Picture this...
You've invested in a lush, evergreen lawn that never needs mowing. Finally, less time maintaining and more time enjoying your backyard. š„³ The grass sure is greener on this side!
Until, well, it isn't.
Because your lawn now doubles as a stink bomb. An impossible-to-ignore, intolerable stink bomb. From an utter joy, it's become the bane of your existence. What went wrong?
We've got the inside scoop.
5 causes of bad-smelling fake grass
Forget the mow-down! It's time for the lowdown on common odour-causing culprits of synthetic turf. Plus, what you can do to prevent your faux grass from turning into a neighbourhood faux pas.
#1: Your pets use it as a toilet
Manās best friend can be your turfās most formidable foe. The irrefutable troublemaker is pee. It can cause enduring odour problemsāeven if you regularly hose your yard down with water.
That's because wee contains uric acid crystals that linger long after urine has evaporated. When exposed to moisture, they reactivate and release another powerful burst of ammonia. It's the gift that keeps on giving!
Solution: Take Fido on frequent walks that double as potty breaks. You want to keep him from going numbers one and two on your synthetic grass.
#2: It's been raining a lot
Downpours become a nuisance on two occasions: (1) When artificial grass is installed poorly and (2) when the backing is NOT porous enough.
The result is that heavy rainfall burdens the turf's drainage system, allowing water to pool or stagnate above and below the surface.
Itās more bathtub than backyard blissā¦ š¦
Before you know it, you've got mould and mildew growing. While that smell may not be instantly overpowering like urine, it's certainly not inviting. Or healthy, for that matter!
Solution: Research must-have artificial turf features for pet parents and hire professionals to avoid such complications.
#3: You installed a weed membrane
Should pet parents install a weed barrier? Depends on who you ask.
Nevertheless, when you purchased your artificial turf, you were probably advised to invest in a weed barrier. You might have even gone all out on two layers to protect against invasive plants! š±
Great for unwanted flora, but a stinky disaster waiting to happen.
Weed membranes can contribute to drainage issues, which means you actually trap pet urine. Together, these issues amplify all sorts of odour problems.
Solution: Rather than directly beneath the grass, some installers suggest placing the weed barrier under the foundations of the grass. Talk to your turf guys about your options.
#4: Itās your infill
Donāt shoot the messenger, but certain infill isnāt compatible with pets. For example, rubber pellets and silica sand are notorious for absorbing (you read that right) the smell of ammonia. Yuck!
Solution: Pick an infill with odour-repelling plus antimicrobial properties.
#5: You aren't using enzymatic cleaners
Sodium bicarb, vinegar, bleach, and ammonia. We bet you tried all and were utterly disappointed with the results.
Or maybe you felt hopeful for a few days... š Only to have those hopes cruelly dashed when your Eau de Turf (I'm being polite) made its inevitable comeback.
No surprises there because urine stains and odours are in a league of their ownāin terms of difficulty, persistence, and inconvenience! So, using run-of-the-mill cleaning solutions is like bringing a butter knife to a sword fight.
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Standard cleaning products provide temporary relief by momentarily disguising bad smells. But they typically worsen the problem by leaving traces of urine behind. (They're chemically incapable of destroying uric acid crystals.)
Meanwhile, ammonia-based products remind dogs of pee. And you know what that means, right? Wee hot spots! š Which brings us back full circle to #1 on this list.
Solution: Switch to a proven-to-work enzyme-based turf cleaner like PetLab PLUSā¢ 300ml Artificial Grass / Outdoor Area Super Concentrate Duo Pack. Ours has a 50% more concentrated formula and proprietary ingredient that provides up to 10x more surface coverage and more fighting power than other turf-cleaning agents on the market.
Imagine the neighbours' admiration when you successfully troubleshoot your way from unwanted odours to an always-fresh, green retreat. The talk of the blockāfor all the right reasons. š Now that's more like it!
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