There are many reasons why people might want to give their lawns a nice clean-up. The purchase of a new home with a shoddy looking lawn or just the realization that their own lawns are looking very old and downtrodden lately can inspire many to pull out their gardening tools and start taking a hard look at their lawns. The following are some specifics that should be looked for when trying to decide if the lawn needs some repair:

• Worn down areas that get heavy traffic and haven't grown back
• Weeds populating the lawn
• Bare spots
• Dead-looking areas where pets may have used the bathroom or something was spilled

The good news is that lawn repair and renovation is a simple task and one that isn't likely to break the bank. The following are some tips for how to make any old ugly lawn look spritely and new again.

Remove All Clutter

The first step is to remove all of the things that shouldn't be there. This includes weeds but also extends to things such as moss and any bits of debris like pieces of broken toys from a lawn where children often play or garbage. Once all of the debris is removed, it's time to pull up the weeds and moss. This may take a while if the yard is particularly overgrown with them. Some people turn to special formulas such as weed killers to do this job for them or to keep the weeds away once they've all been pulled up.

Apply Top Soil

Once everything that does not belong on or in the lawn is gone, the next step is to apply top soil over the lawn. Top soil is the first two inches of soil in the lawn and it generally has the highest concentration of organic matter for plants to pull nutrients from. Plants concentrate their roots in this layer to obtain nutrition and grow. This is why it's so important to have a healthy layer of top soil. Erosion is a common problem in which the top soil is blown away or washed away and so it is important to monitor the top soil regularly to be sure that it is still in place, as little plant life is possible without it!

Scatter Lawn Seed

Many people use turf to create lawns. Turf is basically squares of grass that are transplanted from a turf farm to the area wanting to become a lawn. In the case of a neglected lawn, turf will very likely be unnecessary though it could be useful for fixing any bald patches that do not respond to the normal treatment described here. Most of the time, all that will be needed to renew the lawn is to scatter lawn seed evenly over the area and concentrate more in areas that need more (such as those bare spots and worn-down areas).

Apply Granular Fertilizer

Granular fertilizers (as opposed to their liquid counterparts) feed the grass in a natural way via the root systems. They take longer to soak in than do liquid fertilizers and also do not provide the "instant green" look that a liquid fertilizer might. Nonetheless, for long-term lawn care and not just a touch-up, they are quite useful. Obtaining them is as easy as finding the right combination for the individual's lawn. Many lawn and garden stores create special mixes for their own uses and so there are many choices.

Generally a lawn care store will rent out or sell spreaders that allow for the proper amount of fertilizer to be dropped over each area. These pellets can sometimes stain carpets if tracked inside so it is important to always check the bottoms of any shoes before returning indoors.

Water The Area

The fertilizer pellets should be properly watered into the lawn to give them a greater chance of not being washed or blown away and wasted. Watering in general is good for plants but it is important not to give too much water! Lawns in the process of being repaired will need more to grow on than normal lawns might and it is difficult to give too much water but it is possible. Just be sure to use moderation and not keep sprinkler systems on all day and night and your lawn will be on its way to a healthy and natural new green!