Why Artificial Turf Smells Worse During Arizona Summers

If you have artificial grass and a dog, you know the dreaded summer smell. During the cooler winter months, your yard might smell perfectly fine. But the moment May arrives and the temperatures spike over 100 degrees, stepping into your backyard feels like stepping into a giant litter box. Why does artificial turf smell so much worse during the Arizona summer? ### The Science of Uric Acid When your dog urinates on natural grass, the soil microbes break down the nitrogen. Artificial turf is sterile, so the urine simply dries up. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind highly concentrated uric acid and ammonia crystals trapped in the infill sand and backing. ### Heat as an Accelerator Heat acts as a massive accelerator for chemical off-gassing. When the intense Arizona sun beats down on your synthetic grass, the surface temperature can exceed 150 degrees. This extreme heat bakes the dormant ammonia crystals, causing them to rapidly turn into gas—which is the horrific odor you smell. ### The Humidity Factor During the Arizona monsoon season, we experience higher humidity and scattered rain. Moisture reactivates the dormant bacteria living in the pet waste, causing them to multiply rapidly and release even more gas. ### The Permanent Fix Spraying your yard with the hose during summer actually makes the smell worse because you are providing the moisture the bacteria need to thrive! The only permanent solution is to destroy the crystals. Our [Turf Deodorizing](/services/turf-deodorizing) service uses high-pressure extraction to flush the backing, followed by a heavy saturation of bio-enzymes that physically eat the uric acid. Stop hiding inside—reclaim your backyard this summer with Heroes Turf Cleaning!