Oh no! Did your doggy make an oopsie on your artificial lawn?
Relax! Cleaning and removing the smell of dog urine from artificial grass is actually quite simple…
You just need to do it the right way!
Your artificial grass has all the features and requirements to replace a standard lawn, and that includes handling dog pee.
However, your artificial lawn does need a bit of maintenance and care to ensure things don’t start to smell.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about neutralizing and cleaning dog urine from your artificial grass.
Simply follow our simple tips, and you’ll have no problem keeping your yard smelling fresh!
Why Does My Artificial Lawn Smell Like Dog Urine?
Your artificial grass will smell when dogs pee on your lawn, leaving behind some residue on the fibers in the grass.
The urine attracts bacteria and begins to smell, causing that foul urine odor floating around your yard.
Most artificial lawns actually drain better than a real lawn, but the residue from your dog’s pee can remain on the material.
The simplest way to clean dog urine from artificial grass is simply to rinse away the residue every day, to ensure your lawn doesn’t start to smell.
Use A Dog-Friendly Infill
Choosing the right infill is the most important part of maintaining an artificial lawn with a dog in the house.
In the world of artificial grass, “infill” refers to the substance sitting between the fibers of your artificial grass.
Ensuring you use a pet-friendly, high-quality infill will protect the lawn’s foundation, giving it springy feel.
These specialized infill have anti-bacterial properties, absorbing the smell of the urine and stopping germs from growing in your lawn.
If you have mid-sized to large dogs, the infill is also critical to protecting your lawn when they start roughhousing and playing around.
The infill keeps the blades standing upright, giving them resilience after someone or your pets walk on it.
In addition to these features, the infill also assists with the drainage of your lawn. The infill provides space between the blades for water to move, allowing liquids to sink down through the membrane, draining away from the surface.
Depending on the type of artificial grass, you could require as much as 2lbs of infill per square foot of lawn.
What’s The Ideal Artificial Grass Infill For Dogs?
Let’s take a look at all the available types of infill, and see which one is most dog-friendly:
Option 1: Rubber
A common substrate for use as infill on artificial lawns. It’s easy to install and has a natural bounce. Rubber infill gives the grass a lush appearance, and it’s suitable for handling light foot traffic.
Rubber is not a great choice for pet-friendly infills. The urine clings to the rubber and causes odor, and you’ll need to rinse it down frequently.
Option 2: Silica
Silica, or sand, is the cheapest infill, but it’s not the best choice for pet-friendly artificial lawns. The sand can still cling to bacteria after rinsing, causing the presence of odor.
Option 3: Organic
Organic infills featuring acrylics and other products are the best choice for pet-friendly artificial lawns. These infills features anti-microbial properties that safeguard against odors.
An organic infill is the best choice for eliminating stains and odors without the need for extensive maintenance.
Organic infill also stays cool, preventing the degradation and stagnation of pet-urine. You get more time between cleanups before it starts to smell.
Remove Debris and Rinse Frequently
Even if you’re using an organic acrylic infill, it’s no replacement for regular cleaning and maintenance of your lawn.
Set up a cleaning schedule, and make sure you stick to it. And make sure you pick up after your dogs as soon as possible.
After removing their poop, always rinse down the grass around the area with a garden hose. Make sure you get good saturation of the grass and membrane to wash away the urine.
The less debris and urine stains you allow to accumulate, the fresher your yard will smell!
Fortunately, dogs, like humans, are creatures of habit. They tend to choose one area of the yard to do their business.
Therefore, it makes it easy to clean up and ensure that area stays clean. Simply rinse down their toilet area once a day to prevent odor buildup.
As long as you keep up with your daily maintenance, you’ll never have odor issues!
Use an Enzyme Outdoor Pet Odor Cleaner
After cleaning up and rinsing down the artificial grass, we recommend using a deodorizing spray on the area.
If your furry friend goes for a number-two, then the freshener is a must. This will clear the air and prevent the buildup of odors.
Turf enzyme cleaners are also very useful for a clean, hygienic yard. You can also use them for deep cleaning of your animal’s toilet area on the lawn.
These organic agents get into your artificial lawn’s fibers, sterilizing them from bacteria, keeping it clean.
Always ensure you look for environmentally-friendly, biodegradable products for use on your artificial grass.
It’s important to be kind to nature, even if you have an artificial lawn!
Ensure You Get a Pet-Friendly Installation
If you want an artificial lawn that drains well, you need proper installation. Fitting as a pet-friendly system is very important for avoiding urine odors.
If you haven’t installed your artificial grass yet, select your grass material to suit pets. A shorter nylon pile is our preferred choice.
This will prevent your dog’s urine from being trapped in between the blades of grass, allowing it to pass through into the soil easily.
The membrane under your grass layer is critical for managing the drainage of your lawn. Look for pet-friendly membranes that are specifically designed to deal with dog urine, allowing it to drain freely.
On the other hand, weed barrier membranes might actually trap urine, and spread it sideways underneath the lawn. This can make the smells even worse and harder to clean!
Should you choose to use a membrane, only use one underneath your sub-base, and never over it.
Again, installing a membrane directly underneath your grass will trap the urine!
The sub-base also plays a role in the proper draining of your artificial grass. Make sure you choose a permeable material that will allow you to easily rinse away the urine.
Here at AlmostGrass, we always recommend a 50-70mm sub-base, made of limestone or granite.
If in doubt, be sure to discuss this with a professional when laying your lawn.
