Since the beginning of the pandemic, people were locked down within the confines of their homes.
For most homeowners, their garden was the furthest they could go to get a taste of the outside world without violating any regulations and keeping themselves safe.
Over time, some homeowners have grown tired of looking at their garden. Somehow, they have grown tired of looking at the same scene over and over. Perhaps, from the lack of colours, trees or even healthy looking grass.
A garden looks kind of incomplete without grass. However, real grass can be a pain to maintain and expensive to keep looking fresh, and it is not for everyone. Hence, astro turf is making its way into people’s homes and gardens really fast. Artificial grass looks just like real grass and it’s quite hard to tell the difference at first glance.
Artificial grass is a great option for people who want to remove the hassle of lawn care and not worry about over-spending on its care and maintenance. So, here are some tips on how to maintain artificial grass.
Artificial grass is perfect for those who want to remove the care and maintenance tasks of normal grass
Stain Removal
There might be mild or tough stains on your grass from time to time. This is something you need to take care of. If the stain is still fresh and mild in intensity, then blotting it with some water and cleaning solution will help to lighten it and get rid of it.
Moist stains can spread quickly on artificial grass, so putting an absorber on top like cat litter or some sort of drying powder will help to remove the stain with ease. These are cheap cleaning materials and if you already have a cat, it will not be an added expense.
Pet Stains
Pets love lounging on artificial grass due to its soft feel and texture. However, it is inevitable that they are going to litter on the astro turf. Pets are going to cause stains on astro turf. Don’t worry, it is easy to clean. To clean it easily, first allow the solid waste to solidify and harden, so it is easier to deal with.
Afterwards, pick it up and dispose of it, then you can try removing the remaining stain with water and soap. If the stain is tough, then you can use methylated spirit to clean the stain. Lastly, disinfect the area to avoid formation of bacteria.
Brush To Clean
As mentioned, artificial grass is very easy to clean. All you need to do is take a sweeping brush and brush away any dirt, debris, fallen leaves and loose particles of sand. You just need to make sure that you are cleaning the grass regularly, since it is bound to get accumulated with dirt and dust.
You need to pick up the obvious dirt and leaves, so it looks more clean and tidy. This will save you from extensive cleaning sessions later.
You could also use a leaf blower, such as the Vonhaus 3-in-1 machine to remove debris first to make your sweeping life easier.
Keeping It Free From Dirt
Keeping your astro turf away from dirt and debris will help to prevent unwanted formation of weeds and pests. If there is any dirt or moisture present in the artificial grass, then it can become a perfect breeding place for insects and pests as well.
Weeds may take hold in your artificial grass, so you have to remove them promptly
Make sure that you are keeping the grass clean and acting promptly when it comes to cleaning the grass. If you take care of the mess now, then it will save you from a lot of trouble in the future.
A weekly removal of unwanted build up is recommended to keep on top of things.
Remove weeds
Yes, you read it right. Although astro turf is artificial, somehow weed can still find its way to grow on it. Fret not, it is pretty easy to get rid of them.
Simply spray or apply moss or weed killer agent and wait it out until it dries off. Once it is dried, you simply have to pull them out along with the other debris. The weed may come back but not very soon and should not be able to take route as sturdily as it can on real grass.
Snow and ice
As winter is approaching, snow and ice may be present on your surface soon. This may present a problem as it can be quite slippery and difficult to move around. Although in principle, you spend less time outdoors during winter, you may still want to sit outside with a fire pit on a mild winter evening.
To take care of the snow, simply dust it off while there is still no build up. However, if left to sit on the ground for too long, ice can quickly form making it impossible to dust it off. This time, you may use a plastic shovel to remove the ice.
Alternatively, you can also sprinkle salt all over the astroturf and the ice will melt away.
Sanitation
It is easy to clean and pick up litter on the grass. However, most homeowners neglect the things they don’t see. Although the surface may look clean, it can be covered in germs and bacteria.
So, how do you take care of it? Easy. Simply mix half-and-half water and vinegar. Spray it all over the ground and wait until it’s dry. The vinegar will act as a cleaning agent against germs and bacteria without harming the artificial grass and your health.