Correct use of the surface is important
• Do not walk on the surface with long (steel) studs
• Only walk on the surface with clean shoes
• Do not throw any chewing gum onto the surface
• Do not smoke on the surface
• Do not throw any glass or other litter on the surface
• Do not put any heavy or sharp objects on the artificial grass
• Do not play on a surface that is damaged, it must always first be repaired so as not to make the damage any worse
• No vehicles should go on the surface, except for specific maintenance machines
• It is not advisable to walk on a snow covered surface or one that is thawing
Vegetation
It is possible that weeds grow, especially along the sides of the artificial grass pitch. The weeds can best be removed by hand, taking care to pull out the roots as well and making sure that the sub base of the pitch is not damaged in the process. Weather permitting (sunny and dry weather for at least three days) weeds can also be removed with a biodegradable herbicide. If a pitch is surrounded by trees and other vegetation, moss and weed killing should take place two or three times a year to ensure that vegetation does not accumulate on the artificial grass pitch. To avoid misunderstandings and problems, please contact Domo Sports Grass concerning the substances to be used for removing moss and weed before applying them on the artificial grass pitch.
Natural Debris
In autumn, leaves and needles from trees and bushes will fall on the pitch. If not removed promptly they will work themselves into the artificial grass pitch. This may effect the permeability, as will moss and soiling of the carpet pile. It is therefore important to remove such debris as soon as possible. This can be done with a synthetic lawn rake, a sweeper or a blower. When using a sweeper, make sure not to sweep up too much of the sand rubber infill. A blower gives the best result: blow leaves and needles to one side of the pitch, where they can be collected with a lawn rake and removed. Take care not to point the nozzle too deep. When using machines with engines make sure they do not leak oil, as it is very difficult to remove oil from artificial grass. Moreover, oil may damage the latex layer, and consequently affect the pile anchorage.
Canteen Waste
Special care must be taken with ‘canteen waste’ such as glasses, tins, mugs, cigarettes, fireworks, chewing gum… Chewing gum is best removed with ice, but can also be removed with water or ice spray. Players cause the majority of soiling of the artificial grass. To prevent soiling by the players it is recommended they wipe their feet thoroughly before entering the artificial grass pitch. This can be achieved in several ways: a dirt sluice with grids, a walk-on walk-off mat, brushes… Special signs near the gates should draw players’ attention to these regulations. For every field it lays, Domo Sports Grass makes a number of “rules of conduct” notice boards available which may be placed around the field. Enough wastebaskets should be provided around the artificial grass pitch. A hardened entrance path from the changing rooms to the pitch should be provided.
Brushing and treatment with dragging mat
To keep the artificial grass pitch in optimal condittion it is important to use a dragging mat in rubber each 35 playing hours. Each playing hour is based on 22 players/7000m². To keep the amount and the distribution of the sand / rubber infill of the artificial grass pitch in optimal condition, brushing 3 times a month with a triangular brush is neccesarry. This brush can be maximum 2 meters wide en exists from filaments in Prolan nylon of 10 to 15 cm length. These filaments are designed especially for brushing a artificial grass pitch, they have a low friction coefficient. You can always talk to your Domo contact to get the correct triangular brush. Always brush when the yarns is lightly moisturised – do not brush when it is very dry and hot. It is important, during the brushing procedure, to keep the brush completely horizontal. Domo Sports Grass advises a minimum dragging distance of 2 meter between brush and tractor. The dragging mat can be attached behind the triangular brush if you want to combine procedures. Regular brushing and dragging are necessary procedures that can not be neglected. The surface should be brushed in alternating directions, allways in the direction of the joints. If using a tractor, check the wheel pressure, as it must be less than 0,75 kg/cm². When turning on the pitch make a turn of 6 – 10 m at low speed. As the artificial grass pitch wears, micro dust is created. This dust can concentrate on the pitch during (heavy) rainfall and can cause a ‘cake’. If this occurs it is advisable to remove this material to prevent it being walked into the pitch. It goes without saying that this material should be removed from the sand / rubber infill as much as possible during major specialist maintenance carried out annually by the contractor. If lines, seams… come loose they should be repaired as soon as possible. A loose seam of about 0,5 meter may quickly become several meters unless quick action is taken. Contact Domo Sports Grass immediately should you find a loose seam on the pitch. Extra attention should be paid to the penalty spot and the goal areas, esspecially the level of sand and rubber infill, as these are normally under more strain than the rest of the pitch.
Removal of Stains
It is always easier to clean fresh spots. Speed with which you react is very important. Water dissolves liquids like beer, coffee, blood, ice cream,… First clean the area mechanically, then wash the area with soap water, rinse with water and dry. On extra strong spots, use a 3% solution of ammonia in water (ammonia water). Oil spots or oil colours can be cleaned by perchlorethylene. Use a sponge to clean the spots and then wash away the remainders. Organic waste can be cleaned by a solution of water and white vinegar. Mechanically clean the artificial grass pitch from dead bugs, spiders,… It is important because they turn into organic waste that causes compaction of the sand. In case of mould, fungi, algae or moss use 0,5 % solution of peroxide and water.
