Artificial Grass Maintenance: How to keep your investment looking great

Artificial grass requires far less maintenance than natural grass. But Jacksonville homeowners still need to perform periodic maintenance to keep their turf looking great.

Synthetic grass is exactly as its name suggests: Synthetic. The highest quality synthetic grass is made from polyethylene or polypropylene fibers that don’t require weeding, watering, or mowing.

Here are a few things you can do to keep your turf looking (and smelling) great for years to come:

1. Maintenance Equipment

A leaf blower is the one piece of “equipment” you will need to maintain your artificial grass. Most any battery-powered leaf blower will do. We like this one made by Ryobi available at Home Depot. Simply blow off debris with a fanning motion, being careful not to impart too much downward velocity of air toward the grass, as it may blow out the infill.

You can also keep artificial grass free of debris and dirt with an industry-specific power broom. Power brooms are great for synthetic grass because they bring individual grass fibers back to life, at the same time removing unwanted debris like leaves, twigs, and pine needles. US Power Broom makes electric power brooms that most homeowners should be able to handle with ease.

After a summer thunderstorm or hurricane passes by Jacksonville, these are the two tools that will have the best and fastest cleaning of your lawn.

2. Pet Odor Considerations

While synthetic grass is designed to be a low maintenance investment, there are additional  considerations when it comes to pets. Urine and feces, at the end of the day, will leave behind odors to varying extents.

First and foremost, be sure to clean up pet waste and spray down accumulated urine with a hose, ideally on the shower setting Much like a leaf blower, you do not want to impart too much direct velocity into the grass, as it may blow out the infill. The shower setting is usually sufficient for moderate clean-ups.

From a pre-emergent standpoint, you can add pet-odor specific infills at the time of the installation:

Envirofill has been a stalwart in the artificial grass industry for many years. I is non-toxic, safe for pets, and it’s core function is the prevention of bacterial growth and odors. With Microban® antimicrobial protection, it will ensure your artificial lawn, dog run, playground, and putting greens stays mold and mildew free.

Zeolite absorbs and traps odor-causing agents, thus curbing unpleasant smells. Zeolite also has the capacity to absorb water, which can also keep surface temperatures cool. Zeolite is 100% natural, non-toxic and safe for the environment. We like this one from a company called ZeoFill. 

On the back end, if smells do accumulate over time, Simple Green makes a great pet deodorizer for artificial grass. It is a concentrated solution that connects to your garden hose, much like a Miracle Gro garden feeder. It quickly removes odors left behind by urine, stool, vomit and other organic matter. It uses powerful, natural enzymes to eliminate odors at the source rather than cover them up. It is safe for use around pets and is ideal for patios, decks, dog runs and yards.

With the rain we get in the Jacksonville area, you will not have the problems of other locations around the country but being proactive is never a bad idea.

A Little Maintenance Goes a Long Way

Just like any investment in and around your home, with a little bit of routine care and cleaning, you can have a gorgeous green synthetic grass lawn that will last for years to come. If you have questions about artificial turf, contact our team of professionals at Grass!365 Jacksonville today.

Did you know: Grass!365 utilizes a SealTuft backing, unlike most of the competition, our turf drains over 1,000 inches per hour and does not have to end up in a landfill at the end of its life cycle. Grass!365’s use of the correct yarn and backing yields a product that is 100% 1-step recyclable, creating the visually appealing residential artificial turf you’ll love.