LESS WORK, MORE PLAY

Synthetic turf will transform the way you clean your property. Its effortless maintenance will allow you to forget the pain of fertilizing, mowing, and watering. Rather, you’ll be able to focus on another projects instead of keepin up the grass.

While you save valuable hours working on your grass, that doesn’t mean synthetic turf is totally maintenance-free. To maintain your synthetic turf looking the best, follow this guide.

SMALL CONSISTENT EFFORTS

How frequently you maintain your artificial turf will depend on its use. Is it a putting green kept isolated from trees? Do you have young kids playing in the yard? Do you have plants or trees on the property that will drop leaves and other debris onto it?

If your synthetic grass is in an isolated part of the property, away from children, pets, trees and plants, you may have your work cut out when it comes to frequent maintenance. Of course, this also varies from season to season and depends on your geographical location. So, in a nutshell it really depends, but will constantly need some maintenance.

Here are some general guidelines we recommend.

HOW TO DEAL WITH LOOSE DEBRIS

Sticks or leaves are loose debris which can start to fall down on the grass surface and cause early wear and tear. Larger limbs can even pierce the turf. Begin with taking care of things like children’s or pet toys and other larger objects that are simple to remove with hand. Then you can make use of a leaf blower to eliminate any leaves and twigs. We recommend you blow all small debris with a leaf blower to one edge of your lawn so you can collect for simple removal.

HOW TO DEAL WITH STICKY STUFF?

If you discover chewing gum, paint, crayons, lipstick, or tree sap on your grass, 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 accidentally cut off the grass blades you are cleaning because it can create bald spots. Start from the bottom of the grass blade and brush the fibers in multiple directions. If the sticky object don’t get off, try freezing them with ice to thicken them before scraping them off again. You can also use mineral spirits and brush the fiber with a cloth by damping the rag with the Mineral Spirits.

CLEANING PET WASTE

If you have pets, you know your grass is their restroom. Many people worry that synthetic turf won’t work with their pets, but that’s not true! If you have cats, we recommend you obtain pet-specific systems by SWG. However, cleanup is still manageable even if you get regular artificial grass. For example, when Fido uses the grass as his bathroom, you just permit the solid waste to dry before removing it, then cleanse the area with water utilizing the garden hose and spray nozzle (never using the jet setting). Urine will flow through similar to any other liquid, you can also spray these areas with water. Furthermore, you won’t see any visible dead spots from their favorite bathroom spot. Read this article to see some of the most frequent questions regarding synthetic grass for pets.

WHAT TO DO REGARDING MILD STAINS

Let’s face it — in life it can get messy at times. Sometimes that mess may happen on your artificial grass. Your favorite snack might find its way to your turf, or your child might drop a juice box… you know how it goes. But cleaning up simple stains like coffee, alcohol, soda, tea, urine, blood and other ordinary liquids are easy.

1. Clean spills as soon as possible making sure they don't leave a long-lasting stain. Soak the spilled liquid with a rag, paper, or shop towels to begin with.
2. Next, clean the area with a combination of water and mild household detergent for example dish soap.
3. Clean thoroughly with your hose to eliminate the detergent.
4. If the stain is still visible, you can recur the process once or twice more.

GET RID OF TOUGH STAINS

If you’ve spilled something like motor oil, grease, ink, cooking oil, or even melted crayons, you know how hard it can be to remove. You should be meticulous using any of these near your artificial 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 damage. You should think about a respirator to prevent toxic fumes, too.
2. After you have protective gear on, initiate by dipping a soft rag in mineral spirits.
3. Gently wipe off the dirty blades of artificial grass with the rag. You must ensure the solution doesn’t get past the grass blades because it can cause serious damage to your turf’s backing system.
4. Delicately wash the surface with a hose and blot up any left over liquid with cloth towels, paper towels, or shop towels.
5. If the stain is still there, let it dry for a day before trying again with mineral spirits.

AVOIDING DAMAGE

The majority of stains can be removed from your grass, but some things can permanently damage the grass that you should take care to avoid. Here are the big ones that can cause the most damage.

NO OPEN FIRES

Open fires and artificial grass do not go well together. While you don’t have to concern yourself with your lawn 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 create a fire break for a fit pit. Do not set off fireworks or use anything else that may cause fire damage on your synthetic turf.

BE CAREFUL WITH CHEMICALS

Pesticides and herbicides can react negatively with your synthetic turf, so be very careful when using harsh chemicals near the grass. These chemicals can create areas of grass that look burnt or even change color from the reaction. In addition, gasoline and any vehicle fluids should be kept away from your synthetic turf. If you need to use chemicals or paint nearby the surface, we firmly suggest you lay down some heavy-duty protective cloth before starting these projects.

DON’T DRIVE ON IT

Synthetic grass can endure heavy foot traffic, but driving on it with a vehicle is not encouraged. Because of the twisting motion in the tires, it can cause damage to the fibers and infill. Driving on it will make the fibers pull out from the backing material and lead to damage over time. Too much weight can cause the turf to flatten and cause ruts that will require you to resurface the grass.

USE CARE WITH SHARP ITEMS

Sharp objects can cut or tear your artificial turf. The sharper the item is, the worse the damage will be. Be cautious with sharp-edged yard tools, pointy furniture feet, and household tools. If you are thinking about having patio furniture on your synthetic turf, you should think about utilizing furniture feet covers or installing a patio area for the furniture.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

Most Detroit and all of Michigan homeowners do not have to spend much time on the maintenance of their synthetic grass. Still, we suggest you to consider implementing a routine cleaning schedule to keep your turf looking its best. You must remove loose debris, clean up spills as they happen, and give the surface a quick rinse if you haven’t received rain lately or live in a drought-prone area. Here is a basic 4-step process you can follow for regular care.

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

Step 2: Clean often with a hose. Cold, clean water will make sure to eliminate any dust or pollen. This step can sometimes be omitted if you live in an location with lots of precipitation.

Step 3: Brush the turf opposing grain or pile direction to perk it back up. Cross brushing opposite the grain will also prevent the fibers from matting.

Step 4: Let dry for at least 30 minutes before resuming regular activities.

Extra Credit: If it’s been a year after your installation, you should think about having your turf groomed by professionals, cleaned and infill levels verified by Southwest Greens of Michigan.

MOSS MOLD AND MILDEW

If you have pooled water on your artificial turf, moss, mold and mildew can appear. These normally look like black spots or dark areas on your artificial turf. This should be professionally removed by a SWG location nearest you.

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

EQUIPMENT LIST

1. Garden Hose: Useful for rinsing the grass when the weather is dry and dust or dirt piles up on the artificial grass.
2. Leaf Blower: A leaf blower will be useful to eliminate light debris more efficiently. One that has a reverse option is really useful, so you can utilize it like a vacuum cleaner too.
3. Stiff Bristle Push Broom: You should definitely avoid metal rakes cause they will cause harm to the turf. Stiff Concrete push brooms are best to help make the synthetic grass look its best.

PERFECT ALL YEAR

Artificial grass is an excellent option for Detroit and all of Michigan homeowners and commercial property managers alike. We hope this maintenance guide will assist you maintain your artificial turf.

If you haven’t gotten synthetic turf for your yard or putting greens yet, call us today for a free consultation.