Close-up of sneakers standing on green artificial turf next to a white line

Disinfecting Indoor Turf During Covid-19: Your Top Questions Answered

By John Scillieri Hours Published on

Communities across the US are scrambling to reopen schools and youth sports facilities.  Many people involved in this process are making great efforts to find the optimum safety solutions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.  In our role as sports field construction experts, we’re happy to help people face this challenge head-on with actionable tips and best practices.  We’ve summarized the top questions online users asked about indoor turf disinfecting during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on this page. 

Parents, coaches, student-athletes, and facility operators are trying to navigate this experience in the way they find to be the best for the current situation.  Continue reading to find out all of the relevant data regarding this topic.  

How long can coronavirus last on artificial grass?

Coronavirus lasts for different periods on different surfaces.  The lifespan of the virus can range from only a few hours to several days.  According to the data provided by the New England Journal of Medicine, of all of the materials included in their study, coronavirus has the longest life expectancy on plastic.  The virus can last on this material for up to 72 hours. 

Since the artificial grass blades are made from plastic, this means that Covid-19 unfortunately, has a potential life of up to three days on artificial grass turfs.

Artificial Turf Cleaner for Covid-19

A few months ago, we shared the best tips on effectively cleaning your hardwood gym floor to protect against the ongoing virus pandemic.  As a synthetic field owner or a sports facility operator, you might be wondering what the best solution is for disinfecting your turf and maintaining a virus-free environment for users.

The US Environmental Protection Agency lists several disinfectants that have been proven to be useful against Covid-19.  You can effectively disinfect your artificial indoor turf with ordinary soap or detergent featured on the EPA list of approved products. 

Based on the information from relevant health organizations, a mixture of 8 gallons of liquid detergent per 140 gallons of water effectively kills the infectious Covid-19 particles. 

We should also note that these solutions only address the infectious particles that exist on the turf at that moment.  They cannot prevent future exposure or limit the chances of the virus spreading again.  With proper cleaning practices, you can maintain a very safe indoor turf and protect your users from the coronavirus. 

Indoor Turf Disinfecting Best Practices 

Before cleaning your artificial grass turf, contact your turf provider for help on what products to use.  Some Covid-19 disinfectants can break down the glue that holds the fibers to the backing and damage the surface.  This can void your warranty.

If you also have an outdoor turf, you’ll be happy to hear that researchers found that prolonged exposure to UV light also degrades the coronavirus particles.  Artificial turfs can get incredibly hot during the summer months, and viruses can’t survive long on such a surface.

How to Minimize the Spread of Covid-19 in Your Facility

Proper artificial turf hygiene is an essential part of keeping student-athletes safe and healthy. Routinely disinfecting the indoor turf goes a long way in minimizing the potential spread of Covid-19.  With that being said, this is just one part of the bigger picture, as this virus spreads more from person to person than through contact with surfaces and objects.  With this in mind, it’s advisable to introduce certain rules and practices to minimize the chances of spreading the virus.

Steps to Take

The best way to minimize the spread of the virus is to educate all players, parents, and coaches on the importance of physical distancing, appropriate cleaning protocols, and other facility policies deemed necessary.

True, it’s not possible to maintain a physical distance in many sports.  In such cases, we recommend that you feature smaller participation sizes and create separate schedules for each group of students to reduce the virus’s chances of spreading within a larger group of student-athletes.

Lastly, keep in mind that sports facilities are still not allowed to reopen in some parts of the country.  Make sure to follow your local and state requirements to be certain of everything local legislators require from sports facilities regarding hygiene and user-safety during the pandemic.

The CDC and other health and public services are still actively learning about the virus, its methods of spreading, and how to fight against it.

Adapt to Covid-19 Updates and Keep your Turf Safe for Use

The coronavirus pandemic is an ever-changing situation, as continued research unveils new data and useful information on how to fight the virus and prevent it from spreading.  That said, one thing should never change.  User safety should always be the number one priority.

While there is no way to know what the future holds and how close the end of the pandemic is, it’s crucial to educate the public about the safety measures that can keep users safe when using artificial indoor turfs. 

It’s a challenging task, but you don’t have to tackle it alone.  If you have any other questions regarding this topic or need help keeping your artificial turf clean and safe, we urge you to contact us.  Please schedule a consultation through our quick online form. Or call our friendly customer representatives at (973) 801-7219.

John Scillieri

John Scillieri is the Founder and Managing Partner of J & J Gym Floors, bringing over three decades of expertise in hardwood flooring to the sports and fitness industry. Following in the footsteps of his father, a renowned hardwood floor professional, John launched J & J Gym Floors after graduating college, combining rich family tradition with innovative approaches to gym floor installation, maintenance, and customization.

With a passion for quality craftsmanship and a commitment to customer satisfaction, John has led J & J Gym Floors to become a trusted name in the industry. His hands-on approach and deep understanding of flooring technologies ensure that every project, from local school gymnasiums to professional sports arenas, receives the highest standard of care and attention to detail. When he's not transforming gym floors, John enjoys staying active and spending time with his family, always keeping an eye out for the next big trend in sports flooring.