Here’s Why Your Turf Is Starting To Smell
Artificial grass is a popular choice for homeowners looking for a beautiful, low-maintenance landscape. It’s durable, requires minimal upkeep, and keeps your outdoor space looking its best year-round.
However, without proper artificial grass maintenance once in a while, you may notice your turf starting to smell. For residential homeowners, this can be unpleasant for you and your family, while for commercial property managers, this can turn away guests and clients. If your turf isn’t smelling as fresh as it once was, here are a few possible causes — and what you can do to rectify it.
Improper Installation
You can set yourself up for success from the start by ensuring that your artificial grass is installed correctly. Whether you’re hiring a professional turf installer or doing it yourself, make sure that your synthetic grass is installed with a permeable sub-base. This will allow liquid to drain freely through your turf, moving it away from your property and ensuring that there’s no odor buildup from stagnant pet urine or other waste.
We also recommend installing only one weed membrane layer if you don’t have pets, and do not install any weed barrier if you do have pets. While great for preventing weeds, a weed membrane will potentially absorb your pet’s urine and cause odors to form over time.
Inadequate Drainage
Another common cause of smelly turf is inadequate drainage. When it rains or the turf is hosed down, all liquid should be able to rapidly drain through the turf’s backing and into the ground. If your turf has a non-permeable backing or is installed with inadequate drainage, the water can get trapped, leading to the growth of mold and bacteria, which can cause foul odors.
To prevent this issue, it’s important to have proper drainage installed. When choosing your synthetic grass product, note the turf’s drainage rate and backing permeability. Choose a product whose drainage capabilities meet your expected needs, and make sure it’s installed with a drainage grid for further effectiveness. If you aren’t sure what drainage rate and backing material is best for your property’s requirements, consult your installer before making a final decision.
Lack of Turf Maintenance
While artificial turf is low-maintenance, it still requires some upkeep to keep it looking and smelling its best. Unfortunately, however, many homeowners and property managers don’t have the time or knowledge to properly perform synthetic grass maintenance.
If this is the case, investing in a scheduled artificial grass maintenance service is a hassle-free way to have pristine landscaping year-round. TurFresh’s TurfClean maintenance service can be tailored to homes and businesses with turf landscaping of any size and scope. Our comprehensive 10-point process includes removing weeds, cross-brushing the turf, topping up infill, restoring drainage, and eliminating odors. Whether you need us once a week or twice a year, our detailed inspections and incredibly effective techniques will leave you with a sparkling clean and odor-free artificial grass lawn every time.
Low-Quality Turf Cleaning Products
Even if you try your best to maintain your turf yourself, using low-quality turf cleaning products can leave your lawn just as smelly as before you started. This is because there are numerous turf cleaning products on the market that can either damage synthetic grass or simply mask odors without any chemical effectiveness.
When choosing turf cleaning products, look for ones that are formulated specifically for artificial grass. Generic outdoor cleaners can contain harsh chemicals that damage the turf fibers and cause a buildup of bacteria and mold. This can ultimately lead to or exacerbate unpleasant odors as well as put your family’s smallest members at risk.
It’s also important to choose high-quality turf cleaning products that work at the chemical level to neutralize odors rather than simply masking them with fragrance. At TurFresh, we offer a proprietary line of effective turf cleaning products that are non-toxic, all-natural, and safe for kids and pets. We’ve engineered highly effective enzymatic formulas that neutralize ammonia molecules and kill bacteria, truly eliminating odors rather than disguising them.
If you want to finally get rid of your turf’s off-putting smell, you can visit our online store for a wide range of turf cleaning products that are specially created for artificial grass, including our famous and best-selling TurFresh BioS+ synthetic turf disinfectant. If you’d like to learn more about TurFresh’s professional artificial turf maintenance services or book your first TurfClean appointment, give us a call at 855-444-8873 or fill out our online contact form today.