One of the hot trends in landscaping today is replacing grass with synthetic material. Synthetic turf offers many benefits over a grass lawn, particularly in areas where it’s difficult to grow live grass. It’s becoming increasingly common in homeowner yards, in addition to its use for larger-scale applications like sports fields.
As more and more people install synthetic grass, care for artificial turf becomes a higher priority for lawn and landscaping professionals. Customers are more and more likely to ask for synthetic turf installation and maintenance from your company. Ideally, you’ll want to be ready to respond to those requests before they happen so you don’t miss out on those business opportunities.
If you’re not used to working with synthetic turf, though, you might not know where to start with maintaining it. Taking care of a lawn is something we’re used to—mowing, trimming, fertilizing, aerating and similar tasks are so familiar they often seem easy. But synthetic turf is different, and it requires different tools and techniques to maintain it.
The good news is that taking care of synthetic turf isn’t all that hard once you know what you’re doing and have the right tools for the job. And here at Richardson Saw, we’ve got you covered for both those things. Here’s a guide to synthetic turf maintenance and the tools you’ll need to do it.
Regular Maintenance
Much like live lawns require regular mowing, synthetic lawns require regular raking, washing, and brushing to keep them in good shape. In some ways, it’s more like taking care of a carpet than a lawn since you need to clean it and remove stains promptly. Your lawn care company can offer routine maintenance including washing, raking, brushing, and stain removal.
Washing
Rain often provides all the washing that an artificial lawn needs. If there hasn’t been any rain in the past week or so, then the lawn will benefit from cleaning with a garden hose. You won’t need to use much water for this. A quick spray is enough to wash off most dust, dirt, and pollen.
Brushing
Over time, foot traffic can flatten out the surface of an artificial lawn making it look “flat” and trampled. It’s easy to fix this problem with regular brushing. Going over synthetic turf with a brush every 3 to 4 weeks helps keep the grass looking life-like. Brush against the natural grain of the grass for best results.
Raking or Blowing
Removing debris from the synthetic lawn is another important maintenance task. Debris left on an artificial lawn is unsightly. It can also cause problems if sharp twigs poke through the turf’s backing material. Leaving debris on the lawn too long also gives them a chance to start decaying and building up in the grass, which makes the debris harder to get out. You can remove debris using a rake and/or a leaf blower. This helps protect the lawn from damage and keeps it looking nice. Blowing is also a good way to remove snow from an artificial lawn without damaging the grass by scraping it with a snow shovel.
Stain Prevention and Removal
Staining is one of the biggest concerns with artificial lawns. Synthetic turf is specially designed to hold its color and resist staining, but it still needs help to stay as clean and green as possible. Preventing stains starts with promptly removing spills, pet waste, and other things that might damage the lawn.
You should counsel customers to promptly remove pet waste, clean up spills, and scrape up sticky things like gum if it gets on the lawn. If they have a dog, removing solid waste promptly and spraying areas where the dog urinated with water are usually enough to prevent stains and odors. Artificial turf is similar to carpet. The quicker you clean up a mess, the less likely it is to stain. You can offer stain removal services and cleaning, but it’ll be harder to get stains and odors out if customers don’t take the initiative to clean things up promptly.
When you’re performing regular maintenance on a synthetic lawn, keep an eye out for spots that look discolored or where there’s a stain or sticky substance like gum or tree sap. Often, mopping the spot with a mixture of warm water and a turf-safe cleaner (like biodegradable household detergent or cleaners specially made for synthetic turf) is enough to remove the stain. If that doesn’t work, try a 3% solution of ammonia in water. Blot and scrub the area, then rinse with clean water.
Mineral spirits or a grease spot remover can be used on more stubborn stains. If possible, learn the brand of artificial turf your customers used and double-check the manufacturer’s cleaning directions. Stronger cleaners should be used sparingly, trying not to let them get into the soil beneath the artificial turf.
Long-Term Maintenance and Repairs
Artificial turf is sturdy and long-lasting, but some things can damage it. Sparks or coals from firepits and grills, or even cigarette ash, can burn it. Strong light reflected from windows may get hot enough to melt the grass blades. Sharp objects or heavy equipment may tear the turf. Harsh chemicals could discolor the fibers. Over time, maintenance issues like infill washing away or weeds growing through the turf can also become a problem.
Maintenance
The infill used under synthetic turf helps keep it level and in place. This infill can wash away in heavy rain, shift around over the years, and may need to be leveled out or replaced. Natural infills like coconut fiber will also break down over time and need to be replaced. This is an easy maintenance task. There’s usually no need to lift the turf; just rake the infill in.
A weed-killing mat is often installed under synthetic turf. These need to be replaced every 3 to 5 years or so. Without this sort of weed barrier, synthetic lawns will require weed removal using herbicides. If customers choose this method, you’ll need to use gentle herbicides that don’t contain harsh chemicals that could damage the grass.
Repairs
Damage bad enough to require repairs is pretty rare. It is possible to repair synthetic turf as needed, though. Basically, repairs involve removing the damaged part of the lawn and replacing it with matching synthetic turf.
The most challenging part is usually matching the color. When installing new turf, advise customers to keep any leftover pieces just in case repairs are needed later. If pieces of the original turf aren’t available for repairs, match the color as best you can. Also, pay close attention to the direction the fibers are pointing and match the grain when you place the patch.
The Best Tools to Use
The routine maintenance tasks required to keep artificial turf in good shape are much easier if you have the right tools for the job.
Hose
A garden hose is one of the most essential tools for maintaining artificial turf. Homeowners should have access to this tool for rinsing down the lawn once a week (if there hasn’t been any rain) and for cleaning off pet waste.
Brush
Another important tool for maintaining turf is a brush to fluff up the grass blades. Homeowners probably won’t need to purchase a brush, though, if they’ve hired your company to maintain their artificial turf. When choosing a brush for synthetic turf, avoid ones with metal or stiff plastic bristles. Those can damage the soft, synthetic grass blades. Use a brush with synthetic bristles.
To help speed-up brushing, you can use the bristle broom attachment that STIHL offers with their Yard Boss or Kombi Motors. The durable nylon bristles are specifically designed for reviving artificial turf, and can also be used to clean paved surfaces like sidewalks.
Blower
Much like with brushes, you don’t want to use a rake with metal tines on artificial turf. If you choose to use a rake, opt for one with plastic tines like a light fan rake. A more efficient and effective alternative, though, is to use a blower for cleaning leaves and other debris off the grass.
Blowers make it easy to clear debris off an artificial lawn. They’re faster and less work than raking the whole lawn. Plus, they’re safer for the grass since you’re not dragging a rake along the surface that could tear leaves or get caught in the backing material. Similarly, a shredder/vac is also a good option for removing debris from an artificial lawn.
Conclusion
Maintaining an artificial lawn is not difficult. It simply requires special tools and techniques, as well as knowledge about how to keep the turf looking its best. That’s what your company can offer homeowners—the peace of mind that comes from having someone who knows what they’re doing in charge of maintaining their investment in an artificial lawn.
Richardson Saw & Lawnmower supports your commitment to providing high-quality maintenance services by supplying high-quality equipment. You can rely on us for all your synthetic turf maintenance equipment. Browse our selection online, give us a call, or stop by to chat with an expert about which tools work best on artificial grass.
