How to clean your grass (REAL and artificial)

Cleandude: We have artificial grass in two sections of the garden and I must confess the thought of cleaning it has never crossed my mind. Only this afternoon I thought how green and "clean" one section looked .We don't have a dog but we do have deer-visitors though thankfully we only know they have been there when we notice eaten plants. (Perhaps I should re-phrase that?)

Have never cleaned our real lawns either!

Eirlys...
Well, I don't really recommend it unless you really feel that your real lawn is dirty-in this case, if you think the deer are actually "pooping" on your lawn. However, I strongly reccomend you clean your artificial grass. Its very easy and it doesn't have to be done very often.

hope this was helpful
:)

Wind up???

Why do you bleach your real grass? I have never ever heard of anyone doing that before! What are you guarding against please?

Stetagram, this is usually for when the pets do "their business" all over my grass, I personally don't feel comfortable sitting in it or having the kids rolling around it.
if you don't have pets or you don't have animals pooping in your garden then you don't need to do this at all.
:)

I agree that when you have pets you have to be careful but that is why you treat pets with worming and flea treatments, and pick up after them. Now and again will get hose out if bad but not a problem this year with all this rain. I have never gone so far as bleach. There is the theory that kids are getting more viruses and illnesses to not playing in the mud like we did as kids.

I see your point if the mess is not picked up immediately. Some time ago Terratoonie did a blog on making a dog run - this might be a solution to mess if you have space. Dog urine (especially bitches) can damage the lawn too.

An interesting fact about urine (of all things). I have found that my male dogs have the same effect on my lawn but urina when it decays it turns into ammonia which has a high PH level which breaks down organic material. The Romans used it to get tough stains out of cloths for this reason. That is why I throw water down after my boys have been to dilute it so not to burn the grass. Well when I've seen them go.

Jenlewis.
This is true that kids pick up more viruses these days which is whu I don't like to bleach my garden often at all. Usually just hosing it down does the trick. I prefer to do it only once every 6-12 months because I don't want to damage the grass or cause the kids' immune systems to weaken.

:)

Steragram, yeah thats my fear, I dont like the idea of sitting in dog mess and not even knowing so I like it to be clean just im case. Lol.

but I guess some beleive in the idea of "what you dont know wont hurt you"

:)

If we did that with our alkaline soil in the desert, after a few years, there would be no more grass--possibly for ten years to come!! Bleach makes an effective soil sterilant, here. Healthy, growing grass cleans itself, though if you have a dog, spraying and rinsing the lawn with hydrogen peroxide a few hours before a party might be worthwhile. Cleaning artificial grass is worthwhile, also, though I would use a mild, disinfectant soap, preferably organic, rather than bleach. Artificial turf fades fast enough in the sun, here, as it is.

Tugbrethil, I only do this every 6-12 months and the amount I use does not harm my soil or grass. However, I understand this could be due to my enviroment or other variables. Also, I think next time I will try hydrogen peroxide.
:)

That's why I specified alkaline soil. If we could count on regular soakings with distilled water--from Mother Nature, called "rain"--it might be different. :)
As it is, any chlorates that go into the soil stay there forever, stunting roots. I'm still fighting a spot on the lawn at my church, where they washed out a batch of catering pans for the picnic...with bleach! Been at it for three years, now. :/

Tugbrethil, thats a shame. :(

Cleandude: I remember reading a book called "Life's too short to iron towels". Guess this now applies to our artificial lawns. They look good; only have some leaves and twigs which are easily raked (rubber rake). Deer are being considerate but then we have miles of heath land around.

Eirlys
Well, cleaning the grass isn't something that NEEDS to be done too often at all in most cases and it can be made easier with artificial grass cleaners-which can be very inexpensive. It seems you don't get too much mess on your grass which is excellent-if only I were so lucky :)