Hey, it’s that time of year again…
It’s warm out, and the sun is shining. There’s even a gentle breeze blowing.
Perfect weather to have friends over for a BBQ!
There’s just one thing: Your artificial lawn could use some TLC after a cold, wet winter.
After all, faux grass can tolerate the harshest weather conditions and your dog’s most playful frolicking.
But synthetic grass can’t rid itself of foul odours—especially after a “lazy” winter. 😉
Why does artificial turf start to smell bad, anyway?
Good question! Here’s what causes fake grass to stink.
1. Pets
Fake grass and dogs? A match made in housekeeping heaven!
But a long winter of the family furball going wee-wee outside means urine residue has had a long time to build up. 💦
That alone already stinks. Now, what happens if you add humidity to the mix?
You get hit with the suffocating smell of ammonia. Thanks, Fido!
2. Dirt
From the kids playing in the garden to your daily exercise routine and even entertaining friends out back, your artificial grass gets plenty of action.
⚽ Food bits, sweat, and all sorts of dirt are bound to accumulate.
Over time, if you leave it as is, that can start to smell offensive.
3. Heat/sunlight
The three most popular artificial grass materials are nylon, polyethylene, and polypropylene—all plastic.
Of the three, polyethylene has the lowest melting point. 🌡️ When exposed to high temperatures or plenty of sunlight, some types of synthetic grass can smell like a burning tyre.
It’s far from pleasant.
How to clean artificial grass & maintain it all summer long
Concerned you may be doomed to a decade of smelly synthetic grass? No way—it’s not our style to leave you hanging.
For (almost) every pet parenting challenge, there’s a PetLab solution!
First on the roster: Post-winter artificial grass care tips.
1. Gather your artificial grass cleaning tools.
You need the following:
- Garden hose
- Poop bags
- 3-ply paper towels (or old newspapers)
- A non-metal turf rake
- PetLab PLUS™ Artificial Turf/Outdoor Cleaner
2. Prepare your artificial turf for cleaning.
Some trees are messier than others—especially in windy or stormy weather. 🍂 They drop leaves, twigs, and deadwood like nobody’s business!
Tidy up the yard before you apply artificial turf cleaning products.
Clear away large debris from your fake grass.
Tree branches have to be removed before you do anything else. But don’t use a metal rake. Metal tines are unforgiving on synthetic fibres. (Don’t say we didn’t warn you…)
Remove large debris by hand or use a durable specialised turf rake like the PetLab Artificial Turf Rake.
It has 197 high-grade filament bristles that won’t ruin the structural integrity of your lawn.
Plus: It brings your turf back to life by lifting individual grass blades flattened by heavy foot traffic.
Use your turf rake to brush away twigs, leaves, and other small debris from your artificial lawn.
This step prevents the occasional weed from sprouting. It also keeps small drainage holes from getting blocked.
Pick up pet poop.
Use doggy poop bags (preferably bio-based) when handling faeces. Wipe the affected area with your 3-ply paper towels.
Poop particles may still be stuck to your grass.
3. Clean your artificial grass.
With your lawn cleared of organic clutter, it’s time to clean.
Hose your synthetic turf down with clean water.
This step washes away dust, sweat, and dog urine residue in preparation for your cleaning products.
Eliminate pet urine odours and disinfect your outdoor spaces.
Heads up: If your artificial turf smells like urine, it’s safe to say it’s heavily soiled. 😷 Eek!
That means you have to deep clean your turf before you can go about regular maintenance.
Otherwise, here’s how to clean artificial grass throughout summer.
- Spray a generous amount of PetLab PLUS™ Urine Stain & Odour Remover to affected areas. Do this step towards the end of the day. It’s cooler out—the solution won’t evaporate prematurely.
- Once the solution has dried, rinse again with water.
- Apply PetLab PLUS™ Outdoor/Turf Disinfectant to kill up to 99.9999% of all germs, viruses, and bacteria. Leave to air dry for next-level hygiene.
Repeat this process twice a month to maintain your synthetic lawn while it’s warm out.
Remove Urine Odours From Artificial Turf In 10-Min Or Less Guaranteed
Voilà! Your artificial turf looks new and smells good again. It’s also ready for the summer’s first backyard BBQ party. Hurray! 🙌
