Taking good care of your artificial turf is going to involve what is happening to the lawn daily. Between pets, children, and the elements, you need some stain management for your artificial grass. On real grass, pet, food, or oil stains grow out or are mowed away, but this is not the case with artificial grass. Stains and spills have to be resolved to make sure the artificial turf for your home looks and feels quality.
Below are some tips that are going to help you with caring for artificial turf
Mild Stains
Life happens and the grass can get stained. There are different ways an artificial turf can get stained. Some of them include an alcoholic beverage getting knocked over, a plate tumbling on the grass at a backyard barbeque, or a pet leaving its mark on the grass. For stains that include alcohol, cola, coffee, blood, tea, urine, and other substances, you don’t have to worry because cleaning them shouldn’t be that complicated. If this happens in your yard, you need to;
Be prompt. One of the best ways to avoid any damage when a spill happens is to clean it up as soon as possible. This will help you avoid stubborn and long-lasting stains.
Use a towel or a dry absorbent like kitty litter to blot up the spilled liquid.
Mix a household detergent and water then rinse the area with the mixture. This is not going to harm the artificial turf.
If you are looking for something stronger to remove the stain, then you can mix water and a 3% solution of ammonia.
Make sure you rinse the cleaner out thoroughly using clean and cool water.
Stubborn Stains
Substances like grease, motor oil, cooking oil, suntan oil, pen ink, and crayon can end up on the turf and can be more stubborn compared to everyday substances covered above. If you use the household detergent or ammonia mixture and the stain is still there, it could be time to consider mineral spirits. You are going to use the same cleaning process you used above; begin by rinsing the area and then blotting up the excess liquid.
Stick Stuff
Chewing gum and tree sap can end up on your artificial turf, but don’t stress yourself because removing it is relatively easy. Aerosol refrigerants or aerosol can be used for freezing the gum or sap off. It becomes easy to scrap the sap or gum off your artificial grass.
Pet Waste
You don’t have to always clean and rinse your artificial turf just because you have a pet. You just have to clean up their waste. This is an easy thing to do;
You have to make sure that solid waste has dried before removing it
Artificial grass drains most liquid. If you want to avoid any stench on the grass, take a hose and let the cool water douse on the urine spots.
Many of the stains that are going to fall on your artificial grass are removable – but it is still a good idea to avoid damage and stains on your grass in the first place. Always make sure liquids that can stain or damage the artificial turf are kept away or secured. Keep fireworks and cigarettes off artificial turf. Avoid using strong chemicals near the turf.
Maintaining the Lawn for the Future
In addition to accidents, and wear and tear, owners need to have a routine to maintain the quality and longevity of their artificial grass. You can expect the artificial turf to last anywhere from 15 to 25 years. The number of years can vary because it is going to depend on its use. Having a routine in place that cleans debris off the grass, cross-brushing, and rinsing regularly is going to help you increase the lifespan of your artificial turf.
You need to take good care of the artificial turf if you want it to last for a long time. The work that needs to be done doesn’t take that much time.
Equipment Needed
There are some essential tools you need to have to care of and maintain your artificial grass. The first thing you need to have is a hose. This is not that important if you are living in an area that sees frequent rain, but it is good to have so you can rinse your grass any time you like. You should also have a leaf blower or a lawn vacuum that you will use to eliminate fallen leaves before they become ground into the grass. A rake is another tool to have. It will help you keep the fibers of the turf unmatted and fresh. You shouldn’t use one with metal bristles because they can cause a lot of damage. Look for one with plastic or synthetic bristles because these are gentler on the fibers. Research as much as possible about rakes and other tools so you can choose one that helps your turf and does not damage it.
You can find most of the tools in your local store. Your work is going to be a little easier when you have the right tools and use them right. Research these tools so you choose the right ones. The last thing you need is to spend a lot of money on something and realize later you don’t need it or doesn’t work for your artificial turf.
Cleaning, Rinsing, Brushing, and then Repeat
There are four main steps involved when taking good care of your artificial grass regularly. The following steps need to be done monthly, if not weekly. Below are the steps;
Removing debris from your artificial grass. This is very important, especially after thunderstorms or high winds. Remove the branches, leaves, and other debris on your turf to avoid any damage. Do this as soon as you notice anything on the grass. This is going to minimize damage and make sure your grass looks great.
Regularly rinsing the turf. Using a hose with clean and cool water is going to help you remove pollen and dust from your artificial grass. If you are in an area that receives regular rainfall, then you don’t have to do this that much. If it has been some time since it last rained, it may be time to rinse your turf.
Brushing the grass against the grain in any high-traffic areas. Doing this is important because the grass doesn’t become matted and it keeps looking fresh and strong. Make sure you cross-brush against the grain because that is how you are going to see great results.
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Conclusion
Artificial turf is a good investment, and like with any investment, you need to take care of and maintain it to ensure it remains in optimal shape. Following the above tips for removing stains and cleaning, and making sure it doesn’t have any debris is going to ensure your grass last for a long time and looks amazing. Pay close attention to the high-traffic areas so you can brush there regularly. All of these things will pay off because your grass will look great and last for longer.
Your artificial turf can last for a long time if you take good care of it. It will prove to be a great investment, but make sure you take good care of it. The above tips will help you with that.