How To Maintain Artificial Grass Rugs and Carpet

We have nothing against natural grass. We know the benefits lawns have for the environment. But we also know the work it takes to keep them looking lush and healthy. We know how tiresome and straining it can be. Trudging up and down the garden and mowing the lawn every week is only a small portion of what you need to do.

Installing artificial grass rugs and carpets is the perfect alternative. They require less work on your end, but you still need to keep them looking beautiful. Here’s how to maintain artificial grass rugs and carpets.

Cleaning Artificial Grass

A lot of activity will take place on the surface of artificial grass. It’s such a beautiful turf that people and animals have a hard time staying off it. The good news is that steady traffic won’t deteriorate and kill the blades as it would on natural grass.

However, this foot traffic will make the grass dingy in certain areas. Remove leaves from the surface with a regular leaf blower or a broom. Dry leaves are always easier to move than wet leaves, so give them time to dry before removing them.

Use a concoction of equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. This bottle helps control the amount of spray on the grass. Spray it only on the areas of concern. These might be places where pet activity took place, leaving urine or fecal matter.

If you want something a little stronger, use a diluted bleach solution. Combine 1 part household bleach and 10 parts water in a spray bottle. Work the solution in thoroughly, then rinse the area with water from a hose or a watering can.

Removing the Weeds

If you didn’t prep the lawn and garden well before installing the artificial grass, there’s a chance weeds from the previous surface will appear. Weeds can grow through drainage holes, and you’ll need to invest in a quality weed barrier to prevent them from growing.

Cover the ground with a weed barrier fabric. Put mulch or bark dust on top, and you’ll never worry about removing weeds again. But for the current weeds, try using boiling water. Pouring boiling water on the weeds will cause them to wither and die without damaging the turf blade.

Once the weeds have died, you can pull them out and throw them away. The vinegar spray you use to clean the grass will also work miracles on the weeds. Use 4 parts white vinegar and 1 part water. A weed-killing ingredient like apple cider vinegar or dish soap also increases the potency.

Managing Weather Changes

Artificial grass won’t necessarily die when the weather gets colder outside, but it will undergo some changes when the seasons shift. During the fall, debris will land on the surface, making the lawn look unkempt.

In the winter, frost won’t snap or damage the artificial blades. You can rest easy knowing that when summer rolls around your grass will still be in beautiful condition—especially when you keep up with the maintenance. Don’t try and interfere with the frost on the blades. It will naturally melt away on its own.

If you try and remove the frost yourself, you could damage the rug’s fibers. Once the weather gets nice again and summer rolls around, you’ll be tempted to throw a few barbecues. Be cautious with the fires from the grill on the grass—prevent ashes from the barbecue pit from spreading onto the grass.

Conducting Weekly Maintenance

It isn’t difficult to keep up with weekly maintenance on the grass. Though it may sound tedious, it’s necessary to keep problems and messes at bay. Use a leaf blower or a plastic rake to clear away all debris and place it inside a plastic bag.

Do not try to burn the leaves or debris—it will damage the artificial blades. Check in with your local waste collectors and see what they recommend for disposing of yard debris. They will know what location to send the waste to and keep more items from going to a landfill. Plus, burning leaves and debris is bad for the ozone layer.

Once you clear away the debris, use your cleaning solutions on the grass but only on the areas of concern. Spray these sections, then hose them down thoroughly. You don’t want the solution to set into the blades.

Conducting Monthly Maintenance

Monthly maintenance will be a little more extensive than weekly maintenance. It will require more tools to manage the lawn. Use a rake to sweep against the natural direction of the blades. This will groom the grass and loosen up any stuck-on dirt.

Look for any spots on your lawn ruined by pet waste. You’ll need stronger cleaning solutions in this area. Spray the area and use a cloth to wipe in the solution. Don’t use a scrubber because that will damage the grass. The cloth should get the job done; then, you can clear debris away with a hose.

Some homeowners have even found that a power washer is a useful tool. Power washing allows you to remove dirt and debris while fluffing up the blades and making the grass look alive again. Hold the hose and nozzle about a foot away from the grass to control the spray.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Artificial grass can withstand all kinds of weather, but there are still some cleaning practices you want to refrain from using. Never use a metal rake on the blades because it will cut up the grass and make it look patchy. Stick with plastic or a soft-bristle broom.

Instead of trying to control barbecues and firepits on the artificial grass, refrain from placing them on top of the grass altogether. Never leave heavy yard equipment like hedge trimmers on top of the surface. But the biggest mistake you need to avoid is neglecting your artificial grass rug and carpets. Never assume that because it’s not real grass, you don’t need to look after it.

At Koeckritz Rugs, we want to help you maintain your artificial grass rugs and carpets, and we want to help you find the right kind for your yard. Visit our website and shop around.