The best thing about artificial turf is it doesn’t require as much care and maintenance as natural grass. There’s no need for daily watering (especially during the summer) so it’ll keep its green and healthy appearance. There’s also no need for mowing and for harsh lawn tonics to prevent it from withering. The next best thing, perhaps, is that it reduces the cost of maintenance.
However, don’t be fooled into thinking that you can just leave your artificial grass alone and it will look lovely forever — nothing in this world, natural or man-made, has that ability. There are still a number of things you need to do to keep your artificial turf looking nice for a really long time; after all, it’s no cheap investment. If you want to take better care of your artificial grass, Perth experts have their 10 best tips to help you out.
- There are only three things you really need to clean your turf: a leaf blower/vacuum, a rake/nylon broom, and a garden hose. With these pieces of cleaning equipment, you can easily get rid of the debris and dirt that normally settle on your lawn.
- Washing artificial grass can be done twice or just once a month, especially if there’s really not a lot of fall-out from other lawn and garden implements. It’s best to do this task on a sunny day so the grass will dry quickly.
- While it’s best to wash artificial grass on sunny days, do take advantage of rainy days for an impromptu clean-up to save water.
- Also, it seems fun to barbecue in your lawn, but with artificial grass, it’s best to keep the cooking action away from it. The fibres will not burst into flames, but they will melt and that’s not going to look nice. It would also help to tell smokers not to put out their cigarettes on your lawn.
- Avoid using corrosive agents in cleaning the turf because these will affect not only the appearance of the grass but also compromise its “durability.”
- Prevent foul odour by immediately getting rid of organic materials that rot or really just stink such as animal faeces, dead bugs and bird feed. Not only do these stink but they can also corrode the grass. If a hose-down is not enough to get rid of the odour, dilute a teaspoon of liquid detergent in a litre of water and use that for cleaning and deodorising.
- Spot treat stains immediately. This shouldn’t be too hard since the synthetic fibres of artificial turf are resistant to staining, but better not risk it because staining agents may contain acids that have a corrosive effect. Wiping with a wet chamois will do the trick.
- Rake or “sweep” the fibres to maintain their “polished’ appearance. Doing this will not only clean the turf but will also distribute the synthetic fibres evenly for a healthy, balanced look.
- Prevent mould and bacteria proliferation by applying hydrogen peroxide and then rinsing it off quickly with water.
- Kill weeds by hand. Yes, weeds can still grow and poke through your artificial turf! The good thing is that they will not affect the health of your artificial grass. Take care of weeds by pulling them out; don’t use commercial weed killers because they can affect the quality of the synthetic fibres.
