WORK LESS, PLAY MORE
Synthetic grass will change the way you maintain your property. Its effortless maintenance will enable you to forget the trouble of fertilizing, mowing, and watering. Instead, you’ll be able to focus on other projects instead of working on the grass.
While you save precious hours working on your grass, that doesn’t mean synthetic turf is entirely maintenance-free. To keep your artificial surface looking great, follow the directions provided.
SMALL CONSISTENT EFFORTS
How frequently you maintain your synthetic turf will rely on its use. Is it a putting green kept isolated from other plants? Do you have young kids playing on your lawn? Do you have plants or trees on the property that will shed leaves and other debris onto it?
If your artificial grass is in an open part of the property, away from children, pets, trees and plants, you may have less to do when it comes to frequent maintenance. By all means, this also varies from season to season and relies on your geographical location. So, in short it really depends, but will eventually require some effort.
Here are some broad guidelines we recommend.
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF LOOSE DEBRIS
Sticks or leaves are loose debris which will fall down on the grass surface and cause premature wear and tear. Bigger limbs can even stab the grass. Begin with taking care of things like kid’s or dog toys and other larger objects that are easy to remove with hand. Then you can utilize a leaf blower to remove any twigs and leaves. We recommend you blow all small debris with a leaf blower to one corner of your yard 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 scrape the material off the grass with a wire brush. Just be extra cautious that you don’t unintentionally cut off the turf blades you are scraping because it can create bald spots. Begin from the base of the turf blade and brush the fibers in multiple directions. If the sticky items don’t get off, try lowering the temperature of them with ice to thicken them before trying to them off again. You can also use mineral spirits and brush the fiber with a rag by damping the rag with the Mineral Spirits.
CLEANING PET WASTE
If you have cats, you know your turf is their bathroom. Many pet owners worry that artificial turf won’t work with their dogs, but that’s not true! If you have cats, we recommend you get pet-specific systems by SWG. Despite that, cleanup is still easy even if you get regular artificial turf. For example, when Fido uses the lawn as his bathroom, you just allow the solid waste to dry before removing it, then clean the area with water using the garden hose and spray nozzle (never using the jet setting). Urine will drain through just like any other liquid, you can also spray these areas with water. Additionally, you won’t see any more dead spots from their favorite bathroom spot. Take a look at this article to see some of the most frequent questions regarding synthetic turf for pets.
WHAT TO DO REGARDING LIGHT SPOTS
Let’s face it — in life it can get messy at times. Occasionally that mess may happen on your artificial turf. Barbecue sauce might find its way to your grass, or your kid might drop a soda can… you know things like these happen. But cleaning up simple stains like coffee, alcohol, soda, tea, urine, blood and other usual liquids are easy.
- Clean spills as soon 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, clean the surface with a combination of water and mild household detergent like dish soap.
- Rinse thoroughly with your hose to remove the detergent.
- If the stain is still visible, you can repeat the process once or twice more.
GET RID OF TOUGH STAINS
If the spillage is of something like motor oil, grease, ink, cooking oil, or even melted crayons, you know how tough it can be to remove. You should be careful using any of these around your synthetic turf, but if a spill happens, here’s what you can do.
- Wear safety clothing and gear like heavy overshirts, pants, and gloves to avoid skin damage. You should contemplate about a respirator to avoid toxic fumes, too.
- After you have protective gear on, begin with dipping a soft rag in mineral spirits.
- Gently wipe off the dirty blades of synthetic grass with the cloth. 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.
- Softly rinse the surface with a hose and blot up any surplus liquid with cloth towels, paper towels, or shop towels.
- If the stain remains, let it dry for 24 hours before trying again with mineral spirits.
AVOIDING DAMAGE
Many stains can be eliminated from your turf, but some things may permanently damage the grass that you should take great care to avoid. Here are the most common ones that can damage the most.
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 lawn, you should think about adding a gravel area or stone patio to build a fire break for a fit pit. Do not use fireworks or anything else that may cause fire damage on your artificial grass.
BE CAREFUL WITH CHEMICALS
Pesticides and herbicides can have negative reaction with your synthetic grass, so be very careful when using harsh chemicals near the grass. These chemicals can leave patches of the turf that look burnt or even change color from the reaction. Additionally, gasoline and all vehicle fluids should not be kept near your artificial grass. If you have to use chemicals or paint near the surface, we strongly recommend you lay down 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 vehicle is not encouraged. Because of the twisting motion in the wheels, it can cause damage to the fibers and infill. Driving on it will make the fibers pull away from the backing material and lead to damage over time. The heavy weight can cause the grass to flatten and cause ruts that will need you to resurface the turf.
USE SHARP ITEMS WITH CARE
Sharp objects can cut or tear your artificial grass. The sharper the item is, the worse the damage will be. Be cautious with sharp-edged garden tools, sharp furniture feet, and ordinary tools. If you are thinking about patio furniture on your artificial turf, you should think about utilizing furniture feet covers or installing a patio area for the furniture.
REGULAR CARE
The majority of Pittsburgh homeowners do not have to spend much time on the upkeep of their synthetic turf. Still, you should consider enforcing a schedule cleaning 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 wash if you haven’t received precipitation lately or live in a drought-prone area. Here is a basic 4-step process you can follow for Standard care.
Step 1: Remove debris from the grass frequently, especially after high winds or storms.
Step 2: Rinse regularly with a hose. Cold, clean water will make sure to get rid of any dust or pollen. This step can often be skipped if you live in an location with plenty of precipitation.
Step 3: Brush the grass opposing grain or pile direction to perk it back up. Cross brushing opposite the grain will also block the fibers from matting.
Step 4: Let dry for at least 30 minutes before resuming normal activities.
Extra Credit: If it’s been a year since your installation, you should think about having your turf groomed by professionals, cleaned and infill levels checked by Southwest Greens Pittsburgh.
MOSS MOLD AND MILDEW
If you have pooled water on your synthetic surface, moss, mold and mildew can appear. These usually 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 help you finish these steps easily.
EQUIPMENT LIST
- Garden Hose: Helpful for rinsing the lawn when the weather is dry and dust or dirt accumulates on the synthetic turf.
- Leaf Blower: A leaf blower will help remove light debris more effortlessly. One that has a suction option is really useful, so you can use it like a vacuum cleaner too.
- Stiff Bristle Push Broom: You should definitely avoid metal rakes cause they will cause damage to the grass. Stiff Concrete push brooms are best to help make the synthetic turf look its best.
YEAR LONG PERFECTION
Artificial turf is an excellent option for Pittsburgh homeowners and commercial property managers. We hope this maintenance guide will help you maintain your synthetic grass.
If you haven’t gotten synthetic grass for your lawn or putting greens yet, call us today for a free consultation.