How do you take care of artificial grass in the winter?

Winter in the UK is well underway, with frosty mornings and dark nights the norm. While most homeowners spend more time indoors during these chilly months, the coldest season can take its toll on gardens. While owners of a real lawn can be in for a difficult time during winter, those who have invested in artificial grass will enjoy many benefits.

If you are new to synthetic lawns and are now experiencing your first winter with one installed, read on for the answers to some commonly asked questions regarding these lawns during December, January and February.

How do you clear snow from synthetic grass?

While a light covering of snow on man-made grass is suitable for playing or walking on, avoid letting build-up occur. Heavy snowfall left to sit can become compacted and form ice, and this can lead to fibres becoming broken. Salt is not recommended as a measure for thawing snow, as it can clog up the elements designed for drainage in an artificial lawn. For the best results, employ a plastic shovel and remove as much of the snow as you can. Never use a metal shovel, as this can cause harm to your lawn. Remember that as the snow melts, your grass may become slippery, so be careful when you’re working to avoid losing your footing.

Can frost or snow damage artificial lawns?

Crafted from man-made materials, artificial grass is far more hardwearing than a natural turf lawn and has been cleverly designed to stand up well to the more extreme weather experienced in winter. Naturally, the grass blades of a synthetic lawn may still get frosty in a heavy freeze, but to avoid any damage you might cause, wait until any snowfall melts and drains away before stepping on it.

How do you fix artificial grass that has been flattened by snow?

Most high-quality synthetic grass products will typically bounce back after snow has melted away. However, if you feel your lawn is looking a little flat, simply help it to stand up by using a stiff-bristle yard brush to carefully comb it back into position.

What regular maintenance is required over winter?

While synthetic grass will not require the same level of maintenance as a real turf lawn, simple routine maintenance is necessary to make sure your artificial grass stays in great shape over harsher weather.

It’s vital to keep removing any windblown debris like dried leaves and twigs from your artificial grass lawn. If left untended and allowed to build up, this debris can potentially clog up the essential drainage holes in the lawn and lead to water collecting on the lawn’s surface.

The impact of this can involve weeds ensnaring artificial grass and, in worst cases, the growth of mould and moss. Never use a metal rake to remove any unwanted debris or risk harm to your grass. Instead, use a soft brush or broom or consider investing in a leaf blower.

By following these tips over the winter, your artificial grass will be in top form and ready to serve you well in the spring and summer months.

Are carpet tiles good for soundproofing?

Floor coverings are purchased with a number of factors often considered. These typically involve aesthetic appeal, durability, the usage of the room they’ll be installed in and, of course, cost. However, another important attribute of flooring can be its ability offer sound proofing.

A poor floor choice can lead to unwanted reverberation and noise. For example, flooring without sufficient underlay on a multi-floored or semi-detached home or apartment can cause significant disruption to different residents and their neighbours when sound bleeds through walls and floors. From noise from media equipment like sound systems and home cinemas to children running around playing, unwanted sounds can cause considerable discomfort.

Those selecting carpet tiles, sometimes called carpet squares, will find that along with supplying a versatile, economic and easy-to-care for covering for floors, they can also offer exceptional soundproofing qualities.

The power of carpet tiles

Long favoured by schools for their reduced noise levels and improved acoustics, carpet tiles are equally useful in office or home environments. Research suggests that carpeting is able to absorb 10 times as much airborne noise as other floor coverings. This is because softer materials substantially reduce sound, creating a far quieter environment. While a hardback carpet is capable of absorbing three times more noise than hard flooring choices, such as engineered wood or laminate, the latest carpet tiling products can now absorb as much as 50 per cent more sound than carpet that is hard backed. This makes it a superior solution to other flooring, where soundproofing is necessary.

The science of wool

Sound waves are transmitted by air molecules vibrating. As a result, rooms filled with hard surfaces will reflect any sound that occurs back into the room. Due to the soft tufts, fibres and backing involved in carpet tiles, unwanted noise is absorbed, rather than reflected, dampening sounds within a space. Wool carpeting has been identified as being extremely effective in this regard. Wool fibres in a single piece of carpeting can have a wide variety of crimps, lengths and diameters, helping them absorb an extensive range of different frequencies.

New technology

Advanced carpet tile designs are now developed with cushion backing and acoustic dampening that not only provide enhanced comfort, but reduce noise levels. This has led carpet tiles to be a favoured choice for many leading interior designers. Whether they are trying to create a productive office space or a healthy living environment, designers understand that achieving optimal sound absorption and insulation is crucial.

Along with their other many virtues for homeowners and enterprise owners, the ability of the latest carpet tiles to suppress unwanted noise should never be underestimated. With our ever-expanding population, requiring people to live closer to one another than ever before, being considerate of others and reducing our personal noise pollution is extremely important. By softening how much sound we make within our homes and workplaces with such innovative options, ourselves and those around us can enjoy much more peaceful and productive lives.

Is laminate flooring recyclable?

Eco-friendly homeowners are increasingly looking to dispose of materials around their home they no longer require in responsible ways that won’t harm the environment. For this reason, when purchasing a floor covering, many forward-thinking people are now concerned with the lifespan of a flooring solution, and what impact it will have on the world after it is no longer fit for service.

Among the most stylish yet affordable options for home flooring, laminate boards are often designed to look like real wood at a fraction of the cost. Exceptionally durable, if properly cared for, laminate floors can last up to 25 years, depending on the quality of the product and usage. However, it’s understood that, over time, a floor area may become scratched or chipped at the corners, or even become warped by excessive moisture when accidents occur.

When homeowners finally decide to replace their laminate flooring, the good news is that the majority of it can in fact be recycled. Read on to find out more about the properties of laminate that allow it to be reclaimed, along with safe disposal methods and other options worth considering.

Recycling laminate flooring

Today’s advanced technologies have altered the manufacturing process of laminate flooring, enabling up to 85 per cent of the product to be recycled. Wood chips and fibres can be reclaimed from the flooring and reused in other products. However, while laminate contains some natural wood, it also includes chemical coatings, such as aluminium oxide. This makes it unsafe to be simply burned, as toxins are released into the atmosphere. The process of recycling laminate flooring is more complex than local recycling plants can cope with, so it’s not possible to add it to the tins, glass and plastic containers picked up by your regular collection service.

Consult product manufacturers

Many laminate flooring makers offer a service to recycle unused excess flooring or used laminate. You can enquire about the recycling services available for a product before committing to a purchase if you’re concerned about the environment.

Booking a waste collection

Many local councils will offer a dedicated collection service to pick up any unused materials homeowners within their constituency need to dispose of. This free service run by local authorities will ensure that your laminate flooring is picked up and disposed of properly according to the UK’s environmental legislation.

Upcycling

Another option is to sell on your used laminate flooring, upcycling it for use by other homeowners. Additionally, laminate can be refashioned by DIY enthusiasts and arts and crafts experts, who can repurpose the material, making new and useful items to serve others.

Extra laminate flooring

If you find that you have miscalculated and purchased too much laminate for your project, it can be a wise idea to keep some. Should any boards become damaged in the future, you will be able to replace them from your stockpile and avoid the trouble of tracking down the same size and style or installing an entirely new floor.

Property investor says carpets add value to homes

A high-quality carpet in very good condition can add value to the home.

When selling a home, there are some improvements that both add value to the property and make it more attractive to buyers. A fresh coat of paint and upgrades to the kitchen and bathroom, for example, can all make a positive difference. However, the state of the floors also matters. There has been a trend for hardwood flooring in recent times, but high-quality carpets in North Wales and Chester homes also attract buyers.

According to Real Simple, Ben Wagner, a property investor, said:

“Carpets add a whole new experience to any home due to their comfort purpose.”

Wagner said that carpets should match the overall decor theme of a room. They also have insulation properties that help reduce energy bills and dampen sound.

It is important for the carpets to be in good condition. If they aren’t, homeowners should have them professionally cleaned, or better still, replace them with new carpets. New carpets will add value to the home and will make it easier to sell. The best type of carpets to increase the value of a home is wool, which adds a touch of luxury and warmth to any room.

Some buyers prefer wood floors for the main living areas, but like the feel of bare feet on bedroom carpets.

Neutral, light-coloured carpets are advised, as bold colours are not to everyone’s taste. Avoid using carpets in bathrooms and kitchen areas, as they can trap bacteria and turn mouldy if wet.

How to clean carpets after Christmas

When celebrating Christmas, spills on carpets in Chester and North Wales homes can make them look stained and dirty. Amongst the most common issues for carpets at Christmas are fallen pine needles from Christmas trees and spilt wine. Fortunately, these can easily be dealt with.

Pine needles

Pine needles can become embedded in the carpet pile. To remove them, Henry Paterson, the Senior Operations Executive at house cleaning specialists Housekeep, recommends first using a dry foam carpet shampoo that is left on overnight to dissolve the sap adhesive that sticks pine needles to the carpet. Then, brush the carpet and vacuum it to remove the needles. If any stubborn needles remain, press on them with the sticky side of duct tape to lift them up.

Wine

Spilling wine is a hazard at Christmas. Ideally, as soon as wine has been split, you should blot the spillage with a paper towel or a dry cloth. For white wine, use a mixture of warm water mixed with a tablespoon of white vinegar and a tablespoon of washing up liquid. Apply a little of this solution at a time with a clean cloth and the stain should disappear.

Perhaps the best way to remove red wine stains is using WD40. Apply WD40, then blot the stain to remove it, before using a steam cleaner to clear up the WD40.

A quality carpet should last many years and survive many Christmases – provided it is cleaned regularly. If stains or spills are promptly treated, they will not cause irreparable damage.