How to Brush Artificial Grass (The RIGHT Way)

When you make the jump to artificial grass, you will experience the same great visual benefits real grass offers, as well as that soft grassy feel underneath your feet.

But on top of that, you also get to look forward to a much easier maintenance routine.

Real grass requires mowing, trimming, fertilizing, weeding, and a whole range of other care steps. Artificial lawn, on the other hand, requires a more tedious installation at first. But after that, it can last up to 20 years with minimal care.

That being said, this does NOT mean no maintenance at all!

There are a few maintenance needs when it comes to artificial grass, and they all depend on the area the lawn is in and the activities that happen around there.

If your yard is exposed to debris such as dust, fallen leaves, or pet urine, then it is going to require some care on an as-needed basis.

But no matter how you use your artificial lawn, one thing is for sure: You have to brush it!

Because these fibers or pile is made of synthetic materials and is structured a certain way, there is a right and wrong way to do the brushing.

In this article, our team will explain exactly how to brush your artificial lawn, and make it look fresh and clean again!

Why Do You Need To Brush Artificial Grass?

Artificial grass requires very little maintenance simply because it is not alive and does not grow like real grass.

However, most people misunderstand this to mean it does not need any form of care at all.

The most basic and important form of maintenance required is brushing. This is done to remove dirt and debris that accumulate on the surface, whether it is leaves and acorns from surrounding plants, fur from pets, or just pieces of misplaced trash.

It’s important to sweep these away, as this debris can trap moisture and bacteria underneath, leading to mold, moss growth, and even unwanted weeds.

Brushing is also a very important part of making the fake grass keep its lively and vibrant look. Over time and with continued use, the grass fibers can begin to flatten, and some of the pile can bunch up.

By brushing the lawn, you can remove and prevent matted spots by helping the grass blades stand up and fluff up again. This brushing does not need to be done often, and in most cases once a week will suffice.

How To Brush Your Artificial Grass Properly (3 Easy Steps)

When you are brushing your artificial lawn, you have to be careful to do it the right way. For starters, you need the correct type of brushes to avoid damaging the individual grass fibers. You also need to use a suitable brushing method as well.

Our team has installed and maintained hundreds of artificial lawns around the world. We’ve broken down the brushing process into three simple steps. Follow the instructions below for the best results.

Step 1: Rake Away Loose Debris

The biggest mistake people make is trying to brush the lawn without preparing it first. This can make a big mess and clog up your broom.

Instead, your first step should be to remove any loose debris. For this, you should use a plastic tooth leaf rake instead of a metal one, to avoid damaging the thatching layer or the backing that is holding all the grass fibers together.

Sweep these loose leaves and branches out of the way and dispose of them. As we’ve already mentioned, they can trap moisture, bacteria, bugs and other unwanted particles.

We recommend doing this on a dry day, as this will make it a lot easier to remove than damp debris.

Step 2: Remove Stains and Waste Material

Your next target should be sticky stains, such as bird poop, dog waste, and food stains. These should be removed by hand, as they can smear across the lawn and also in your brush. 

For this, use a soft sponge or rag paired with either a commercial artificial grass cleaner or mild detergent. You can even make your own cleaner out of a vinegar solution.

After scrubbing away the stains, make sure to rinse the area down. This can simply be done with a garden hose. Allow this to dry before moving on to the final step…

Step 3: Brush Your Artificial Grass

Once all of the preparation steps are done, you can finally begin to brush the grass. Again, you should do so preferably on a hot, dry day. This helps the grass fibers stand up and return to their natural shape.

Using a stiff-bristled push broom, brush against the natural pile direction. This direction can be identified by looking closely and finding the slight lean of the grass fibers. Brushing against this is called “cross-brushing”, and will help the grass blades stand up and fluff up again.

With a push broom, you’re going to have to cross-brush the entire lawn by hand. This could take a bit of time, depending on the size of your yard.

Alternatively, you use a power brush. This removes all loose debris and makes the fibers stand up all at once, and it does so quickly across the entire lawn.

Conclusion

Congratulations! Your basic artificial grass care regiment is now complete. Once again, you do not have to brush your lawn very often – It all depends on how much you use your lawn every day. For most households, once a week is more than enough.

Obviously, if your pet decides to pass waste on your lawn, or someone spills food over the grass, you should clean it up right away! But besides this, weekly brushing will keep your lawn looking fresh for years to come.

If there is little foot traffic on your lawn and you do not have pets, then the likelihood of needing to straighten up leaning fibers or clean pet stains is also reduced.

And it goes without saying that if your lawn is trapped under layers of snow in the winter months, there’s no need to brush the grass!

Besides brushing, there are a few other small things you may have to do as part of your maintenance routine, such as rinsing down the lawn, and removing any unwanted weeds.

What’s more, every household and every yard is different. Sometimes, you might run into specific problems like moss and mold. For detailed instructions, check out our complete guide to artificial grass maintenance here.