Month: November 2021

What is an artificial grass brush up?

Artificial grass is a durable surface that can be used outside in any climate, as long as it is cleaned regularly to remove dirt and debris. Brushing up the grass is part of the necessary maintenance to ensure your lawn is kept looking fresh for as long as possible. The frequency with which artificial grass will need brushing up varies. This is dependent on the type of lawn usage, frequency of usage and the type of grass installed.

Why does artificial grass need brushing up?

If your lawn sees heavy footfall for any extended period of time – perhaps you’ve had the family over for a BBQ or your children have been practicing their 5-a-side skills with friends – the pressure of this high footfall in combination with gravitational pull over time will cause the grass blades wilt towards a horizontal position. The purpose of brushing up the yarns is to return them to their upright position whilst simultaneously removing dirt and debris from the surface, keeping the fibres from lying flat.

Artificial grass which is neglected will not only have more build-up of dirt, but can end up damaged beyond repair if not maintained properly. This is especially true if you have dogs. The build-up of pet waste can cause harmful bacteria and toxic ammonia to ruin the grass, leaving behind an unpleasant smell that’s impossible to get rid of. Pet friendly artificial grass requires a more specific approach to maintenance. You can learn more about how to look after artificial grass if you have dogs here.

What do you use to brush up artificial grass?

Normal household brushes will not be the best for artificial grass. Their bristles are too flimsy to brush through the grass thoroughly. There are specially made brushes with stiff fibber bristles that can penetrate the fibres and remove dirt from deep within the blades. This type of brush is referred to as a turf brush or broom. It’s worth taking note of the material the brush’s bristles are made of. We’ve found that rubber bristled turf brooms are the least effective at clearing dirt and debris. The best brooms tend to have hard wearing plastic bristles or will be made from Arenga, a tough elastic palm fibre.

If you would rather invest in a more heavy-duty turf brush, there are both domestic and industrial mechanical brushes designed specifically for brushing up artificial grass. These vary greatly in price depending on the brand, mechanics and retailer, so we always recommend doing some research, choosing a reputable merchant and reading the reviews before purchasing.

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How should you brush up artificial grass?

Once you’ve got your turf brush, the rest is straight forward! You’ll need to brush the entire lawn, making sure to brush against the grain of the yarns. (So you’re brushing away from the direction your grass has started to lay flat) We find many customers love brushing their grass as it reminds them of mowing the lawn, without being anywhere near as labour intensive. You can even get creative by brushing one way and then the other in straight alternate lines, to give a striped lawn effect.

Is there an alternative?

If all of this sounds like a bit too much like hard work, then don’t worry we’ve got you covered! We offer a premium maintenance service for both regular latex and K9 Turf pet friendly artificial grasses. It’s also worth noting that receipt of your bi-annual maintenance service for K9 Turf extends your warranty up to 18 years! You’ve already invested in your outdoor space, so we want to ensure that investment can be enjoyed by pets, friends and family alike for years to come!

Which artificial grass is best for rabbits?

When planning an artificial grass installation which needs to be suitable for rabbits, it’s important to ensure the grass used is 100% pet friendly. This means it should be made from inert, non-toxic polymers which are chemically stable and soft. In addition to this, if your grass requires an infill, we highly recommend Zeofill. It is specifically designed to absorb moisture as well as unpleasant odours and is non-toxic even if ingested. It’s also worth investing in an artificial grass which features ProFlow Polyurethane backing. This special backing allows urine to drain through the entire backing (without having to search for drainage holes). Making cleaning the grass as easy as giving it a sweep, followed by a good hose down.

Will Rabbits Eat Artificial Grass?

To the human eye real grass, when compared to high quality artificial grass, is uncannily similar. However to rabbits, who have a heightened sense of smell and taste, the two could not be more different. Because of this, it is unlikely that your rabbit will take to eating artificial grass because they have mistaken this for real grass. The vast majority of rabbit owners who have kept their pets on artificial grass have reported they had no problems at all. However there are some rabbits who simply love to chew whatever they can get their teeth on. If you suspect your pet may end up chewing at the grass, it’s worth investigating first. Get a sample of the grass you would like to use and see how your rabbit behaves on the grass.

What are the benefits of artificial grass for rabbits?

There’s a whole host of benefits to investing in artificial grass for both your home and pets. For rabbits specifically, an artificial lawn creates an extension of their living space. So it’s important this provides a lush, comfortable surface for your rabbits to roam and play on. Artificial grass is incredibly easy to maintain and soft enough for bunnies to run around without hurting their feet, whilst closely replicating the look and feel of their natural habitat.

Is Artificial Grass Suitable For Cages/Hutches?

Not only is artificial grass the perfect solution to creating a vast space for your pets to play freely, but it can also be incredibly useful for making your rabbits hutch or cage more comfortable. Rabbits treat their hutch the same way humans treat their homes, as a safe haven to relax and unwind in. Providing an area within the hutch that has a different surface texture not only adds another level of comfort to the space in its entirety, but also gives the feel of a separate ‘room’ within the hutch which you may find your rabbit prefers to rest on when not sleeping.

We hope you find these tips helpful when deciding whether to invest in artificial grass for your rabbits. As always we love hearing from our customers and their fur babies, so if you do take the plunge and deck your rabbit’s hutch out with Yorkshire Artificial Grass, be sure to tag is on social media in any photos or videos! If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to get in touch and a member of our team will be more than happy to assist you.

Whilst some dogs find it easy to make the transition from real turf to artificial grass for both play and potty time, some dogs, as with the introduction of any new change in the home, may be more apprehensive to begin with. Introducing your dog to artificial grass gently and rewarding them with treats and praise for interacting with the grass as you instruct (i.e. for potty or play) is key to helping them overcome any initial apprehension. Read on to learn more about how to train your dog to use artificial grass.

You Will Need:

• Artificial Grass – Any offcut of artificial grass your dog can get familiar with
• Treats – Be sure to have your pup’s favourite treats to hand for rewards
• Leash – You will need a leash to keep your dog on the artificial grass
• Patience & Time – Training in any capacity takes time and patience to be successful, training should become a part of you and your pup’s daily routine

Step 1. The Perfect Potty Place

If your dog has yet to take a liking to your new artificial grass lawn, its often easier for them to get familiar with an offcut of artificial grass either outside or within the home. Finding the perfect space for your potty will vary depending on your dog’s preferences, puppies who are yet to be fully potty-trained will may train more easily indoors but if your dog is used to going to potty outside its best to train them outside too. Once you’ve decided on the right spot, lay the artificial grass either directly on the surface or on top of a plastic tray (to prevent any messes soaking through), and most importantly, don’t move it! This will only confuse your dog and make accidents more frequent.

Step 2. Understanding Unlearning

Before you begin training your dog it is important to understand exactly what it is you are teaching them and how this related to other behaviours they may already have learned. If your dog understands that the real grass outside is where he has been trained to go potty, chances are getting them to use a potty inside will be more difficult, because the new task you are training them for goes against a rule they have already been taught to obey. Giving your dogs lots of reassurance during training and heaps of praise for successful potty use is key.

Step 3. Train and Treat

This step will be familiar if you already have experience potty training puppies. Just as you would bring your puppy to the potty every half an hour, you will need to bring your dog to the artificial grass every half an hour too. Keep them leashed during this time to make sure they stay on the potty for at least 10minutes, so they can decide whether they feel comfortable going to the toilet. When your dog goes to the toilet, be sure to give them a treat and some tummy tickles so they associate the potty with positive behaviour.

Step 4. Let the Leash Go!

At this stage you should be able to take your dog off the leash to roam free across the lawn/house. Be sure to keep a close eye on them and watch to see if when they next need the toilet they choose to go to the artificial grass or try to go somewhere else. Remember to be patient, there’s bound to be accidents in these early stages. Whenever your dog uses the artificial grass to potty shower them with praise, if not then go back to step 3 and repeat until your dog is confident using the artificial grass.

We hope this blog has given you some useful tips on how to train your dog to use artificial grass. If you would like to use a potty to train your pup we sell artificial grass potties on our official eBay store. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch and a member of our dedicated team will be more than happy to assist you.