artificial grass, weeing and the smell, help!

[alittlel0ve]

We're about to get fake grass put down in our small yard area so our DS can play properly out there as we've always had it covered in slate chips (previous owner had them down) and we've got a 8 month old cocker spaniel. Obviously she goes to the toilet out the back, but as we're getting the grass put down we've had to remove all the chips (about 6inch deep worth!) and get down to the landscape fabric underneath so we can level it all out. Anyway, as we've removed them the smell of wee is so so strong, that even leaving the back door open to pop the bins out brings the smell into the house! It's the first summer we've had her and with our yard being small and the warmer days I feel like the smell is concentrated to this little place which is making it worse.

I've just diluted a full bottle of lavender Zoflora and chucked the bucket of it all over the yard which has helped abit, but the sand and grass will be put down on Saturday and I don't want the smell "trapped" under it if that makes sense?!

Does anyone have any advice on how to keep the fake stuff clean and stop it from smelling so bad? I'm planning on diluting her wee by pouring water where she goes but not sure if mixing any antibac into it would affect the colour of the grass?? (always being careful to make sure it wont harm her of course)

We do have a passage way up a couple of steps that is keeping the gravel, but she likes to wee right beside the back door, especially if it's raining so the chances of getting her to goto the toilet up there and away from the house are pretty slim!

Medeci Oh I know, and so sorry, I completely didn't see that bit you wrote about the detergent!!

No problem, just didn't want to get a reputation as a shill for Pets at Home

We've got fake grass and a dog

It was getting a bit stinky and we had tried various cleaners without much luck but we then tried a power hose which is brilliant

A quick blast once a week and there is no smell at all.

We got a compact one that hardly takes up any space (much less than a lawnmower that we now don't need to have!) and is really easy to use - hosepipe clips in the back, plug it in, blast away the pee, job done

It also has an attachment to let you use detergents with it but we haven't needed to. The water does the job just fine

1. Allowing your dog to wee in the garden where kids play is pretty grim whatever the surface he's weeing in to, IMO. But I am. It a dog lover anyway.

1. We have a manhole in the middle of the patio. The slab over the manhole is loose - i.e. Not cemented in, so it can be easily removed if ever manhole access is needed (it hasn't in the 20 years we've been here).

There is a place for artificial grass, I don't think condemning people for it is entirely fair, we luckily have a long garden, a third is fake grass, close to the house, fenced off. This is for dogs and kids (needs cleaning weekly, I use a garden safe cleaner). We also have tarmac in this bit, good for bikes and paddling pools etc and means on wet days no mud. I think this means the rest of my garden is better for wild life. The flower beds grow and are full, not dug up by hounds and the birds can fledge in safety as I can keep both dogs and cat out of the main garden when needed. I also have hanging baskets all around the yard/fake grass anyway, we have a lot of insects and wildlife. Artificial grass has its uses and can be a very good option.

Just an update; the grass is down and it's lovely, makes our small yard look so much bigger and our little boy has been playing outside nearly all day everyday since we got it! Our little pup has taken to going to the toilet up the top where we kept the slate chips with no problems and has only peed once on the grass which we washed away with the biological washing powder and water mix so hasn't been a problem at all, thank god!!
We'll be getting a little gate to separate the grass/chip sections soon so her new toilet area will be separate from the play area!

White vinegar - buy the large cheap bottles 1L plus from supermarket

The ph balance of wee and vinegar neutralise each other

Place smells like vinegar for2-3 days and then sorted

I bought a house where previous owner kept dog in garage 24:7 and stank upon completion, 12L vinegar and job done

Also popped in some bicarbonate of soda (£2:50 worth) for good measure

I read online once when I was researching this that Swarfega 3-in-1 was supposed to be good for this issue. Might be worth a try.

I can't get it sadly so have been using biological detergent. That's not too bad but you do have to keep it damp for a while for it to work, apparently. Not possible where I live.

I'm finding keeping the pong at bay really arduous. I live in Malta. Hot and no rain for months. Plus the fake grass was laid on compacted earth that is like concrete so the smell is awful. Like you, I really need a solution but for now, cheap clothes washing liquid (make sure it is biological) is all I can try.

Good luck.

Prestige Lawns Milton Keynes sold us the most expensive artificial grass good for dogs. We have 2 small dogs yet our garden smells like a men’s urinal as soon as any heat hits it. Advise against completely

@LanaKanesLeftNippleTassle

I have to say I am really disappointed at the amount of people who place mud as a priority over environmental concerns.

Artificial grass is massively bad for the environment, in manufacture, in laying and in the prevention of growing of plants, and movements of insects and animals.

I think it's really sad that people care more about dirt in their homes, than a healthy garden.

Sorry but it really does piss me off.

Bees and other insects are dying off, and you care about a bit of mud!

And I write this with my pots of wildflowers (bee friendly) and overgrown wildlife gardn.....full of bees, butterflies and a happily playing child. (and dog)

Why is artificial grass any worse than paving?

@alittlel0ve

We'd also thought about paving slabs, they were our first option because they'd be easier to keep clean, but we have a manhole cover in the yard and you're unable to pave over it and we're not allowed to move it.

We decided not to put down plastic grass for several reasons.

1. It’s plastic
2. It gets extremely hot in full sun
3. It doesn’t drain when the dog wees on it
4. It’s plastic!

We’ve had paving done and they’ve put a special thing over the manhole that disguises it fairly well.

Forgot the photo! Spot the manhole...

Prestige Lawns Milton Keynes sold us the most expensive artificial grass good for dogs. We have 2 small dogs yet our garden smells like a men’s urinal as soon as any heat hits it
🤣
Plastic grass is an abomination, it’s absolutely awful for the environment.
There is always an alternative.
There are grass mixes and ‘ground cover’ plants to cover pretty much all conditions as well as paving and gravel.

Why is artificial grass any worse than paving?
It’s plastic, it can only be recycled a limited number of times, will pretty much never biodegrade, there is evidence that suggests that the phthalates in it cause deformity in insects and change their behaviour