Artificial turf is an ideal ground cover for pet owners. It offers easy cleanup of solid and liquid waste, requires no herbicides or pesticides filled with harmful chemicals, and is free of allergens. Synthetic grass also offers a level, even surface for running and playing, your pets can roll around on the lawn right after the rain without getting muddy, and there are no wet blades of grass or mud to track into your house after a storm. Then, of course, there is the complete avoidance of brown spots, which are common with natural grass when your pets use your lawn as a restroom or in areas of heavy traffic.

As an added benefit, this low-maintenance option means you can spend less time taking care of your lawn and more time playing with your pets on it.

Of course, when you have furry friends, you do usually have to deal with their hair getting everywhere. And your lawn is no exception. So, if you share your outdoor living areas with pets that shed, you are going to need to know why and how to remove pet hair from artificial turf.

Why Remove Pet Hair from Artificial Turf?

The most obvious reason for removing pet hair from synthetic grass is to make your lawn look better. Much like you do not want dog hair on your sofa or carpet inside your home, you also do not want dog hair or other pet hair taking away from the visual appeal of your lawn. Pet hair is generally quite noticeable against the verdant green of a manufactured lawn, so you will want to remove it regularly to keep your outdoor living areas looking their best.

One of the many reasons folks switch from natural grass to artificial grass is that fake grass is allergy-friendly. It does not cause an allergic reaction like natural grass can for folks who are allergic to grass. It is also easy to clean, so you can avoid it holding other allergens that may irritate the allergies of your family members or guests.

Pet hair is an allergen, so having dog, cat, or rabbit hair on your grass can activate allergic responses in guests with coordinating allergies. You can help avoid this by removing dog hair and other pet hair from your lawn.

You also need to keep your turf pet hair free in order to maintain proper drainage. A perk of having artificial grass is that the permeable backing allows for great drainage. This means that you can use your lawn right after it rains, that you can avoid your lawn flooding, and that pet urine can easily drain through the backing to help keep your lawn clean and avoid odors. If too much pet hair accumulates on your turf, it can block drainage and cause your lawn to not function as intended. Removing pet hair regularly helps to avoid this.

How to Remove Pet Hair from Artificial Turf

There are a few options when it comes to removing pet hair from artificial turf. Some experts say to brush with the grain, while others say to brush against the grain. Some say to wet your turf first, while others say it is best to remove pet hair from dry turf. So, let’s go over the most common ways to remove dog hair and other pet hair.

Method #1

Use a broom or brush with synthetic fibers (not metal) to brush with the grain of your lawn. Do this in small sections throughout your turf to make piles of hair to throw away. Continue brushing or sweeping your lawn until you have removed the pet hair.

Method #2

Wet your synthetic turf with a garden hose. Use a brush or push broom to brush or sweep your lawn going with the grain. Collect the clumps of pet hair to throw away.

Method #3

Use a power broom to remove pet hair and fluff your grass at the same time. You can rent or purchase a power broom for this purpose, which will make removing pet hair and reblooming your turf much easier and quicker. You can also call a turf maintenance service to bring their power broom out to do this for you.

Because using a power broom ensures a thorough job that takes less time and is easier on your body, this is the method of pet hair removal we recommend. It is important to remember that you should never use a metal rake or brooms or brushes with metal bristles as this can damage your turf. Also, while it might be tempting to vacuum your turf to remove pet hair, we do not recommend it.