PET TURF MAINTENANCE GUIDE
Did you just install some beautiful new pet turf? Maybe you are thinking about getting it installed? You are probably wondering what the required maintenance is for the pet turf to keep it looking its best year-round. Artificial turf is an investment, so you will want to make it last for as long as possible. If you have dogs using your brand-new pet turf, here is our suggested maintenance guide!
GENERAL THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Your new artificial pet turf is here to look good and help out with the dog’s “business.” However, it cannot do it all alone. Your help is required to keep it looking and smelling like new. So, here are some things to keep in mind before installing artificial pet turf:
- Maintenance is required – pet turf is not maintenance free. The pet turf is designed to help you with your maintenance, but it cannot maintenance itself.
- The smaller the area, the more frequent the maintenance – the ratio makes sense when you think about it. If you have a smaller area for your dogs to use for restroom purposes, this means they have less options to choose from to go to the bathroom. If they are going to the bathroom in the same spot over and over again, more cleaning will be required to keep the smell away. Think about it, if you were to consistently pour vinegar in a bowl vs a pool, the smell of the bowl would be a lot stronger than the smell of the pool; therefore, you would have to clean out the bowl more often. It is the same concept with dogs using a pet turf area for restroom purposes.
- Installing an antimicrobial pet sand does not mean zero smell – the antimicrobial pet sand is installed to help with eliminating odors, but it cannot completely eliminate it by itself. If you have installed an antimicrobial pet sand, but you never water down the area accordingly, then the sand will not be able to help you on its own.
PET TURF MAINTENANCE GUIDE
WATER DOWN THE AREA – it is VERY important to water down the area with a garden hose when needed. Depending on the size of the area, how many dogs you have, and how often they use the area, will determine how many times you should water down the area. In general, it is safe to say to water down the area approximately 1-2 times a week. Just give it a quick once-over so that everything can drain through to the base underlayment. You do not want the urine to sit on top of the turf for too long, or it will begin to smell. If you are unsure how often you should water down the area, it is best to just water it down quickly once a day then to be safe.
PICK UP WASTE ASAP – the longer you wait to pick up your pets’ waste, the harder it will be to pick it up. As the waste dries, it will get stuck to the turf fibers and this will make it harder to scoop up. You do not want to risk pulling out any turf fibers while trying to scoop up the hardened waste, so it is best to pick up the waste as soon as possible.
BRUSH UP THE FIBERS – with constant paw traffic from your pets walking on the turf and them laying down in areas for long periods of time, this could cause the turf fibers to bend and lay flat. If you notice the pet turf starting to matt down, take a soft-bristle push broom and brush the fibers back up as soon as you notice it. The longer you wait to brush up the fibers, the harder it will be to get them back up.
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If you are interested in getting pet turf installed at your home, please contact us today for a free estimate!