7 Tips for Synthetic Grass Care and Maintenance
Artificial grass does not need as rigorous a maintenance routine as natural grass, but it does require some minimal, regular cleaning. To ensure you maintain its cleanliness, follow these 7 cleaning tips as necessary.
Artificial grass does not need as rigorous a maintenance routine as natural grass, but it does require some minimal, regular cleaning. To ensure you maintain its cleanliness, follow these 7 cleaning tips as necessary.
How to Clean Artificial Grass
Brush to Achieve that Natural Look
During the initial period after installation, the artificial grass should be lightly brushed with a synthetic bristled brush in different directions. This adds buoyancy ensuring the blades stick out as upright as possible. Any patches prone to excessive usage should be brushed more often.
Mild Stain Removal
Accidents happen. You might accidentally drop a plate of food, or spill your drink, on the artificial grass. Or, you might have a dog that needs to do their business on it. Whatever the predicament, cleaning mild stains out is relatively easy.
Just remove any dropped food, and for spillages or any liquid residue, use a dry, absorbent cloth or a towel, to soak up whatever is left as thoroughly as possible. Then, rinse the affected area with a mild detergent and some water. If the stain does not go away in the first wash, follow-up with a 3% ammonia water solution. After treatment, the synthetic grass should be thoroughly washed using clean water and left to dry.
Stubborn Stain Removal
Sometimes artificial grass may receive more serious stain damage from such things as motor oil, sunscreen, or suntan spillages, or coloured crayons or pens accidentally being dropped and getting crushed underfoot. Stubborn stains will refuse to go away using the mild stain removal method outlined above. For tough stains, you need to use mineral spirits, followed by thoroughly rinsing the fake grass off.
For removing something like stuck chewing gum, dry ice or aerosol sprays need to be used to harden it, so that it can be scraped off. When it comes to dog poo, ensure it’s dried and hardened before removing it, and if the mild stain removal method doesn’t work, use mineral spirits and thoroughly rinse it off after.
Keeping It Odourless
Bad odour tends to linger on artificial grass, especially when urine or pet waste has found its way into the grass fibres. If you detect a whiff of odour, frequently hosing the grass off with water will help remove most of the smell. Any slight odour that lingers can also be removed using a mixture of vinegar and water in equal proportions.
Weed Removal
Weeds can grow in organic waste such as dead bugs and leaves. This organic waste debris should be immediately removed, along with any weeds that may have begun sprouting. Using a very light weed killer spray on the synthetic turf every 6 months or so, also helps prevent weeds from growing.
Treating Bacteria and Mould
The formation of coloured spots on artificial lawn is indicative of the presence of mould and bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide should be used to treat such areas, and then the areas should be well hosed off with clean water. Vinegar and water in equal proportions also help to remove bacteria and mould.
Keeping Cleaning Equipment Nearby
Letting organic waste build-up on the fake grass (such as, leaves, dirt and other natural debris) should be avoided at all costs. Keep equipment such as a hose, rake, brush, and leaf-blower nearby to quickly and effectively clean off the lawn as needed.
Once a month cleaning will usually suffice unless you have pets which use the lawn, in which case cleaning should be done more frequently.
Contact Enviro Surface Solutions for More Fake Lawn Cleaning Tips
For more cleaning advice, general questions, or a request for a free no obligation quote on synthetic turf installation, please feel free to contact us.