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Synthetic grass also known as artificial grass or turf is a wonderful idea for the Australian climate. It’s always green. No mowing. No watering. No fertilising. No weeds! Very little care or upkeep once it’s laid.
However, if you have pets or are planning to get a pet it’s important to have all the information & best products at hand.
Firstly, the quality of your synthetic grass is important. Some lower quality synthetic grass can get warm under foot or paws on a hot day. Look for turf that offers a cool yarn and with a generous amount of drainage holes. Also choose a grass with the best quality colouring and UV stabilisers to protect the grass from term degradation from the elements.
The next step is site preparation. A compact crush rock base is the best option however if you have natural grass, dirt or existing paved or concrete case, the grass can be laid straight onto that too. Ideally they should all be at a reasonable level.
As for installation, synthetic grass retailers or manufacturers should offer an installation service, however if you are planning to do it yourself, staff should be happy to share their expert advice, give you an installation kit & instructions and answer any questions you may have.
Now when it comes to tackling pet urine in synthetic grass, it is important to do regular maintenance to avoid persistent or reoccurring urine build-ups and urine odours.
When synthetic grass has been urinated on, it is likely that the urine has seeped through the grass, into the base and will remain there until treated.
Once humidity, heat or dampness penetrates the grass the uric acid crystals (the source of the urine odour) activates and releases the urine smell.
Many people and manufacturers will tell you to hose down the grass every so often and wash away with vinegar or bio-carb soda. More often than not, these products will not work.
When urine dries it crystalises and it is these uric acid crystals that are difficult to remove. Conventional cleaners, bi-carb soda, vinegar and even just water will not break down the non-soluble uric acid crystals and they will remain as will the odour.
The only true, tried and tested formulation for removing urine completely is a bio-enzymatic formula found in products like urineFREE. The bio-enzymatic action is designed to remove all components of urine – including the difficult uric acid crystals, eliminating the urine odour for good.