How to Rake Leaves Without Damaging Your Artificial Grass
Synthetic turf is revolutionizing the landscaping industry with its lush appearance and astonishingly low maintenance requirements. From Los Angeles to Santa Ana to San Diego, residents across Southern California are switching to artificial grass because it saves you hundreds of dollars and man-hours each year compared to natural grass. However, you do need to perform artificial grass maintenance periodically in order to keep your turf in top shape year-round. If you’ve recently installed artificial grass and have had your lawn invaded by autumn and winter leaves, make sure that you follow these tips to rake leaves without damaging your turf.
Pick Up Large Debris
It’s a good idea to pick up any large debris that you see sitting on your lawn, whether you’re planning to rake it soon or not. Allowing larger debris, such as sticks and twigs, to sit on your lawn for days or weeks on end can cause your turf blades to become matted, which will make your lawn look more artificial and eventually shorten its lifespan. Before raking—or after any significant weather—walk around your lawn and pick up any sizable debris. This small step in artificial turf maintenance will go a long way in preserving your lawn and ensuring it looks in its best condition.
Choose a Turf-Safe Tool
Once your debris is collected and you’re ready to rake, make sure that you have the appropriate tool for doing so. Not all traditional rakes are suited for synthetic turf since some metal blades can damage the synthetic turf’s polyethylene material. Instead, try plastic or bamboo rakes for an effective clean that won’t damage your lawn. You can also purchase rakes created especially for synthetic grass, such as TurFresh’s TurfComb. The TurfComb’s 18” comb head is made with polypropylene bristles that are strong enough to penetrate the lawn and remove stubborn pet hair and autumn leaves, but gentle enough to not destroy your artificial turf. For an even deeper clean, we also offer our TurfGroomer power groomer which deep cleans and reblooms turf blades simultaneously.
Cross Brush Your Lawn
Once you’ve raked up and disposed of all of the surface leaves, it’s time to cross brush your lawn. Leaves can cause your turf blades to become matted down, so cross brushing is a crucial part of artificial grass maintenance. It will rebloom your turf blades to help them stand upright, so your lawn retains a lush and full appearance. To cross brush your artificial grass, simply rake your turf fibers gently against the grain. You’ll notice that this causes them to appear more lifted, restoring your turf’s appearance.
Trust the Turf Cleaning Experts
If your lawn is looking worse for wear after the fall and winter weather, you can skip the hassle of DIY and call the artificial grass maintenance experts at TurFresh. Our turf cleaning service is a comprehensive 10-point cleaning process that includes raking and cross brushing, as well as many other maintenance steps that ensure a deep clean for your lawn. As synthetic turf maintenance experts, we know how to thoroughly clean your lawn without damaging the turf blades, giving you complete peace of mind. To find out about our residential turf maintenance services across Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and San Diego, give us a call at (813) 798-5625 today.