Complete Maintenance Guide for an Artificial Grass Backyard

An artificial grass backyard seems like the perfect solution for those looking for a picture-perfect yard. Artificial turf is low on maintenance vis-à-vis a natural grass lawn. It doesn’t require any watering, mowing, or the use of harmful fertilizers. Most importantly, it’s durable, flexible, and realistic looking while lasting for a good 8-20 years. 

It’s a one-time investment, costing about $8 and $20 per square foot — but is definitely worth the high price. Your artificial grass backyard will consistently be the best one on the block, with the grass staying the same height and color for years!

And, synthetic grass comes in a number of textures, finishes, colors, and blade sizes. Since there is no watering required, you end up saving water and reducing your water bills. Such a lush lawn is also safe for your children and pets to play on. It’s the ideal setting for their play area.

An artificial grass backyard may require lower upkeep than a real lawn, but it’s not completely maintenance-free. You do need to take some care and maintenance measures to make sure your turf stays in good condition. These steps will help you to extend the life of your synthetic lawn for years to come.

We have listed out some important artificial turf maintenance tips for you.

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Installing the turf

If you plan to have an artificial grass backyard or front yard, always remember that you should not lay the grass directly on top of the soil, the existing grass,  dead vegetation, or dirt. You will end up with an extremely uneven looking lawn. We recommend a stable sub-base like a 35 mm layer of aggregate and sharp sand base. Or, you can prepare the soil by removing the top layer up to around 3-4 inches so that you have sufficient space for the synthetic grass. 

Brushing an artificial grass backyard

Once you lay your artificial grass, remember to lightly brush the new lawn on a regular basis. This once-a-week exercise will help you remove any debris or twigs, especially in high-traffic areas. Be extremely careful and gentle or else you might damage the artificial fibers. Use a medium, soft bristle brush in the opposite direction of the artificial fibers. 

Fortunately, during monsoons, rainwater washes away most surface dirt.

Removing leaves

Using a normal leaf blower is the quickest way to remove any leaves off your artificial turf. Remember that dry leaves are easier to remove with a blower than wet ones. While you don’t have to clean your artificial grass every day, we do recommend that you hose the lawn down once every other week to keep it looking its best.

Another proactive measure you can take is to trim your hedges and trees regularly. This will limit the number of leaves falling onto your lawn.

Removing stubborn stains 

If you’ve had a tea, wine or ketchup spillage on your artificial grass, you need to act quickly and remove as much of it as you before it begins to harden or the stain becomes permanent.

Soak up the liquid with a clean cloth or a kitchen towel.

Remove any mark or stain with a mix of washing liquid and lukewarm water using a synthetic bristle brush or a sponge. Finally, rinse the area thoroughly with a garden hose or watering can.

If the spillage has hardened, use a toothbrush, a plastic spatula or plastic knife to gently brush the stain away.

Since certain spills, such as battery acid, grease, lubricants, or engine oil, can permanently discolor or damage your synthetic turf, do make sure that you prevent contact with these substances.

It’s best to keep your vehicle and garden tools away from your artificial grass yard.

Getting rid of pet waste

Cleaning up pet waste off your fake grass is easy. Since artificial grass drains most liquid, urine is not a problem. What you can do to avoid a stench or urine spots is to douse the area in cool water with a garden hose. You can even use an artificial turf spray.

For solid waste, you must allow it to dry before you remove it. Once you do, you can sprinkle the area with baking soda before adding a diluted solution of water and vinegar. This will help you get rid of any odors.

Read more: Keep your home pet safe

Weeding from artificial grass

If your artificial grass backyard wasn’t excavated thoroughly before the grass installation, chances of weeds growing through the drainage holes is a possibility. You can invest in a weed barrier to prevent them from coming through. As the best measure, you could use a weed killer twice a year. And, whenever you see a weed, simply pick it!

If you rake and brush your artificial lawn regularly, weeds will cease to be a problem. It will also keep the synthetic fibers upright.

Protecting during the winter months

The good thing about an artificial grass backyard is that winter conditions don’t affect it much. Unlike a real grass lawn, frost won’t damage it — making it snap or break. If you notice an icy layer or snow is stamped into the grass, you can simply leave it to melt naturally. Do not try to remove it yourself or you may damage the fibers.

Saving it from fires and burns

Needless to say, you must protect your artificial grass from any fire or hot items such as ashes from cigarettes, smoldering charcoal from a barbecue or fire pit, and fireworks. It can cause serious melting. Remember that most synthetic grass fibers are made of crumb rubber, acrylic polymer-coated sand, coconut fibers, or cork.

It’s best to avoid such accidents by confining these activities to areas that are a safe distance from your synthetic lawn. If the damage has already been done, do contact your artificial lawn provider about your repair options.

Keeping the heavy items away

Although large pieces of outdoor furniture such as garden tables and chairs can be placed on your artificial lawn, you must ensure that their weight is spread out. This will prevent any damage to your artificial grass fibers. You should use a type of castor under the legs. 

Moreover, keep moving the furniture around every now and then. Even if the furniture temporarily flattens your grass, it can become alright after a while. Do not put metal furniture with sharp edges without a mat.

Read more: Can leave patio furniture outside winter

Last words

An artificial grass backyard is the perfect landscaping solution if you love the look of a lush lawn, but loathe the upkeep of a regular grass lawn. 

Such a floor cover is like a lovely outdoor carpet, with water-saving qualities, and requiring no mowing or feeding. 

As mentioned earlier, an artificial lawn is a worthy investment. But, to get the most enjoyment out of your investment and to keep it in optimal shape, you need to provide it with proper care and maintenance.

Once you do, we assure you, the above tips will certainly pay off in protecting your beautiful artificial grass yard and extending your lawn’s life span.

Read more: Stylish outdoor patio flooring ideas

Written by Ramona Sinha. July 13, 2020

Ramona is a content writer for Kukun. This experienced blogger uses simple and succinct words to decipher the complex phenomenon called life. An avid traveler, she’s a digital nomad at heart and an animal lover from the depths of her soul.