Artificial grass is a great alternative to natural grass. There’s no need for watering, no mowing, and it always looks lush and green. However, if you do have artificial grass and a pet that uses the lawn, you may have come across the problem of getting rid of urine odours, even after you’ve hosed the area down. One of the reasons urine on artificial grass smells stronger than on regular grass is simply heat. Artificial grass is made of synthetic materials like plastic, which retain the heat of direct sunlight.
In fact, it can get six to 10 times hotter than regular plant grass. To understand why urine is so difficult to remove, we need to be aware of how synthetic grass is layered, and what happens to the urine once your pet has visited. Artificial grass is usually built on crushed rock and sand, with small holes in the material to allow for drainage. When urine comes in contact, it may seep down through the grass and into the rock and sand layers underneath.
When urine dries, it crystallizes, and it’s these uric acid crystals which remain under the grass and are difficult to remove. As soon as there’s a bit of heat or humidity, these uric acid crystals, which are the main source of the urine smell, activate and release the urine odor. Detergents or water alone will usually break down these non-soluble uric acid crystals, and the odour will soon disappear.
