions Can I Use to Clean Artificial Grass?
Thinking about the best solution to use on your beloved artificial turf? Here are some of the common yet effective solutions that experts use in cleaning synthetic grass:
Vinegar and water - for a more organic approach, you can use equal amounts of vinegar and water combined in a bottle which you can spray on a problematic area right away and add baking soda. It makes the area odor-free and is a great low-maintenance and cheap option.
Diluted bleach- You can use your preferred household bleach diluted in 10 parts water to disinfect your lawn and remove any unwanted odor. It's a regular cleaning staple in most households as it's fast-acting too.
Turf cleaning solvents - turf maintenance solvents, such as Turf Fresh, are created for monthly artificial grass maintenance and are best for disinfecting and preserving the look of your landscape turf.
How to Clean Pet Waste on Artificial Turf?
To clean pet turf and remove the uninviting smell of dog urine and other related pet odor, you can start by doing the following:
Remove the solid waste off your lawn such as dog droppings.
Using a hose, rinse the area carefully and make sure not to destroy the structure of your fake grass.
Using a fake turf cleaner of your choice, follow the instructions when applying it directly to the area for spot treatment.
Make sure to spray on areas where your pet urinates to disinfect and remove the traces of dog urine smell.
Rinse the turf-cleaning chemical off your fake grass.
Use an odor neutralizer to remove any lingering bad smells.
Let your artificial grass dry.
Mistakes to Avoid While Cleaning Fake Grass
It's easy to commit mistakes, especially when cleaning artificial grass for the first time, here are some of the mistakes that you should avoid.
Not knowing the right cleaning agent or solvent to use for your specific type of turf.
Mixing chemicals as part of your regular cleaning routine.
Using abrasive cleaning tools such as a power washer or vacuum when cleaning.
Not rinsing your fake turf immediately.
Not using the right brush on fluffing the grass blades.
FAQ Artificial Grass Maintenance
Here are some of the common questions that people ask about grass maintenance. Find out more by reading their corresponding answers below.
How Do You Clean Artificial Grass Indoors?
Depending on the type of artificial turf you own (like sports turf, for example), you can either use a brush or broom to sweep away larger debris that's stuck alongside dust and dirt. Your best bet to further disinfect and clean your artificial grass is to spray a turf cleaner while working on the stains with a sponge. Once you've wiped away the grime and dirt, you can let it air dry. This can be done on a monthly basis.
How Often Should You Clean Your Artificial Turf?
To preserve the quality of your artificial turf and to disinfect the area properly, you can do it at least once a week to maintain its cleanliness. Meanwhile, you can do a deep clean at least once a month.
Can I Vacuum Artificial Grass?
You can use a vacuum in cleaning your artificial grass, technically speaking. However, we do not recommend vacuuming as part of your cleaning process as it may suck up infill between the blades, and cause significant damage to your grass fibers or blades.
Does Vinegar Clean Artificial Grass?
Absolutely! Mixing equal parts of water and vinegar can disinfect your grass and also deodorize your turf. It's an organic and economical alternative to using pricey turf-cleaning solvents.
How Do You Keep Fake Grass Green?
It takes a lot of hard work and effort to preserve the vibrant green color of your artificial turf. To keep it looking good as you've first installed it (how to install artificial grass), avoid foot traffic in the area, regularly clean it, and remove any stains and debris, including dirt and dust. Lastly, always brush it up to keep its blades facing one direction for that natural look.
How Long Does Artificial Grass Last?
Artificial grass can last for a long time. Check out our fake grass cost calculator to see if it makes sense for you. The average life span of artificial turf is between 7 to 15 years. But it will all depend on how you observe proper maintenance on your artificial lawn. If you want to know more about how to clean artificial grass, contact us and let our artificial turf expert help you!
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As the author of Artificial Grass Solution, I cover all aspects of turf installations. From guides to informative articles, I try to cover all the bases of turf. My writing will cover surface level topics to in-depth articles.
Artificial Grass Solutions Los Angeles is a Southern California fake grass installations company offering you a variety of high-quality synthetic turf options for your outdoor space.
