Having a pet is a lot like having a child. You may not have to worry about them denting the family car or need to start saving money in a college fund, but a pet depends on you for everything in its life. If you have a pet, you know what it feels like. You’d do anything to give your furry friend whatever they need to stay happy and healthy. So when you’re thinking about getting synthetic turf, you may find yourself wondering, “Can I even get this with my pet?”
The short answer is, yes! You can definitely have synthetic turf with pets. Believe it or not, there are plenty of dog parks, daycares, and boarders that have made the switch to synthetic turf because of the benefits it offers specifically for pets. While there is a lot of value in the real deal, there are some distinct advantages to the artificial options for both pet owners and non-pet owners alike. We’ll run you through all the details, and from there, you can decide if synthetic turf is the right choice for you.
Is It Safe for My Pets?
Absolutely! While it may feel odd to let your pet roam free on anything other than actual grass, it’s perfectly safe for your pet. In some circumstances, it’s actually safer for your pet than real grass. For example, synthetic turf is extremely inhospitable to any pests that might want to hitch a ride on your pet while they’re outside. Without natural soil to nest in, fleas and ticks have a hard time thriving in an artificial lawn. That’s not to say it’s impossible. If natural debris, such as falling leaves, builds up, the environment might become suitable for breeding. If you take care of your lawn and keep it clear, though, you can significantly reduce the population of pests in your yard.
Should I Be Worried About the Chemicals?
When thinking about getting synthetic turf, plenty of people have concerns about the chemicals that go into the process of making it. After all, your pet will likely spend a lot of time in the yard. You need to be sure that it’s safe for them to do so. It’s a perfectly understandable fear, but we’re happy to tell you that there’s nothing to worry about.
The materials you’ll commonly see going into synthetic turf are nylon, polyethylene, and polypropylene. Sure, at a glance they can sound a little scary, but you’d be surprised how often you encounter them in your daily life. You’re almost certainly already familiar with nylon. It’s so widely used in clothing production that you likely have some in your closet right now. Polyethylene and polypropylene are just common plastics used to make a wide variety of consumer goods, from water bottles and food packaging to ice boxes and other home goods. At the end of the day, your pet will be perfectly safe on synthetic turf, whether they want to just take a nap on it or run laps around it over and over again for reasons only they know.
No More Wear and Tear
We’ve installed a lot of synthetic turf for pet owners, and one of the biggest positives we hear is how well it holds up against wear and tear. As anyone with a dog prone to digging and a grass lawn knows, it only takes an hour for your pristine yard to go from perfectly manicured to having more holes than the surface of the moon. When you make the switch to synthetic turf, your pet can run as rough as it likes without doing any serious damage. That’s a large part of the reason why so many people who work with dogs actually prefer synthetic turf to real grass.
The durable nature of artificial grass also lets it stand up to damage from other people and the elements, lasting decades without showing any real sign of degradation. If you’re tired of having to watch your lawn like a hawk, in case an over-eager pet starts digging away, synthetic turf is the option for you.
Cleaning Up Has Never Been Easier
Of course, your pets aren’t just going to use the yard for playtime. They need a place to go when nature calls, and it certainly can’t be the brand-new area rug in the living room. Luckily, synthetic turf can stand up just fine when it comes time for your pets to use the restroom. A synthetic lawn is porous, so urine will drain on its own. Unlike real grass and soil, synthetic turf can’t aid with the breakdown of organic material, so you will need to pick up any number twos. But once you do, it’s a simple matter to rinse it clean with water.
If your synthetic lawn is your pet’s primary bathroom, it’s best practice to rinse it down about once a week, regardless. This will help prevent any stains or unpleasant smells from building up. If water alone isn’t removing the smell, we recommend making a one-to-one solution of water and vinegar and spraying the area down with it. It should help remove the odor without doing any damage to your lawn.
Ready for Installation?
So now that you know a synthetic turf yard is not only perfectly compatible with having a pet, but in some cases even preferable, you may be ready to take the next steps toward installing one on your own property. That’s where we come in.
At Sportech Construction & Excavation, we’re dedicated to putting our customers’ and clients’ needs first. Everyone on our crew is a trained professional, capable of creating the perfect synthetic turf for your home. We only use the highest quality turf, ensuring that your lawn will look as dazzling as it should.
If you’d like to learn more or are ready to get the ball rolling on your own home installation, feel free to get in touch. We’re ready and able to answer your questions and get you the lawn you’ve always dreamed of.