Artificial Grass Maintenance Tips
Artificial grass is extremely low-maintenance compared to real grass. However, you'll still need some basic upkeep.
Increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing artificial turf for their lawns instead of natural grass. A big reason for this demand is how low maintenance artificial grass is compared to a natural lawn.
There is a ton of maintenance and yard work that comes along with having a traditional grass yard. Not to mention you need to buy several pieces of expensive equipment in order to take care of natural grass. You will need a lawn mower, lawn edger, and a leaf blower.
Additionally you will need to have a sprinkler system installed to water that grass. Having a new sprinkler system put in costs about three thousand dollars on average.
On top of getting the equipment, mowing the lawn every week, and making sure it stays watered, most homeowners decide to fertilize their lawns at least once a year and use pesticides to keep unwanted pests under control. In addition to the cost, these chemicals can be dangerous for pets or small children.
With synthetic grass, all of those chores go out the window! Read on to learn why more and more homeowners are choosing artificial grass installation.
That is not to say there is no maintenance involved in having an artificial grass lawn, however. But you will not need the expensive equipment or sprinkler system. You also will not need to use toxic chemicals on your lawn.
Fake grass looks its best without the need for fertilizers or pesticides or weed killer. It stays perfectly green year round without the need for fertilizing or warding off bugs on a regular basis. Weeds do not grow in synthetic lawn because it is not set in soil like natural grass is.
And since fake grass does not grow, ever, and stays the perfect height forever, you will not need to do any lawn mowing. Gone are the weekend mornings where you suddenly realize that instead of relaxing and reading the paper with a coffee you actually have to get out there and mow the lawn before it gets too hot!
As we have established, artificial turf lawns are low maintenance compared to real grass. But as we also acknowledged, that does not mean there is no work involved at all. It is just a lot less work! Keep on reading to learn about some maintenance tips that will keep your artificial turf looking brand new.
Artificial turf maintenance centers around one main chore for the regular upkeep of your yard - a regular rinse with your garden hose.
While fake grass does not need water to grow or look great, it does accumulate dust and debris over time like anything else outside. To keep your artificial grass lawn looking its best, a light spray off with water will help. The water will get rid of little debris like blossoms or leaves.
Eventually, something will end up getting spilled on your artificial grass. That is just life! Regular types of stains from things like spilling food or drinks require routine cleaning like you would do inside the house. Household cleaners and a towel or some paper towels will usually do the trick in those situations.
Try to get those stains cleaned up as soon as possible. That way they have less of a chance to seep down into your artificial lawn’s infill material.
Sometimes there are stains on your artificial grass that a quick spray with your hose will not get rid of. In the case of stubborn stains, like those from crayons or motor oil, you will want to try mineral spirits. Just rinse the area with the mineral spirits and blot up the extra liquid that is left over.
To get those really sticky messes off of your artificial lawn’s grass blades, like tree sap or chewing gum, you may need to use aerosol refrigerants or dry ice to freeze the substance and then scrape it off of the artificial grass.
If your artificial grass gets wilted or flattened over time due to being in a high-traffic area or from having something heavy placed on top of it, there is a special type of brush made for reviving those blades.
All you have to do is get the brush and brush the artificial grass in the opposite direction of how it is laying down. Once you have brushed it a little bit, the lawn will look taller and denser! Make sure that you get the correct brush with bristles meant to be used on artificial turf. If you get the wrong kind of brush you could unintentionally damage your artificial lawn.
Although you should definitely do this in areas with heavy foot traffic, any area of your synthetic lawn can benefit from a good brushing from time to time!
Installing artificial grass is great for pet owners as well as artificial lawns are very pet-friendly! If you are using your artificial grass as pet turf there are a few additional steps you need to know about to keep your lawn clean. They do require additional maintenance in addition to the routine maintenance we just went over, of course.
If your pet does their business in the synthetic turf, all you have to do is spray your lawn off to remove pet urine. If you are dealing with solid waste, you should try to pick that up regularly and as soon as possible to avoid stains or lingering odors. Then just spray it off with your garden hose and that is all you need to do to remove debris from pet waste.
As we have seen, it is a lot easier to maintain artificial grass than it is to maintain a traditional lawn. And it requires far less resources and equipment to keep it looking perfectly green!
With regular, routine maintenance, your artificial lawn can easily last twenty years or longer. That is a lifespan that allows your synthetic lawn to essentially pay for itself compared to a natural lawn.
Those simple and very affordable steps will keep your artificial grass looking its best for decades!
Artificial Grass Maintenance and Cleaning
