How to clean artificial grass (and what to never use)

Artificial grass is sold on being low maintenance, and it is. Low maintenance is not the same as none, and the small amount it does need is mostly about keeping the pile standing up. This guide covers the routine, the specific problems people ask us about, what never to use, and how the routine changes with dogs, children or a lawn under trees.

The short answer

Brush the pile up every few weeks with a stiff broom, clear leaves before they rot, rinse spills and pet mess with water, and keep jet washers, bleach, wire brushes and barbecues off it. Once a year give it a proper brush against the pile and check the edges. That is the whole job.

The routine, by how often

How often	What	How long
As it happens	Pick up leaves, twigs and pet solids; rinse spills	Minutes
Every 2 to 4 weeks	Brush the pile up against the lean, especially where people walk	10 to 15 minutes for a typical lawn
Monthly in summer	Hose down, particularly with dogs or in a heatwave	5 minutes
Autumn	Clear leaves weekly while they are falling	5 minutes a week
Once a year	Deep brush, clear the edges, check pegs and joins, top up infill if used	An hour

Brushing is the whole job

Pile flattens where people walk. Brushing lifts it back up, and it is the single thing that keeps a lawn looking new rather than tired. Use a stiff broom or a plastic-bristled rake, and brush against the direction the pile leans. You will see the colour deepen as the fibres stand up; that is the direction you want.

Every few weeks is plenty for most gardens; monthly is fine for a lawn that is mostly looked at. Paths across the lawn, the route to the shed and the spot under the washing line need it more often than the rest. Never use a wire brush. It tears the fibres.

Longer piles need more brushing than short ones. A 40mm or 45mm lawn holds its looks beautifully if it is brushed monthly and looks tired if it is not; an 18mm to 30mm lawn barely needs it. If you would rather not brush, choose a shorter pile. Our pile height guide sets out the trade-off.

Leaves and debris

Clear leaves before they break down. Rotting organic matter is what lets moss and weeds take hold on the surface, not the grass itself, which has nothing for them to root into. A leaf blower on a low setting is quickest. A plastic rake works. A garden vacuum with the collection bag is ideal if you have one.

Autumn is worth staying on top of; the rest of the year looks after itself. A lawn under a tree is the exception and needs the weekly autumn clear-up more than most.

Dogs

Solids come off with a bag as normal. Rinse the area with water afterwards. Urine drains straight through a properly installed lawn, and the free-draining backing on our pet-friendly ranges is designed for exactly this. A hose down once a week in a spot that gets used repeatedly keeps things fresh.

In hot weather, or where a dog favours one corner, a specialist artificial grass cleaner or an enzyme pet cleaner deals with odour. Enzyme cleaners break down the residue rather than masking it. If a lawn smells persistently even after cleaning, the problem is almost always drainage under the grass rather than the grass; our dogs guide explains the sub-base that stops it.

Spills, stains and sticky things

• Food, drink, mud: warm water and a little washing-up liquid, then rinse. Blot rather than scrub.
• Grease and sun cream: washing-up liquid works, because that is what it is for. Rinse well.
• Chewing gum: firm it up with an ice cube and lift it off.
• Paint or oil: lift as much as you can while wet, then a mild detergent. Do not use white spirit or solvents; they damage the fibres.
• Bird droppings: let them dry, lift with a stiff brush, rinse.

Moss, algae and weeds

Weeds that appear are growing in surface debris, not through the grass. Clear the debris and they stop coming back. If you do treat them, use a water-based weedkiller and rinse afterwards.

Moss and algae show up on lawns in shade that stay damp. A monthly brush stops them getting established. If a patch has taken hold, a diluted solution of white vinegar and water, or a purpose-made artificial grass cleaner, followed by a rinse, shifts it. Improving airflow, such as cutting back an overhanging shrub, fixes the cause.

Snow and frost

Leave it. Snow melts and drains through. Do not use salt, which leaves a residue, and do not scrape ice off with a metal shovel. If you need a clear path, a plastic shovel used gently is fine. Frozen pile is brittle, so avoid walking on it heavily until it thaws.

What never to use

• Jet washers on a high setting. They will blast the sand infill out and can separate the fibres from the backing. On a low, wide fan, from a distance, they are survivable, but a hose is safer.
• Bleach, solvents and strong chemicals. They discolour the fibres permanently and can perish the backing.
• Wire brushes. As above.
• Barbecues, fire pits and chimineas directly on the grass. The fibres melt. Use a stand and a heat-proof mat, and keep hot coals and cigarette ends off it.
• Reflected sunlight. Not a cleaning product, but worth knowing: a south-facing window or a mirror can focus enough heat to scorch a patch. If you see a melted line that matches a window, that is why.

Sand infill

If your lawn was laid with kiln-dried sand infill, it will settle and thin over a couple of years, particularly in high-traffic spots. Topping it up during the annual brush keeps the pile upright and adds weight. If your lawn was laid without infill, it does not need it added later.

Once a year

Give it a proper brush against the pile, clear the edges, and check the perimeter fixings are still holding. Look at any joins: if an edge has lifted, a little adhesive under it now saves a bigger job later. That is it. Every one of our grasses carries a 10 year warranty, and this is all it asks of you.

Tools worth having

A stiff-bristled broom, a plastic leaf rake, a hose, and a bottle of artificial grass cleaner for dog corners. Nothing else. If you are choosing grass now and want the lowest-upkeep option, the short pile ranges need the least of all of this.