Artificial turf turning feet black?

[KMoKMo]

AIBU to think this shouldn’t be happening?

The artificial lawn was installed in January and we have been having issues with ‘blades’ of the grass coming out. They are being traipsed all through the house by DD resulting in never ending hoovering.

DD’s feet are also being turned black whenever she is out in bare feet meaning her feet need scrubbing when she comes in to bed.

Does anyone else have these problems or do we have faulty turf?

I’m just trying to establish where we stand for complaining and requesting a refund on both turf and installation costs

Doesn’t it get dirty? No idea about the blades falling out but any surface needs cleaning eventually, surely?

I don’t know actually - good point. But it isn’t mud like dirty its properly black. Happens when I run my fingers over it too. I could try cleaning it I suppose but just assumed that newly installed this shouldn’t be happening.

I don't know how it works in gardens but on artificial sports pitches there are loads of tiny black balls at the bottom of the blades of grass and they get you filthy.

Isn’t it made of old tyres? My ds plays on 3G a lot and it goes everywhere when he takes his boots and socks off.

We have artificial grass and nothing like this happens with ours! But the one at the football pitch near us leaves loads of black bits in the kids shoes and socks

Also to add, the one in gardens shouldn’t have those black balls as the base should be more sand?

It's been in since January... that's 5 months worth of dirt, dust, bird shit etc obviously you need to clean it!

There will be some displacement of blades but they shouldn't be coming out at the rate of constantly having to hoover although my friend hoovers her artificial lawn did you get a professional to lay it? They should have given you care instructions.

I have had fake grass for a couple of years now and never has this problem, never even seen a blade of grass come out of it yet

Those old jelly shoes used to leave black marks on my feet as a child - it was the plastic melting in the sun. Could that be the issue?

We had a small artificial lawn laid in November last year (because grass won't grow..I'm not keen on it really) and we have not had any blades walked in, nor black bits. Ours has a sand base, and sand is brushed into the top to keep the pile looking good. Is yours sports turf by any chance?

It's june, it's not newly installed. It'll need cleaning.

Complaining about dirt will be like when my friend took her garden incinerator back because the shiny silver came off the outside after they had used it a couple of times

@firawla thanks that’s good to know.

We have raised flowers beds so minimal dirt transfer from that. I just wouldn’t have thought it could get that dirty in 5 months considering the rain we’ve had this year.

It was installed professionally and we were advised to brush and wash off any spills etc but nothing about regular washing.

It does have a sand base.

We have artificial grass, we buy a cleaning spray from Bunnings that we spray on, leave and spray off - it does get pretty dirty

Those with artificial lawns how often and how do you clean them?

Thanks for all the help so far.

Is it mould/mildew? Most plastic gets manky when it's left outside, is fake grass the same?

Never cleaned mine yet am I supposed to?

Anything outside is going to be filthy, just with everyday dust/pollution/debris.

Your windowsill would make your feet black if you went out and tried it.

Why on earth do you all have artificial grass ? it's SO bad for the environment and wildlife! crikey.

poster GloveWorldLooksLikeFun Do you have the same problem then??

Do you live in a town or city? If so, it's probably dust and particles from the air.

I'd get a bucket of soapy water and a broom and give it a good scrub. Then rinse it off with a hose.

We have had ours 7 years. No blades come out and no black feet

We pressure wash it every spring and sweep any debris and pull any weeds. That’s it

It'll be like the ground, it gets dirty, i also would imagine it traps dirt by its very nature, also the quality of it will make a difference.

We have artificial lawn and it turns our feet black too, if we’re out a while. I presume it’s the black plastic at the bottom.

We’ve not had any grass “shedding”, this sounds like it’s faulty.

Re the environment. Ours is recyclable - or will be when lifespan up. We have plenty flowers and trees for insects, birds and squirrels etc. It’s made our garden somewhere we can use instead of a mud bath.