How To Clean Artificial Grass in Balcony | Pro Cleaning Tips To Know
The installation of artificial grass on balconies is trending these days. People who are thinking of decorating their balconies are now considering artificial turf for them because it works as an amazing approach for creating a garden without the need to maintain it too much.
Fake lawns have a number of benefits, such as they are the best alternative to real grass gardens, they remain extremely durable and they don’t need any fertilizers, besides, they can be easily installed in any space, particularly balconies.
If you also have artificial turf on your balcony and want to know how you can clean it, then this article is going to be very informative for you. Today, I am going to tell you how often should you clean the artificial turf, how to clean it the right way, and what are the ideal cleaners to use. So, continue reading this article and you will come across a lot of useful info.
Cleaners to Clean the Artificial Grass
Commercial cleaners are not safe for the cleaning of artificial grass because they have a number of chemicals and preservatives in them, so before starting the cleaning process, I am going to tell you the homemade cleaners for the turf that you can safely use on your balconies.
A vinegar solution is the most common cleaner for the cleaning of artificial turf. Vinegar not only cleans the spots from the grass but also removes the foul smell present in it, in case you have pets. To prepare the vinegar solution, take 1 liter of water, 5 ounces of white vinegar, and 2 to 3 drops of essential oil. Mix all the ingredients well and fill a spray bottle with the solution.
A detergent solution is very easy to prepare, as well, and you can easily find it amongst your laundry supplies. Simply add 2 tablespoons of liquid detergent to a litre of lukewarm water. Mix them well, make a solution, and then use it on the fake grass.
Baking soda can also be used on artificial turf because it is also effective in cleaning stains and removing odour. For this, you just need to sprinkle the baking soda on the grass and then rinse it with water.
2 Methods to Clean the Fake Lawn of Balcony
Although artificial grass requires very little maintenance, there is still a need to clean it because if you leave your grass unattended for a long time, it will lose its beauty and attractiveness.
So, the cleaning of the artificial turf on the balcony is very necessary and there are two ways or methods you can consider for this purpose. One is the regular cleaning and the other is the deep clean up which can be done on an occasional basis, so as to address any major damages to the fake grass and also to ensure its perfect upkeep.
1. Regular Cleaning
Regular cleaning of the grass includes the following steps:
Get rid of Debris using Leaf Blower
The most essential step in the regular cleaning of the artificial grass is the removal of the debris. And this does include any of the stray leaves or other particles that come along with winds and get stuck in your fake grass.
Read More: Can Artificial Grass Be Laid on Decking?
Use a leaf blower for this purpose. Gather all the leaves and other debris at any of the corners of the balcony, and then collect it. It will make your balcony lawn look neat and clean, and leaf blowers can also remove accumulated dust from the fibres of the grass, so you will feel comfortable while walking on it.
Rinse the Fake Lawn
Leaf blowers are useful for collecting large amounts of debris, but they cannot clean up small dust particles or spills. For the cleaning of small dust particles, the best way is to rinse the lawn. You can use a garden hose for cleaning the artificial turf.
Make sure you are not applying too much water pressure on the grass because it can damage the fibres of the grass. Always rinse the turf lightly so it can clean the lawn and make it appear lively. Start rinsing the lawn from one corner and then move to the other corners, moving the hose in a circular motion to completely clean the grass.
Brush the Grass
This step is very effective for maintaining the beauty of the artificial grass lawn because it will make your grass look like natural grass, not like a flat green carpet. You should brush the grass with a brush or a plastic rake twice a month so the blades of the grass remain pointed upwards.
Always use a brush with soft bristles because hard or sharp bristles can affect the quality of the grass. For the brushing of your balcony grass, start from one corner and move horizontally to the other corner. When you’ve finished one side, take a few steps back and begin brushing from the opposite corner.
2. Removing Spills and Stains
After learning all about the regular cleaning of the artificial turf, it’s time to learn about the removal of stains for ensuring even better upkeep.
Read More: What’s The Price of Artificial Grass? 2024 Installation Costs
Stain removal is also very necessary because stains can damage the fibres of the grass and provide an opportunity for germs to accumulate in that area. So clean the stains off the grass as soon as possible. Here are some steps to clean the spills and stains from your artificial grass.
Clean Spilled Liquids
The first step is the cleaning of liquid spills on the grass surface. Spills can be of tea, coffee, soft drinks, juices, alcohol, or any other liquid. You should instantly clean up these spills. Use a paper towel and press it on the liquid.
It will soak up the liquid and stop it from spreading to the other sides of the grass and most importantly from a deeper penetration and resultant damage. So, the cleaning of the liquids from the grass is very easy.
Clean Stains with a Detergent solution
Now it’s time to clean the stains with the detergent solution. You can make use of the detergent solution mentioned earlier and then clean all the stains easily with this solution.
Take a sponge or a clean mop and dip it in the solution. Rub the sponge slightly on the stain, and the stain should disappear in a minute or two. After the removal of the stain, rinse the area with a water hose.
Clean Stains with a Vinegar Solution
You can clean pet stains with a vinegar solution. Take a sponge, dip it in the solution, rub it on the stain, and rinse it with water. The stain will easily be removed by this method.
Scrape Pasty or Sticky Residues off
Now, it’s time to scrape the sticky residue from the artificial grass. One of the most common sticky residues on grass is chewing gum.
For the removal of bubble gum from the grass, you can use ice cubes, similar to the process of cleaning carpets. Place ice cubes in a zip lock bag and rotate the bag around the bubble gum. It will harden the chewing gum and you can easily take it off the grass afterwards. If there is any other sticky material on the grass, then you can also use a toothbrush for the removal.
Maintaining Artificial Garden of Balcony
It’s time to learn how to maintain the fake grass garden on the balcony so it can last for a long period of time and retain its beauty. Some of the maintenance tips for artificial turf are mentioned below, which you can consider following for any of your spaces featuring fake grass.
Use Vinegar Solution to Kill Bacteria
If you want to keep your fake lawn hygienic, then you can use a vinegar solution to kill all the bacteria and germs. Prepare a vinegar solution and then spray it on the entire balcony. Leave it for 40 to 50 minutes.
Rinse the balcony grass lawn with a water hose. This will clean your grass from all the germs and keep it healthy for your family and pets.
Must Clean the Turf Once a Month
Although artificial grass requires low maintenance, it is necessary for the grass to be cleaned once a month so it can maintain its colour and comfortable texture. For the cleaning of the grass, you can use a broom or brush, vinegar solution, water hose, and toothbrush.
Rinse the Grass Twice a Month
If you want to maintain your grass, then another maintenance tip for the fake grass is that you should rinse the grass twice a month with a water hose. The pressure of water removes all the small debris from the grass, making it squeaky clean and ready to be used again.
Apply Weed Killer Once a Year
Although an artificial lawn is safe from the growth of algae and fungi, you should use weed killer once a year on the grass, so if there is any growth of weeds in the backing material holes or around the edges that goes unnoticed, can be cleared out before excessive damage.
Conclusion
Now you know all about cleaning the artificial grass on the balcony, so you can easily maintain it like a pro. I have also mentioned the recipes for homemade cleaners, so you don’t need to buy cleaners from the market.
Just follow all my instructions and I will guarantee you that your grass will last for years without any need to replace it. Also, you can consider these cleanup and maintenance methods for other spaces having artificial grass. And thus can easily make the most out of your investement.
FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to clean artificial turf is to use homemade cleaners because commercial cleaners have chemicals that can destroy the texture of the grass. Use white vinegar with water or liquid detergent with lukewarm water to clean the fake grass.
It could be the laminate flooring’s reaction to the cleaner. Many commercial cleaners make the laminate floor sticky and cloudy. Always use vinegar, alcohol, and essential oil solutions to make the flooring clear and clean.
It depends on the quality of the artificial grass. If you have non-infill turf in the garden that is mostly used for indoor areas, then you can easily use a vacuum cleaner on it. But if you have infill grass, then you can never use a vacuum cleaner on it.
Yes, the use of baking soda is safe for fake turf. If anyone wants to remove the smell of pet urine or any other foul smell from their fake garden, then baking soda is very beneficial for them. Sprinkle the baking soda on the grass, leave it for 1 hour, and then rinse it. All the smell will be gone.