Top Tips for Caring for your Artificial Grass
One of the key advantages of artificial grass over natural grass is that it needs much less effort to maintain. There’s no mowing to be done, and bare and muddy patches are a thing of the past. However, there are some key things you can do to your artificial grass to make sure it lasts, and to keep it looking its best.
Quality Installation
You know the saying “prevention is better than a cure”? Well, the same approach applies to your artificial grass. A good quality installation makes caring for your artificial grass MUCH easier over time. Check out our series of installation guides, they will save you time and money!
Good drainage is criticial. With good drainage you can quickly and easily give your artificial grass a rinse once a week, which will go a long way to keeping it looking fresh. Good drainage also allows you to easily deal with spills and other messes (especially pet mess!). Read on for some top tips for cleaning your artificial grass.
If you are installing artificial grass outside, you can make ‘future you’ happy by adding some weed membrane underneath the artificial grass. This will help prevent weeds growing up from underneath the artificial grass.
If you live in a very hot climate such as Florida, Texas, or Nevada, then it may be a good idea to pay for a professional installation. Have a read of our guide to artificial grass infill, as there are some infill options which can help reduce the effects of a hot climate. Take bacsue some infill materials, such as crumbled rubber, will absorb heat and may end up damaging your artificial grass lawn in very hot climates.
Remove Debris
Keeping your artificial grass clear of debris such a leaves and bark not only keep it looking great, but prevents issues in the future. While artificial grass is tough and resistant to mould and fungus, allowing natural debris to build up can cause staining and other issues that will take time to address.
For larger artificial grass lawns, you may find a gas or electric leaf blower is the most efficient method of keeping your artifical grass clear of debris. For smaller lawns, a stiff broom or a plastic rake will do the trick.
Some people even use vaccuum cleaners to keep their artificial grass clean, however this isn’t an option if you have installed infill. Also take care that the grass is completely dry (or that your vaccuum cleaner can handle water).
Weekly Shower
Its a good idea to give your artificial grass a rise with a hose or watering can one a week or so. This keeps the blades looking their best and also rinses away any accumulated dirt, dust and small debris.
As mentioned earlier, good drainage is essential!
An Invigorating Brush
If you have read our artificial grass buying guide, then you’ll know that artificial grass is manufactured by stitching the blades onto a backing. The blades are stitched in rows, and have a natural ‘pile direction’, similar to how carpet has a pile direction.
Over time and with use, the blades in your artificial grass lawn can become flattened. This makes the artificial grass look two-dimensional, with the flattened blades all pointing in the same direction (the ‘pile direction’). Your artificial grass lawn is no longer looking its best.
To fix this problem, give your artificial grass lawn a firm but gentle brush with a stiff brush or broom. This will encourage the blades to lift and make your artificial lawn ‘fluff up’, and return to looking like it did on the day it was installed.
Cleaning Spills
If you are enjoying your artificial grass lawn then it’s inevitable that it will suffer spills and other mess. Dealing with these is straightforward.
For liquid spills:
- Use some kitchen towel to dab at the spill and absorb as much moisture as possible.
- Rinse the area with clean water.
If the spill has caused stickiness or staining, then make up some warm soapy water and apply it to the affected area with a brush or sponge. Be firm but gentle in rubbing the spill away – don’t scrub!
For solid spills like food:
- Use kitchen towel or newspaper to remove as much of the solid material as possible.
- Dab at the area with warm soapy warm and a sponge or brush.
- Rinse with clean water.
The above two approaches also apply to pet mess, however there are some additional steps you should take to make sure that the area is hygenically cleaned. Spray the area with a specialist enzyme cleaner, which will help remove odors and break down any remaining solid material. If you don’t want to use chemicals, then dilute some ordinary household vinegar and use this instead of the enzyme cleaner. Finally, rinse with plenty of clean water. You may need to repeat this process…
Keep Hot Things Away
Hey hot stuff – keep off the artificial grass!
Artificial grass is made of plastic. This plastic can melt or be discolored by too much heat. Typical heat sources for a yard include BBQs, fire pits and cigarette ash. However, don’t dispair, just because you have artficial grass it doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fire or BBQs.
What it does mean is that you should plan for these items during installation. For example by including an area that is not covered in artificial grass for heat sources such as BBQs and fire pits. This area could be made of patio flagstones or tiles, gravel or other flame-proof material such as bricks.
Hot things can include the engines of leaf blowers and chainsaws. Take care not to put these items down on your artificial grass or they may cause damage.
Avoid Reflective Surfaces
Again on the theme of ‘too hot’, when installing your artificial grass lawn take care avoid installing it next to reflective surfaces such as mirrors and energy efficient windows. These can cause excessive heat buildup in the artifical grass and cause damage or discoloration.
Conclusion
Caring for your artificial grass lawn is straightforward and easy. Regular brushing will help keep it looking good, and a few simple steps like vacuuming up debris and dealing with spills promptly will keep it hygenic. Finally, be aware of heat sources such as BBQs, fire pits and reflective surfaces when installing and you’ll be enjoying your artificial grass lawn for years to come.