WORK LESS, PLAY MORE
Synthetic turf will transform the way you clean your property. Its low upkeep will enable you to forget the pain of fertilizing, mowing, and watering. Instead, you’ll be able to concentrate on another projects instead of keepin up the grass.
While you save countless hours working on the lawn, that doesn’t mean synthetic grass is totally maintenance-free. To keep your artificial turf looking the best, follow this guide.
SMALL CONSISTENT EFFORTS
How often you clean your artificial turf will depend on its use. Is it a putting green kept isolated from trees? Do you have children playing on your lawn? Do you have plants or trees on the property that will drop leaves and other debris onto it?
If your artificial turf is in an open part of the property, further away from plants, trees, children, and pets, you might require your work cut out when it comes to regular maintenance. Of course, this also varies from season to season and relies on your geographical location. So, in a nutshell it really depends, but will always demand some maintenance.
Here are some broad guidelines we recommend.
HOW TO DEAL WITH LOOSE DEBRIS
Loose debris like leaves or sticks will fall down on the grass surface and cause premature wear and tear. Bigger limbs can even puncture the turf. Start by removing things like children’s or dog toys and other larger objects that are simple to remove by hand. Then you can use a leaf blower to remove any twigs and leaves. We suggest you blow all small debris using a leaf blower to one edge of your lawn so you can collect for simple removal.
DEALING WITH STICKY STUFF
If you've got lipstick, chewing gum, paint, crayons, or tree sap on your turf, you can initiate by trying to gently rasp the object off the turf with a wire brush. Just be extra cautious that you don’t unintentionally cut off the grass blades you are cleaning because it can produce bald spots. Start from the base of the turf blade and brush the fibers in every directions. If the sticky object don’t come off, try freezing them with ice to solidify them before scraping them off again. You can also utilize mineral spirits and brush the fiber with a cloth by soaking the rag with the Mineral Spirits.
REMOVING PET WASTE
If you have pets, you know your turf is their bathroom. Many pet owners worry that artificial grass won’t work with their pets, but that’s not true! If you have dogs, we suggest you get pet-specific systems by SWG. But, cleanup is still easy even if you get regular artificial grass. For example, when Fido uses the lawn as his bathroom, you just allow the solid waste to dry before removing it, then wash the surface with water utilizing the garden hose and spray nozzle (never using the jet setting). Urine will flow through like any other liquid, you can also cleanse these areas with water. Plus, you won’t see any more dead spots from their favorite bathroom area. Read this article to see some of the most frequent questions about synthetic turf for dogs.
WHAT TO DO WITH LIGHT SPOTS
Let’s face it — in life it can get messy at times. Now and then that mess may happen on your artificial grass. Your favorite snack might find its way to your turf, or your child might drop a juice box… you know things like these happen. But washing simple stains like alcohol, soda, coffee, tea, urine, blood and other usual liquids are simple.
- Clean spills as fast as possible making sure they don't leave a long-lasting stain. Blot the spilled liquid with a rag, paper, or shop towels to begin with.
- Up next, rinse the area with a mixture of water and mild household detergent for example dish soap.
- Rinse properly with your hose to remove the detergent.
- If the spot is still visible, you can repeat the process once or twice more.
GET RID OF STUBBORN STAINS
If the spillage is of something similar to motor oil, grease, ink, cooking oil, or even melted crayons, you understand how hard it can be to remove. You should be meticulous utilizing any of these near your artificial grass, but if a spill happens, here’s what you can do.
- Wear protective clothing and gear like heavy overshirts, pants, and gloves to avoid skin damage. You should contemplate about a respirator to prevent toxic fumes, too.
- After you have protective gear on, initiate by soaking a soft rag in mineral spirits.
- Gently clean off the dirty blades of artificial grass with the rag. You must make sure the solution doesn’t seep past the grass blades because it can lead to serious damage to your turf’s backing system.
- Delicately wash the surface with a hose and blot up any left over liquid with rag, paper towels, or shop towels.
- If the stain remains, let it dry for a day before trying again with mineral spirits.
AVOIDING DAMAGE
Many stains can be cleaned from your turf, but some objects will permanently damage the turf that you should take great care to avoid. Here are the most common ones that can cause the most damage.
NO OPEN FIRES
Open fires and synthetic turf do not go hand in hand. While you don’t have to bother about your yard going up in flames, the smallest spark or fire can cause your turf to melt. If you want a fire feature on your property, you should consider adding a gravel area or stone patio to create a fire break for a fit pit. Do not set off fireworks or anything else that may cause fire damage on your artificial turf.
BE CAREFUL WITH CHEMICALS
Pesticides and herbicides can have negative reaction with your synthetic grass, so be especially vigilant when utilizing harsh chemicals near the turf. These chemicals can leave patches of grass that look burnt or even change color from the reaction. Additionally, gasoline and any vehicle fluids should not be anywhere near your artificial turf. If you have to use chemicals or paint nearby the surface, we strongly suggest you lay some heavy-duty protective cloth before starting these projects.
DON’T DRIVE ON IT
Synthetic turf can take heavy foot traffic, but driving on it with a car is not suggested. Due to the turning motion of the wheels, it can cause damage to the fibers and infill. Driving on it will make the fibers pull out from the backing material and lead to tearing over time. The heavy weight can cause the turf to flatten and cause ruts that will require you to resurface the grass.
USE CARE WITH SHARP ITEMS
Sharp objects can cut or tear your artificial turf. The sharper the item is, the more the damage will be. Be cautious with sharp-edged yard tools, pointy furniture feet, and household tools. If you are thinking about patio furniture on your synthetic grass, you should think about utilizing furniture feet covers or installing a patio area for the furniture.
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
The majority of Kennewick homeowners don’t have to spend much time on the upkeep of their synthetic grass. Still, you should think about enforcing a routine maintenance schedule to keep your turf looking its best. You must eliminate loose debris, clean up spills as they happen, and give the surface a quick rinse if you haven’t gotten precipitation recently or live in a drought-prone area. Here is a basic 4-step process you can do for routine care.
Step 1: Remove debris from the turf regularly, more so after high winds or storms.
Step 2: Wash regularly with a hose. Cold, clean water will make sure to eliminate any dust or pollen. This step can sometimes be skipped if you live in an location with plenty of rain.
Step 3: Brush the grass opposing grain or pile direction to perk it back up. Cross brushing opposite the grain will also prevent the fibers from matting.
Step 4: Let dry for a minimum o 30 minutes before continuing with normal activities.
Extra Credit: If it’s been a year since your installation, you should think about having your turf professionally groomed, cleaned and infill levels verified by Southwest Greens of Eastern Washington.
MOSS MOLD AND MILDEW
If you have pooled water on your artificial grass, moss, mold and mildew can occur. These normally look like black spots or dark areas on your synthetic turf. This should be professionally removed by a SWG location nearest you.
Here is an equipment list that will assist you finish these steps efficiently.
EQUIPMENT LIST
- Garden Hose: Helpful for washing the grass when the weather is dry and dust or dirt collects on the artificial surface.
- Leaf Blower: A leaf blower will be useful to eliminate small debris more efficiently. One that has a reverse option is really useful, so you can utilize it like a vacuum cleaner as well.
- Stiff Bristle Push Broom: You should definitely prevent metal rakes cause they will cause damage to the turf. Stiff Concrete push brooms are best to help make the artificial turf look its best.
PERFECT ALL YEAR
Synthetic turf is a great choice for Kennewick homeowners and commercial property managers alike. We hope this maintenance guide will help you maintain your synthetic turf.
If you haven't installed artificial grass for your yard or putting greens yet, call us today for a free consultation.