Cleaning Artificial Turf Pitches

Cleaning artificial turf pitches on a regular basis is important for safety, performance and aesthetics. Unless it is removed, leaves and debris including feathers, plastic metal and glass will break down and be trodden into the carpet. This would cause problems with drainage, pitch performance and possible injury.

Pitch cleaning with the Turf Sweep is so quick and easy that it can be performed frequently and in-house. This saves money on costly outsourced maintenance contracts.

What equipment do you need?

Cleaning artificial turf pitchesThe Turf Sweep is a tractor towed sweeper that can be pulled by any vehicle suitable for artificial turf. It is a manual drag brush, it requires no electricity or power.

The Turf sweep comes complete with a metal tow hitch. Depending on the type of trailer hitch on your vehicle, it can also be towed with a rope. Either way, the Turf Sweep works most efficiently with a low tow hitch angle. The closer the hitch is located to the ground the more debris will be collected.

You will also need a simple dust pan and brush set on site. These will help to sweep away any surplus infill and to remove all debris collected.

Cleaning your artificial turf pitch

Turf Sweep attached to tractorOnce the Turf Sweep is connected to your tractor, you are ready to go. We recommend driving at a medium pace. However, if the surface is wet, you may need to reduce speed.

In normal conditions, too fast a pace may mean some debris is not picked up. While too slow a pace may not provide enough vibration for the sieve mechanism to work at best efficiency.

The width of the Turf Sweep means that you cannot do ‘tight turns’ and you need to drive accordingly. A typical towing pattern could be spiral laps that avoid tight turns.

While the Turf Sweep can be used in all weather conditions, it performs best on dry days. The infill is less likely to become sticky and clog up the sieves in dry weather.

Finishing off

Cleaning Artificial TurfBring your Turf Sweep to a stop while still on the pitch. Peel the Turf Sweep cover back by tearing along the Velcro lines. This reveals the captured debris. If some rubber crumb infill has accumulated between the sieve elements, brush it back over the sieves to return it into the pile.

Close the cover and tow the Turf Sweep off the pitch onto a tarmac surface. Now unhook the Turf Sweep from your tractor. Open the cover again, and simply shake the accumulated debris on to the tarmac surface. 

The debris can now easily be swept up with a dustpan and brush. Finally replace the mesh cover and roll your Turf Sweep up for easy storage.

Further information

Please take a look at our YouTube channel where we will publish new videos regularly. 
You can contact us by email or phone to discuss any further questions you may have. We are also on LinkedIn and Facebook.

To purchase a Turf Sweep, visit our online store. If you are not sure if the Turf Sweep is right for you, we also offer a demo service in some parts of the UK.