LESS WORK, MORE PLAY

Synthetic grass will change the way you maintain your property. Its effortless maintenance will allow you to forget the trouble of fertilizing, mowing, and watering. Rather, you’ll be able to focus on alternative projects rather than working on the grass.

While you save valuable hours working on your grass, that doesn’t mean synthetic turf is completely maintenance-free. To keep your synthetic turf looking great, follow this guide.

SMALL CONSISTENT EFFORTS

How regularly you clean your synthetic grass will depend on its use. Is it a putting green kept away from trees? Do you have young kids playing on your lawn? Do you have trees or plants on the property that will drop leaves and other debris onto it?

If your synthetic turf is in an isolated part of the property, further away from trees, plants, pets and children, you may have less to do when it comes to frequent maintenance. Obviously, this also varies from season to season and depends on your geographical location. So, the short answer is that it really depends, but will always require some upkeep.

Here are some universal guidelines we suggest.

HOW TO HANDLE LOOSE DEBRIS

Loose debris like leaves or sticks can start to fall down on the grass surface and cause early wear and tear. Larger limbs can even pierce the grass. Begin with taking care of things like kid’s or dog toys and other bigger objects that are simple to remove by hand. Then you can use a leaf blower to eliminate any twigs and leaves. We suggest you blow all small debris utilizing a leaf blower to one edge of your grass so you can collect for simple removal.

DEALING WITH STICKY STUFF

If you find paint, crayons, chewing gum, lipstick, or tree sap on your grass, you can start by trying to gently scrape the object off the turf with a wire brush. Just be very careful that you don’t by mistake cut off the turf blades you are scraping because it can create bald spots. Begin from the bottom of the grass blade and brush the fibers in every directions. If the sticky object don’t get off, try freezing them with ice to solidify them before scraping them off again. You can also utilize mineral spirits and rub the fiber with a rag by drenching the rag with the Mineral Spirits.

DISPOSING OF PET WASTE

If you have dogs, you understand that your turf is their restroom. Many people worry that synthetic turf won’t work with their dogs, but that’s false! If you have cats, we recommend you acquire pet-specific systems by SWG. However, cleaning is still manageable even if you get regular artificial grass. For example, when Fido uses the grass as his bathroom, you simply 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 similar to any other liquid, you can also clean these areas with water. Additionally, you won’t see any visible dead spots from their favorite bathroom spot. Check out 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. Occasionally that mess may happen on your artificial turf. Your favorite snack might find its way to your turf, or your kid might drop a soda can… you know things like these happen. But cleaning up simple stains like alcohol, soda, coffee, tea, urine, blood and other common liquids are simple.

1. Clean spills as soon as possible so you can avoid a long-lasting stain. Soak the spilled liquid with a cloth, paper, or shop towels to start.
2. Up next, rinse the surface with a mix of water and mild household detergent like dish soap.
3. Wash thoroughly with your hose to eliminate the detergent.
4. If the spot is still there, you can recur the process once or twice more.

CLEANING TOUGH STAINS

If you’ve spilled something similar to motor oil, grease, ink, cooking oil, or even melted crayons, you know how hard it can be to eliminate it. You should be meticulous utilizing any of these near your synthetic grass, but if a spill happens, here’s what to do.

1. Wear safety clothing and gear like heavy overshirts, pants, and gloves to avoid skin irritation. You should think about a respirator to avoid toxic fumes, too.
2. After you have safety gear on, start by soaking a soft cloth in mineral spirits.
3. Gently clean off the dirty blades of synthetic grass with the rag. You must guarantee the solution doesn’t leak past the grass blades because it can cause serious damage to your turf’s backing system.
4. Delicately rinse the area with a hose and blot up any surplus liquid with cloth towels, paper towels, or shop towels.
5. If the stain is still visible, let it dry for 24 hours before trying again with mineral spirits.

AVOIDING DAMAGE

The majority of stains can be removed from your grass, but some objects will permanently damage the grass that you should take a lot of 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 ember can cause your grass to melt. If you want a fire feature on your yard, you should think about adding a stone patio or gravel area to build a fire break for a fit pit. Do not set off fireworks or anything else that could cause fire damage on your synthetic grass.

BE CAREFUL WITH CHEMICALS

Pesticides and herbicides can have negative reaction with your artificial grass, so be extra careful when using harsh chemicals near the turf. These chemicals can create spots of grass that look burnt or even change color from the reaction. In addition, gasoline and all vehicle fluids should be kept away from your synthetic turf. If you have to use chemicals or paint near the surface, we firmly recommend you lay down some heavy-duty protective tarp before starting these projects.

DON’T DRIVE ON IT

Artificial turf can take heavy foot traffic, but driving on it with a car is not suggested. Due to the twisting motion of the wheels, it can wreack havoc 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 need you to resurface the grass.

USE CARE WITH SHARP ITEMS

Sharp objects can tear or cut your artificial turf. The sharper the object is, the more the damage will be. Be careful with sharp-edged yard tools, sharp furniture feet, and ordinary tools. If you are going to have patio furniture on your artificial turf, you should be utilizing furniture feet covers or installing a patio area for the furniture.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

The majority of Metro New York homeowners don’t have to spend much time on the maintenance of their artificial grass. Still, you should think about implementing a schedule maintenance schedule to keep your turf looking its best. You must remove loose debris, clean up spills as they take place, and give the surface a quick cleaning if you haven’t received precipitation recently or live in a drought-prone area. Here is an easy 4-step procedure you can follow for routine care.

Step 1: Eliminate any debris from the grass regularly, especially after windy or stormy weather.

Step 2: Clean often with a hose. Cold, clean water will help wash away any dust or pollen. This step can often be skipped if you live in an area with lots of rain.

Step 3: Brush the turf against the 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 a minimum o 30 minutes before continuing with normal activities.

Extra Credit: If it’s been a year after your installation, you should consider having your turf professionally groomed, cleaned and infill levels checked by Southwest Greens of Metro New York.

MOSS MOLD AND MILDEW

If you have standing 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 removed by an expert by a SWG location nearest you.

Here is an equipment list that will assist you complete these steps effortlessly.

EQUIPMENT LIST

1. Garden Hose: Useful for cleaning the grass when the weather is dry and dust or dirt piles up on the artificial turf.
2. Leaf Blower: A leaf blower will be useful to remove small debris more easily. One that has a suction option is helpful, so you can use it like a vacuum cleaner also.
3. Stiff Bristle Push Broom: Make sure to avoid metal rakes because they will cause harm to the turf. Stiff Concrete push brooms are best to help make the artificial turf look its best.

YEAR LONG PERFECTION

Artificial grass is an excellent option for Metro New York homeowners and commercial property managers alike. We hope this maintenance guide will assist you maintain your artificial turf.

If you are yet to get artificial turf for your yard or putting greens yet, contact us today for a free consultation.