What to Avoid When Maintaining Your Artificial Grass
To get the absolute best from your artificial lawn in the long term, there are some important things to consider and keep in mind. Although artificial lawns might have many advantages over their natural counterparts, they are not invincible and certain things may cause more damage and problems than you might think.
If you are planning to install artificial grass, or if you already have it installed, there are a few things you need to avoid, to keep it in perfect condition.
Avoid Installing Artificial Lawn On Top of Natural Grass
To many people, this may seem like a simple and obvious step, but in reality, it is far from a desirable solution. Installing artificial grass over a natural lawn will not lead to a simple and easy carefree outdoor space. Instead, the grass underneath will decompose at an uneven and irregular rate, leading to bumps, peaks, valleys, and troughs in the level of what would otherwise be a green and pleasant garden. This is the kind of unsightly mess that no homeowner should have to deal with, and in fact, avoiding this sort of problem is exactly the reason why you might choose an artificial lawn in the first place.
When preparing your garden and laying artificial grass yourself, be sure to carefully follow the detailed and clear instructions you can find in our project planner. Alternatively, you can enlist the help of our experts to guarantee top-quality results.
Never Use Pesticides
One of the major advantages of an artificial lawn over natural grass is that it does not act as a natural habitat for insects and common garden pests. Consequently, when it comes to protecting your garden from insects, you should not need to consider using pesticides or harsh chemicals.
If you should come across any insects or pests trying to make their home in your artificial lawn, the best option is to simply hose it down with water. If you do use pesticides, it may be a health risk to people and pets using the lawn as they could breathe in the chemicals if the substance gets caught in the fibres.
Never Use a BBQ or Cigarettes (on Artificial Grass)
Summertime often means BBQ parties, and with your new artificial lawn, you’ll naturally want to show off just how green and lush your new garden really is. However, artificial lawns are not invincible, and when it comes to arranging BBQs, there are some very important things to keep in mind.
While a stray coal or piece of debris won’t start a fire, it could still heavily damage the appearance and texture of the lawn’s surface, leaving it in need of repair or possibly even replacement.
This same set of concerns is present around cigarettes and their debris but to a much smaller scale. Cigarette ash can contain ignited embers that could cause your artificial lawn harm, and coals and charcoal from your BBQ can remain hot for long periods after your party has passed. So, if you are planning to host a BBQ, take sensible precautions and make sure your BBQ is set atop a solid, hard-wearing surface like a patio or a specially built brick area.
Don’t Park Your Car Here!
Although livening up your drive with artificial grass might seem like an attractive idea, the reality is that it probably won’t end well – for two important reasons.
Firstly, cars need oil and oil does not always stay in the place it’s put. Cleaning engine oil off an artificial lawn is definitely possible, but it is also difficult, time-consuming, and if it is not done quickly, it will leave the lawn discoloured and stained.
Secondly, although the fibres of an artificial lawn are durable enough to withstand the toughest attacks of children, pets, and the weather, they are not strong enough to withstand the average one and a half tonnes of your car. Even if you drive slowly and carefully, the traction of your tyres will cause serious sheering stress to your lawn’s fibres, pulling them up and leaving your artificial lawn damaged. To get the very most out of your evergreen front lawn, turning it into an artificial grass driveway is not the way to go.
Avoid Chewing Gum
Manmade adhesives like chewing gum can cause serious problems if they get caught up in the blades of an artificial lawn. If caught early, some natural remedies can be effective in removing the substance, but if left too long, the only option will be to cut the blades, leaving a nasty uneven spot that will not grow back. Armed with this knowledge, you may want to reconsider chewing gum on or around your newly-installed artificial lawn!
Say No to Sharp-Edged Furniture
Artificial lawns are sturdy and resilient, but there are some exceptions. If the feet, stands, stools, or support of your outdoor furniture or accessory sits on the ground with a high-pressure sharp edge, there could potentially be problems. Best case scenario, it will split or strip the blades of artificial grass that leave your lawn looking so lush. Worst case scenario, it could potentially cause further damage to the artificial grass and underlayer. Keep an eye out to make sure your garden furniture has flat, wide legs, rather than sharp-edged options.
Watch Out for Reflected Sunlight
Despite the lower levels of natural sunlight we get in the UK, our artificial lawns are resistant to heat, sunlight bleaching, and high levels of ultraviolet radiation. However, there is a limit to what can be effectively tolerated, and that limit can be exceeded by reflected sunlight. Reflected rays often cause heat and light from the sun to be focused and magnified in ways that could cause problems for artificial grass. Be careful not to put artificial grass anywhere that could get an extra dose of the sun’s rays from nearby windows, mirrors, or other reflective surfaces.
Artificial grass has many advantages and many extremely creative uses, but like everything, it has its limits. Care needs to be taken and certain precautions are advisable. Follow these simple rules and your synthetic grass will continue to look its best for many more years to come.
If you’re interested in installing artificial grass for your garden, get in touch today. We will be more than happy to assist with your enquiry and provide advice and support throughout. Our team will be on hand from when you first call right up until your lovely new artificial grass surface is installed. View our artificial grass range now.