Originally posted on April 24, 2020 @ 7:59 pm

Artificial Turf has never required a whole lot of attention, that’s one of its benefits. When you invest in turf, you’re getting away from all of the unnecessary work that you have to do with regular grass–watering, mowing, and weeding. But, artificial turf occasionally requires some maintenance, and that’s what this guide is for. Here, we’ll take you through the various maintenance tasks you’ll have to take on with turf, and what you’ll need to keep it clean and fresh. 

Will I Need a Professional Cleaning Service?

While hiring a cleaning service is an option, you’ll most likely only ever need to hire one in the most extreme of cases. Regular turf cleaning and maintenance is a totally DIY option. 

You can spray the turf with a garden hose, and that will take care of most dust, dirt, and other bits of grime. If the turf sees regular use, utilizing a cleaner is a pretty good idea once a week. Additionally, getting a fine rake or brush is a good idea too. Pulling against the grain will help keep the artificial turf looking stiff and perky.

How to Clean Indoor Turf

Cleaning indoor grass can be even simpler than maintaining landscaping turf since it’s not exposed to the elements. You can do spot cleaning whenever you have time, cleaning up any spills as they happen with a cleaner, and removing any debris with a broom or rake that make an appearance to make sure that everything keeps looking nice. Artificial turf is stain-resistant by design, so you shouldn’t need to worry too much about that either. 

Can You Vacuum Artificial Grass?

Wondering how to clean grass carpet? You can vacuum non-infill turf with a regular vacuum cleaner no problem. While this type of turf is mostly used indoors, occasionally you’ll find it outside. Repeated vacuuming can cause the turf to become torn or slumped over time. 

You can also vacuum turf with infill, but you risk removing the infill which keeps the turf looking springy and also provides cushioning. On top of that, infill can clog vacuums too, so best to avoid it. There are special turf vacuums, but we recommend brushing turf over vacuuming it. The best artificial grass cleaning equipment is an artificial turf brush or rake!

Commercial vs. DIY Cleaning Products

There are a couple options for cleaning solutions when you’re getting ready to clean turf. 

Commercial Cleaners

There are antimicrobial and anti-odor solutions available that make cleaning artificial turf easy. While these are specialty products, they’re readily available and fairly inexpensive. Here are a few options:

• BioTurf – This concentrated enzyme cleaner will take any type of odor or microbes to the cleaners.
• Simple Green – Another enzyme cleaner that’s non-toxic and pet safe.  

DIY Cleaners

The most reliable anti-odor and antimicrobial solution you can make for yourself at home is a mixture of one-half vinegar and one-half water, just add this solution to a garden variety lawn sprayer, and you’ll be taking out odors and other nasties in no time. As an added benefit, vinegar and water solution also has many other useful applications around the house.

How Often to Clean Turf

If you’re worried that you’re going to have to build an enormously sophisticated routine for cleaning your artificial turf, don’t. Artificial turf is extremely low maintenance and doesn’t require much attention.  You’ll want to make sure that you do a regular routine cleaning for maintenance purposes, as this will help prevent odors and bacteria from settling in your artificial turf. 

Wondering what an ideal maintenance and cleaning routine looks like for your turf? Most artificial grass only needs to be cleaned once a week or biweekly, just to ensure that dust and debris don’t accumulate. Make sure to occasionally re-up on the infill too!

Kids, Pets, & Spills

If your artificial turf sees a bigger mess, like those with pets and children, there’s not too much to worry about. Artificial turf is stain resistant, and with good drainage, you won’t have to worry about a lot of spills causing problems. If something sticky or smelly gets spilled on the turf, it’s easy to rinse it away or use a variety of cleaning products on. 

While artificial turf is extremely durable, it can be damaged, so make sure you do routine cleaning and maintenance, and address any bigger issues and damage.

If You Have Pets Using the Turf

If your pet is regularly heading out to do their business on the artificial lawn, cleaning every week is necessary.  If you use the vinegar mixture, you’ll effectively neutralize the scent of dog urine on your artificial grass. As far as commercial options go, your best bet is a good artificial grass enzyme cleaner or antimicrobial turf cleaner. Antimicrobial turf cleaners will help ensure that you’ve got the cleanest turf this side of a football stadium. Some of these cleansers will also double as turf deodorizers too! 

Choose the Right Infill

It’s also important to consider what infill you’re using alongside your cleaning and maintenance routine. If you’re using a non-infill turf, then you’re good to go. If you are using infill, most of them have antimicrobial properties and are safe for pets and kids. However, if you’re expecting a lot of waste and spills, it’s a good idea to avoid using a sand infill, because that stuff will clump and cause problems. 

While most artificial turf and artificial turf infills have antimicrobial properties, the application of a mild antibacterial solution is a good idea for keeping the lawn smelling clean and fresh. You can even water it down quite a bit to make it last longer. If you’ve got a pet that regularly relieves itself on your grass, you want to make sure that you’re regularly cleaning up after them, as well as applying deodorizer as needed to keep things smelling fresh and clean. 

Cost Benefits Compared to Natural Grass

If you’re still on the fence about switching to artificial grass, know that doing so will keep your costs down big time. Artificial grass doesn’t need to be watered, fertilized, or mowed, and proper installation and care will keep it lasting for a long time. How long will artificial grass last? When well maintained, artificial grass can last a decade or longer!

Get in touch with us if you’re interested in trying artificial grass for yourself, and if you have any questions, talk to one of our customer service representatives. They’re super helpful and knowledgeable, and can help you in your first steps onto artificial turf.