Artificial Turf Maintenance in Florida: Pro Tips for Long-Lasting Results
The good news is when you read about how to care for artificial grass, you won’t have to read very long.
The bad news is if you think artificial turf is maintenance free, you’re wrong. You have to do a few things to keep it looking its best and lasting as long as possible.
What are the best artificial turf maintenance tips? Keep it clean. Brush it occasionally to keep the blades standing tall. Clean up spills quickly. Use extra care with dog odors. Replenish your infill every few years.
Let’s learn more about how to maintain artificial turf in Florida, including:
First, What Is Artificial Turf, Exactly?
What exactly are you taking care of out there?
Artificial turf is a multi-layered system made of plastic fibers for the grass blades, a latex or polyurethane backing, and granules of infill that offer cushioning and stability.
Hmmmm, plastic grass! If it sounds easy care, you’re right. But it’s not no care.
Check out a few key artificial turf maintenance tips:
1. Keep It Clean
Cleaning artificial grass surfaces is a key part of the maintenance.
Don’t let dirt and debris build up on your artificial grass.
Rinse your turf occasionally with water to keep it clean. Turning on your irrigation system for a few minutes should do the trick.
Use a blower or rake to remove any debris, including fallen leaves. When you have real grass, those leaves break down and the little bits decompose and add nutrients to your soil.
That’s not the case with artificial turf. Those little bits of leaves settle down into your infill and it’s tough to get them out — especially when active kids and dogs run around on the grass and stomp that debris down between the blades.
2. It Needs a Good Brushing
Best practices for artificial turf care include brushing your lawn occasionally with a plastic leaf rake, a power broom or a push broom with stiff bristles.
Brush the grass blades in the opposite direction of the turf to help keep the blades standing up straight.
3. Clean Up Spills Quickly
How to maintain artificial turf in Florida? How clumsy are you?
When you spill your raspberry margarita on a real sod lawn, or your kid’s pudding cup takes a tumble, no big deal.
But if you make a mess on artificial turf, you’ll need to tend to it right away.
First, grab a clean cloth and clean up as much of the spill as possible. Follow up with water and a mild detergent and give the soiled area a good scrub. Use a stiff-bristled brush if needed.
4. What About Tubby and Artificial Turf?
No, we’re not talking about your husband. Tubby is the family dog. (Feel free to sub in your own cute dog’s name.)
Are there extra artificial turf maintenance tips when you have a dog?
There are.
First, don’t worry — artificial turf works perfectly fine if you have a dog. But it does need some extra attention:
- Spray areas of dog urine to keep your artificial turf clean.
- Scoop the poop, then spray that area with water. Use mild soap and water to tackle any stains.
- Avoid odors by hosing the turf down with a water hose or your irrigation system weekly then treating it with bleach or vinegar. Try Simple Green, a multi-purpose cleaner that works great on dog odors and for cleaning artificial grass surfaces. It’s a water-based, biodegradable alternative to harsher chemicals.
5. Replenish Your Infill
First, let’s explain about infill. It’s a crucial component of artificial turf and needs occasional attention.
Infill is the granular material that keeps artificial grass blades standing upright and adds weight to secure the turf, preventing wrinkles and movement.
Infill settles and wears down over time. If you power broom your artificial turf and it still doesn’t stand up nice and straight, it probably needs more infill.
Plan to replenish your infill every 3-5 years as part of your best practices for artificial turf care.
How much will that cost? About $80 per bag, including labor. A 3,000-square-foot yard takes 15-20 bags of infill to replenish it.
Use the Best Infill
Here at Tropical Gardens we use Envirofill, little green beads that are non-toxic, inhibit mold and are the best option for dogs and artificial turf. Anti- microbial protection is infused into Envirofill during the manufacturing process to help prevent the growth of bacteria and microbes that can cause stains and odors. Bonus: the green color blends perfectly with the turf.
How Long Does Artificial Turf Last?
If you take good care of your artificial turf with the tips outlined above, you can expect it to last in a residential yard for 15-20 years, depending on how much it’s used, its exposure to sunlight and how well it’s maintained with brushing, cleaning and infill replenishment.
How do you know if it’s time to replace it?
Watch for these signs:
- It’s faded. You’ll notice your lawn isn’t that vibrant green anymore. While the best artificial turf includes built-in UV ray blockers to help keep the sun from fading it, the sun is powerful here in Sarasota, and even the highest quality artificial grass will fade over time.
- The seams are coming apart. This just plain looks bad, and is an obvious giveaway that your grass isn’t real. It’s more likely to happen with older and lower-cost artificial grass. But seams can also split over time if the installation wasn’t done by skilled and experienced installers, so don’t skimp on installation.
- You notice a bad odor. Remember what we said earlier about cleaning artificial grass surfaces right away? This matters. Untended spills will build up over time, and your nose knows.
How to Maintain Artificial Turf in Florida? Talk to Us
We’re happy to share all the best artificial turf maintenance tips.
Our first tip? Partner with Tropical Gardens Landscape if you’re considering artificial turf services in Sarasota.
We’ll make the whole process easy, beginning with the often-confusing task of choosing which artificial turf is best for you and your lifestyle.
Our experienced installers have the skills to make sure your artificial lawn looks like real grass, from compacting the surface to precisely cutting the turf to adding that important infill so the grass blades stand up straight and look natural.
And that’s just the beginning.
From artificial lawns to spectacular tropical gardens to impressive outdoor kitchens, our design and installation teams can plan and execute total outdoor renovations that will wow you.
Let’s get started. We’ll help you figure it all out.
Give us a call or fill out our form today! Our team of Sarasota designers can’t wait to design your perfect outdoor haven — with lush, low-maintenance artificial grass that will leave you more time to enjoy your backyard tropical paradise because you’re spending less time taking care of it.
