Just because your lawn is artificial, doesn’t mean your dog won’t pee on it! If it looks and smells familiar that’s good enough for them! And dogs are not the only culprits that will love to use your artificial turf for the wrong reasons; cats, possums, birds, bats, bush turkeys, the list is considerable. If your grass is at the front of your block and easily accessible, then other dogs will stop by as well.

You have chosen an artificial turf installation over the maintenance of real grass, and your choice was a good one. Fake turf has many advantages. You don’t have to mow it. You don’t have to fertilise it. You don’t have to worry about pulling an abundance of weeds out of it, not to mention all of the other regular maintenance that a natural lawn requires. On top of all this your artificial grass will look the part 24-7! There are a few maintenance chores involved and if you’ve got dogs, you know that cleaning up after them is one of them.

Artificial lawn upkeep is less expensive and time consuming than that of real grass. Even cleaning up after pets that use your lawn as their bathroom can be a simpler process than all the maintenance required to preserve the look and health of real grass. There are two things you must do to remove pet urine from artificial grass, clean the urine and remove the accompanying odor. Urine smells must be eliminated, or you’ll notice them when outdoor temperatures heat up.

How to remove urine

As with much of the maintenance associated with artificial grass, rain is your best cleanser.

If after time you notice your dog tending to prefer a particular spot on the grass to do its business then throw a bucket of water over the area to rinse it down, if the patch is substantial and the dog is persistent then add a touch of vinegar to the water.

How to treat urine odor

The good news about removing pet urine from artificial turf is that the methods that work to remove the urine also tend to remove the odors. Solutions of baking soda and water or vinegar and water are both great methods to remove urine and eliminate ammonia smells. If the odor is particularly overpowering, coat heavily with any of these mixtures and allow it to sit for an hour or so. Then go back and hose the area down. Some Australian grass manufacturers also sell grass cleaning products.

Additional tips

Ask friends, family, and neighbours who may have artificial lawns which products they used. And most importantly, ask your artificial turf installer to recommend products that will protect your investment.

Post a sign: Sure, animals won’t read your warning signs, but your neighbours will. Let people know you would appreciate it if they would keep their pets off your lawn. Also, ask neighbours and passers-by to walk their dogs as opposed to allowing them to use your lawn as a bathroom. If nothing else the sign will become a talking point!

Put up a fence: Yes, it’s another small cost, but your lawn is a great investment, protect it with a fence.

Train your dog to pee in a designated area: There are a couple of ways to accomplish this. Create a specific area away from the lawn if possible, by using mulch or gravel. Use a ‘pee post,’ which can be purchased at any pet supply store. These give off pheromones which act as magnets attracting a dog’s attention to a designated area for peeing. Then, train your dog to go to that specific area just as you would if you were house-training. Reward with treats.

Good hydration: Believe it or not keeping your dog properly hydrated will also help because the better his hydration, the more diminished nitrogen strength in his urine. Make sure your pet has proper access to plenty of fresh, clear water all throughout the day in order to keep him well hydrated and healthy. This will diminish the strength of his urine and minimize damage to your artificial lawn when ‘he simply has to go’!