When I FINALLY took the plunge and stumped-up for an artificial lawn for our garden, it felt like the end of one era and the glorious beginnings of another. Ahhh….No more summer Saturday afternoon’s spent sweating behind the Flymo. No more complaining to my wife through Sunday dinner the next day about the tweak in my back (she was particularly glad about that one…) The world was my oyster once again, right? Well, yes. Sort of…
There are lots of things I prefer about the artificial lawn, especially the upkeep and the time it’s given me back. Plus I actually think it looks better than what we had before. Mostly because it doesn’t get those little brown bits beneath the two mighty oaks in our back garden. But while it is low-maintenance, I soon realised it wasn’t no-maintenance. If you want to keep it looking the part you need to play yours too!
I started with the vacuum, reading online that it would be fine. And could it? Again it was a case of: well, yes. Sort of…
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Can you vacuum artificial grass?
You can use a household vacuum on artificial grass but it’s not recommended. If your lawn has sand infill’s your vacuum obviously can’t tell the difference between that and the rest of the debris you actually want to lift up, and it’s the infill that bounces your fibres straight back up when you stand on them.
Even if you don’t have infill, the suction from household vacuum’s can gradually cause the turf to loosen and sag, which is again not a look you will be going for.
Then, on top of that, most conventional vacuum’s aren’t built to deal with the liquids that can find their way between your fibres, be it from the clouds or slightly closer to home!
So while you CAN- strictly speaking- use a house-hold vacuum, over the longer-term there are a whole host of better options, with less risks attached. One of which is a specially-adapted vacuum, built to get around the drawbacks just mentioned. More on these below…
What is the best way to clean artificial grass?
Regardless of what method you use, you’ll see the artificial lawn is definitely less maintenance than grass. How much less depends on several factors, the main three being: any household pets, any trees you have in the garden and the climate where you live.
Pets love to mark their territory and it’s no use you telling them how much this nice, new lawn cost you, it’s all the same to them!
Falling leaves from tree’s, quite aside from the mess, can cause issues down the line with moss growing between the fibres if they are left to decompose.
And dry climates may be the preference of most but the occasional splash of rain can help keep on top of your cleaning-duties when you have an artificial lawn. I think that’s where the phrase “thank heavens” came from…
Whatever your circumstances, here are a few tips to help you stay on top of things:
- “Little and often” doesn’t just apply to putting your savings away and doing the dishes, it pays off here too. Frequent little efforts to keep on top of debris and pet waste, in particular, save you hassle in the long run.
- For big bits use your hand where possible (or poop-scooper if that’s more appropriate!), then rinse down after with water.
- For smaller bits a broom or leaf blower will do the job, again finishing off with a rinse.
- And with liquids, a damp cloth or paper towel is best. If it’s a bit more stubborn, add a little detergent to the cloth, then blot again with that.
What’s the best artificial turf vacuum?
Like I said, there are now a selection of vacuums that have been designed especially with artificial lawns in mind. According to the reviews on Amazon the best one out there is the Garland Roll And Comb 502 Garland ROLL & COMB 502EI Artificial Grass Turf Sweeper – – Amazon.com. It’s special mechanism clears the debris while combing and lifting the bristles of your lawn. And it has a suction more suited to your artificial grass, able to cope with any liquids that find their way in there too!
What are the best ways to keep my artificial lawn clean for longer?
Again here it is ‘little and often’! A concerted effort to keep on top of the debris and any potential issues with troublesome weeds is the best way to protect your investment and if you do, there’s no reason why it won’t be in tip-top shape for you for the next 12-15 years!