How Soon Can Kids & Pets Use a Lawn After Treatment? (2024)

FAQs

How Soon Can Kids & Pets Use a Lawn After Treatment? ›

When a Fertilized Lawn Is Safe for Dogs & Pets. Like children, dogs and other pets also enjoy playing and running through the grass. But after fertilizing, it's also best practice to limit their use of the lawn for 24-72 hours.

Wait two days before letting people on the lawn. Make sure your lawn is completely dry before stepping on the lawn. Don't let kids run on the lawn with bare feet if it's been fertilized recently.

It is common practice to wait at least 24-72 hours before letting your dog go back on the lawn. After this period, the fertilizer is absorbed entirely into the soil. Before letting your dog free again, it is also good to water the lawn.

The most dangerous time for cats and dogs to ingest or come in direct contact with fertilizer is during and shortly after its application. Regardless of the type of fertilizer, cats and dogs should never be allowed to roam on a recently fertilized lawn.

They may also end up digesting some of the chemicals while playing. After a fertilization treatment, it's best to wait until the lawn has gotten a good watering or a solid rainfall, and then wait yet another 24-72 hours before letting them back on the lawn.

Most conventional lawn herbicides (pesticides that kill weeds) are toxic to children. As previously stated, they increase the risk of a number of childhood diseases. Some children will be affected, and others will not. However, it is difficult to know whether your child will be affected.

For pesticides applied as granules, options include: Keep children and pets off the treated area as long as granules are still visible. If the granules are supposed to be watered in, keep off of the treated area until the granules are completely watered in and the lawn has dried.

In most cases when a dog has been exposed to toxic amounts of an herbicide, they exhibit gastrointestinal symptoms. However, exposure to larger quantities or small amounts over a longer period (chronic exposure) can lead to severe neurologic and cardiovascular impairment.

However, a 2013 study showed that lawn chemicals remain on sprayed surfaces for at least 48 hours after application. So, to be safe, you really shouldn't allow dogs (or children) on a chemically-treated lawn for at least 3 days after it's been sprayed.

When can families and pets return to serviced areas? After a service, TruGreen advises customers to allow the application to dry before families and pets resume enjoying their lawns.

Is Scotts Turf Builder safe for kids and pets? ›

A: Pets and children should be removed from the area prior to an application of Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action. They may return to the treated area once the product has been watered in and allowed to dry. If you're unsure of the drying time, wait 24 hours.

Almost any chemical product that is designed to kill an aspect of your natural lawn—insecticide, pesticide, herbicide, etc. —will be a detriment to your and your dog's health in the long run. Even many chemical fertilizers are dangerous as well.

After a service, TruGreen advises customers to allow the application to dry before their families and pets can resume enjoying their lawns. Depending on weather conditions, the drying process usually takes from 1-2 hours.

It's generally recommended to wait about 24-72 hours after a fertilizer application before letting your kids go back onto the grass and to also ensure your lawn is watered well before the kids go back to playing in the grass.

Any type of chemical can leave particles behind that may stick around for longer than you think. Studies show that even though most weed killer bottles say that you and your pets should keep off sprayed lawns for only 6 to 24 hours, chemical residue can linger on surfaces for up to 48 hours after application.

So, generally, once you're done seeding you should limit foot traffic for at least 3-4 weeks. Cool-weather grasses usually take a couple of weeks to sprout, but giving it a little longer to grow will help its root system to take hold.

Pesticides should never be applied when students or employees are in the area or may be in the area within 24 hours of the application.

"If you're trying to get rid of the bulk of the exposure, you want to be off of [a treated area] for at least two days, and I would say more like three," Ginsberg says. It is not just direct exposure to sprayed areas that presents a concern.