I don't bother cleaning up the grasses until late winter up here --> I send DH out there to cut them all back, when the blades are removed it's easy to rake up any debris. I never had leaves/debris cause any rotting issues, but I am in a colder zone and they all completely die back overwinter.

I use a hand rake similar to this. And for smaller clumps, I just use my hands in my nitrile palmed garden gloves and gently rake my hands through to remove any debris.

mxk3, in milder zones, a good many grasses are evergreen, look very similar year round and are not routinely cut back. Cleaning them out (leaves, etc., dead fronds) is just a normal part of fall/early winter clean up.

I have nearly a dozen Calamagrostis foliosa, an evergreen grass that I rarely cut back. They need cleaning up. Even for grasses I cut back in early spring, I enjoy their winter foliage uncluttered by fallen leaves and other debris.

Gardengal, the rake you suggest looks like it’d do the job nicely. I’m thinking it would do it more quickly than fingers.

echo, I use it for a lot of other gardening chores as well. One of my most used tools!!

Yes, I figured that -- posted in case others in colder zones might benefit from the post.