If your turf uses infill and a dog uses your yard, the best setup for most New Jersey homes is an antimicrobial coated sand as the main ballast (Envirofill is the best-known example) plus a zeolite odor infill (such as ZeoFill OdorZorb) brushed into the spots where your dog actually goes. Coated sand holds the turf down and sheds water instead of soaking up urine. Zeolite is designed to capture ammonia, which is the source of the smell. Plain silica sand is the budget choice but tends to hold odor. Crumb rubber is a poor fit for dog areas. If you're installing new pet turf, also consider a system that needs no infill at all. Disclosure: DreamFields USA is a New Jersey turf installer and maintenance company. We don't sell or distribute any infill brand, and no manufacturer paid for this page.
Infill is the granular layer brushed down between turf blades. On most landscape turf it holds the carpet flat, keeps the blades upright, and protects the backing from sun. With a dog in the yard it takes on a second job, and that job decides whether the yard smells fine or smells like a kennel by the middle of July.
Urine soaks down through the blades. Some of it drains through the backing and into the stone base. Some of it stays in the infill. When urine sits in a warm, damp layer, bacteria break down the urea and release ammonia, which is the sharp smell owners notice on hot days. So the infill you pick changes how much urine stays near the surface, whether bacteria have a comfortable place to grow, and how easily a hose or rainstorm can flush it.
New Jersey's climate makes the difference obvious. Humid summers with heat waves speed up the ammonia process, and a run of dry weeks means nothing flushes the turf unless you do it. In winter, freeze-thaw cycles and ice-melt residue are a different kind of stress on the turf. If the base is draining well, the right infill makes all of that easier to manage. If it isn't, no infill will fix it.
Related DreamFields guides: best artificial turf for dog runs compares the turf products themselves; infill types compared covers infill for every use, not just pets; and how to remove pet odor from artificial turf covers cleaning. This page is the infill-selection step for dog owners.
| Infill | What it is | How it handles odor | Published notes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZeoFill OdorZorb | Natural clinoptilolite zeolite mineral granules | Absorbs urine and traps ammonia within the granule, per ZeoFill | ZeoFill says a 40 lb bag covers up to 25 sq ft and recommends applying it on top of the turf and brushing it into the thatch. It describes the product as OMRI listed and non-toxic. | Odor control in the spots dogs use most, added to an existing lawn or a new install |
| Envirofill (Motz) | Rounded sand grains fully encapsulated in a colored acrylic/polymer coating with Microban antimicrobial protection | Coating sheds water instead of absorbing it. Motz says the Microban treatment reduces ammonia odor from pet urine by up to 99%. | Motz says the antimicrobial is infused in the coating and won't wash off, that it moved to a heavy-metal-free Microban technology in 2024, and that Envirofill exceeds ASTM limits for heavy metals in children's toys. Offered in green, black, red and tan. | Primary ballast for pet yards; works on its own or under a zeolite top layer |
| Safeshell (Motz) | Crushed walnut shells | Organic infill with some natural odor control. Motz's own comparison recommends Envirofill over Safeshell when pet odor is the main concern. | Plant-based and good drainage, per Motz | Owners who want a natural, non-mineral infill and have light pet use |
| Plain silica sand | Uncoated quartz sand | No odor mechanism. Uncoated grains can hold urine, which coated-sand and zeolite makers both cite as a cause of lingering smell. | Cheapest common ballast | Turf without pets, or a budget install where a zeolite layer goes on top |
| Crumb rubber | Recycled tire rubber granules | None for pets. Rubber retains heat, and dogs can chew it or track it inside. | Common on sports fields, not designed for pet yards | Not recommended for dog areas |
| No infill (pet-specific turf) | Turf built to be installed without infill, such as ForeverLawn K9Grass | Nothing granular to hold urine. Liquid passes through a flow-through backing, per ForeverLawn. | Requires a turf product designed for it. Don't remove infill from a turf that specifies it. | New dog runs, kennels and high-traffic pet areas |
Zeolite is a natural volcanic mineral with a porous, honeycomb-like structure that carries a negative charge. ZeoFill, one of the best-known pet turf brands, describes its OdorZorb infill as clinoptilolite zeolite that absorbs urine and holds the ammonium so it doesn't escape as ammonia gas. The company sells it in 40 lb bags and says each bag covers up to 25 square feet.
Placement is where owners go wrong. ZeoFill recommends applying OdorZorb on top of the turf and working it down into the thatch with a power broom or stiff brush, so it sits where urine actually lands. The company says it can also go under the turf as a second layer, but doesn't recommend using it only underneath. Spreading a few bags under the carpet during installation and never adding more is a common reason owners decide zeolite "doesn't work."
Zeolite also has limits. It captures odor, it doesn't clean. ZeoFill itself recommends pairing it with an enzyme cleaner when urine smell returns. Solid waste still has to come up right away, and a spot one dog uses many times a day may still need extra rinsing in a heat wave. Think of zeolite as the layer that buys you time between cleanings, not one that replaces them.
Coated sand starts with rounded sand grains and wraps each one in a durable coating. Motz, which makes Envirofill, says its coating fully encapsulates each grain, keeps the product dust-free, and lets it shed water instead of absorbing it. That alone is a real advantage over raw sand in a dog yard, because urine has less porous material to soak into.
Envirofill adds an antimicrobial. Motz says Microban protection is infused into the coating during manufacturing, so it won't wear or wash off over the life of the infill. The company says it moved to Microban's heavy-metal-free LapisShield technology in 2024, and that the treatment reduces ammonia odor from pet urine by up to 99% by disrupting the bacterial process that creates it. Motz also says Envirofill exceeds ASTM standards for heavy metals in children's toys and was found exempt from California's Prop 65 labeling after an outside evaluation.
Coated sand also works as structural ballast. It holds the turf flat and supports the blades, so it can be the main infill in a pet yard instead of an add-on. Many installers use it as the base layer and add zeolite on top in the urine spots. That combination is the one we recommend most often for NJ dog owners with infilled turf.
We'll check your infill depth and drainage, deep-clean the turf, and quote an infill refresh with the specific product and rate written into the scope.
Get a QuoteCrushed walnut shell is a plant-based infill that appeals to owners who don't want minerals or coatings. Motz, which makes Safeshell, describes it as organic with good drainage and some natural odor control. In Motz's own comparison with Envirofill, though, the company recommends Envirofill when pet odor is the main concern. That's an honest signal from a company that sells both. Walnut shell is also not a good fit if anyone in the household has a tree nut allergy, so ask before choosing it.
Raw sand is the cheapest common ballast and works well under turf that never sees a dog. In pet yards it has a known weakness: the uncoated grains can hold urine, which both Motz and ZeoFill point to as a cause of lingering smell. If budget means silica sand is the main ballast, add a zeolite top layer in the urine areas and plan on more frequent rinsing.
Recycled rubber is a sports-field infill. It holds heat in the sun, dogs can chew and swallow it, and it tracks indoors. Our dog run turf guide explains why reused landscape turf with rubber infill is one of the most common problem setups we see. If you've inherited a rubber-filled yard and have a dog, swapping it out is usually part of fixing the odor.
Some pet turf is built to go in without infill. ForeverLawn markets K9Grass as an infill-free system whose knitted flow-through backing lets liquid pass straight through. With nothing granular in the turf, there's nothing to hold urine near the surface, which is why these systems are common in dog runs, daycares and kennels. Our dog run comparison covers those products in more detail.
The catch: this only works if the turf was designed for it. Pulling infill out of a landscape turf that specifies it can let the carpet shift, flatten the blades, and leave the backing exposed to sun, and it may affect the warranty. If your turf calls for infill, choose a better infill rather than removing it.
We start with drainage, because no infill fixes a base that holds water. Then we measure infill depth in several places, identify the urine areas, and deep-clean the turf before adding anything. A written quote names the infill product, the amount and where it goes, whether existing infill stays or comes out, and how often we recommend maintenance visits. Pricing depends on yard size, how much infill has to be removed or added, access, and the product, so we quote after a site visit. Our infill replacement cost guide explains what drives the number.
Tell us how many dogs use the yard, where they go, and what you're smelling. We'll visit, check drainage and infill depth, and send a written scope that names the infill product and rate.
Get a QuoteFor most New Jersey yards with infilled turf, the strongest setup is an antimicrobial coated sand such as Envirofill as the main ballast, with a zeolite odor infill such as ZeoFill OdorZorb brushed into the areas where the dog actually urinates. Coated sand holds the turf down and drains without soaking up urine, and zeolite is made to capture ammonia. Plain silica sand is the budget option but tends to hold odor, and crumb rubber is a poor choice for dog areas.
Zeolite helps, but it isn't a substitute for cleaning. ZeoFill describes its clinoptilolite zeolite as absorbing urine and trapping ammonia before it becomes an odor gas. Even ZeoFill recommends pairing it with an enzyme cleaner when odor shows up. Solid waste still has to be picked up and heavy-use spots still need rinsing.
Silica sand isn't toxic in a yard, but uncoated sand grains are porous enough to hold urine, which is why both coated-sand and zeolite makers point to it as a common cause of lingering odor. It's the cheapest ballast and works for turf without pets. For dog areas, a coated sand or a zeolite top layer is usually worth the extra cost.
Not always. Some pet-specific turf systems are designed to go in without infill. ForeverLawn, for example, markets K9Grass as an infill-free system with a knitted flow-through backing. If your turf manufacturer specifies infill, follow that spec, because skipping it can affect how the turf wears and what the warranty covers.
It depends on how many dogs use the yard, how often you rinse, and how much infill is lost to brushing and storms. Check the infill depth at least once a year, and check heavy-use urine spots more often. DreamFields measures depth during cleaning visits and quotes a top-up only when the turf actually needs one.
Sources (accessed October 16, 2026): ZeoFill OdorZorb Pet Turf Infill product page; ZeoFill FAQ; Motz: Envirofill's Microban technology; Motz: Envirofill for pets; Motz: Are Envirofill and Microban safe?; Motz: Safeshell vs. Envirofill; Microban: antimicrobial infill for artificial turf; K9Grass by ForeverLawn FAQ. Product claims are the manufacturers' own and may change, so confirm them on the quote.