How To Get Rid Of Moss

Moss is typically a non-toxic plant that grows in moist, shady areas. It can be found on the ground and in trees. Moss is not harmful to humans or animals – unless it has been contaminated with toxic substances such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or heavy metals. 

The problem is that this is more common than one expects and can cause bad consequences if not dealt with.

In this article, we will discuss strategies for removing moss from buildings, trees, and hard surfaces – let’s get started.

Use a hose to spray the moss with water

Turn the water on to a full spray. You may need to spray the moss for at least five minutes to make it start washing off, even if you are using hot water.

Image Credit: http://bobvila.com

Move the hose around while spraying. Try not to hold it in one place too long and will take longer than necessary to clean off the moss.

Rinse with warm/hot water

Use a sponge or soft cloth soaked in warm/hot water and scrub off as much of the dead moss as possible so that only live, green moss is visible. Do not worry about getting 100% of the dead moss removed just yet; we’ll get back to that later, but for now, focus on getting the green stuff off.

Once you have removed all visible green moss from the tree or building, it is time to remove the dead (brown) moss on your bark/building.

Use a hose or water sprayer and direct the nozzle tip near to, but not directly on the bark/building. Spray for at least 5 minutes in one area before moving on. If you are using hot water, do not leave it on that spot for more than 30 seconds, and be sure to check if there is any moss left after every 10-15 second pass with your sprayer (by not spraying). 

Also, keep an eye on where the moss is getting washed away so that you can make sure to get all of it at once. Otherwise, you may miss a small patch that will grow back quickly because you did not rinse it off well enough.

This may take some time; you will probably have to go back and re-clean spots where the moss is growing again the next day. The only remedy for this is to spray them every day until no green remains.

Scrape off as much of the moss as possible with a hard brush or putty knife

The problem with just letting the hose run on moss is that it will not remove 100% of the dead moss from your bark/building (unless you spray for days and days) and in fact, each successive spraying/rinsing session will re-contaminate your tree or building.

What you must do in between each spraying session is scrape off as much of the old moss growth as possible by using a hard brush or putty knife and then scrubbing with hot soapy water.

Saturate with a wetting agent

Apply a wetting agent to the dried-on dead moss. This is usually applied with a spray bottle and saturates the area 5-10 minutes later. The benefit of using this product is that it will leach into the porous surface, even wood, to kill all remaining moss cells (that you couldn’t scrape off). 

It will also act as an emulsifier that helps break down the old bark/surface and remove any remaining green moss from your tree or building. Although potentially hazardous to fish if used in large quantities, it has low toxicity for humans unless ingested or touched directly on the skin. This can be purchased from any home improvement store.

The use of a wetting agent is highly recommended, but it is not necessary. If you choose to do this, make sure you get 100% coverage of the dead moss first and then spray immediately afterward with hot water so that the moss doesn’t have time to regrow/cure before your spray hits it. 

Also note that when using these products, there is no need for an emulsifier as they are already mixed into the solution.

Mix two cups of bleach and one gallon of water in a bucket, then pour it on the affected area.

This is effective yet not highly recommended because bleach can be highly corrosive and will significantly damage your tree/building (but it will kill the moss). Also, you won’t know if all of the green has been rinsed off until after you hose it down with water and then find out too late there was more that wouldn’t come off. 

Scrape away any residue or dead moss that remains

After using a wetting agent or a powerful sprayer, there are probably some remaining bits of dead moss from before. Look at every surface closely to ensure evenness; rotten wood should show up if you search hard enough.

If you’ve had to remove paint, this may take a while but it’s better to be thorough with it right now than have green patches growing on your house or tree next year. 

Speaking of houses, if you’re considering building your own house, taking a proactive approach to the problem of moss is a good idea before you even start..

One more thing that is important when removing moss from trees and buildings is how much of the bark you want to remove. Although safer, thicker growths (or those that have been there for many years) will act as an insulator against cold weather and therefore should not be removed; thinner bark or green-colored patches at least 2 mm thick are highly recommended for removal due to their danger in insulation and failure rate for rooting plants.

Best Time of Day

Do not use your hose during the heat of the midday sun because it can lead to over-spray that could cause harm to your tree/building and living plants in general. It is best if you do this job at dusk or dawn when there are fewer people around so as not to waste water in unnecessary places. 

Also, the hot sun may cause moss to grow back more quickly since it is soaked in water and is still baking in the heat at night.

Use a Fertilizer Spray

Here’s how: 

Mix 1 part fertilizer for every 10 parts water (use warm water when this mixture is on bark/building), then spray on all areas where you see green growth near your home or business. 

Use a different mixture of 2 parts fertilizer for every 4 parts water for wooded areas, which are less likely to be affected by runoff into your buildings than trees that are close to your property. When making these diluted fertilizers, use only regular dry chemicals such as superphosphate, since liquid types could damage plants and affect animals if they touch the over-spray.

How do you eliminate black mold growing on concrete floors?    

You may have noticed mold growing on your concrete floor after a few days of non-use. This is very prevalent in colder climates where there is water inside the concrete slab or when moisture has been trapped indoors below grade or around windows by an air barrier. These molds, however, can be removed with standard cleaning methods (do not use bleach.) followed by sealing to limit future growth. 

Image Credit: http://thegrasspeople.com

The best method to control this type of mold from taking over is through permanent measures such as installing insulation and vapor barriers to limit the amount of moisture that enters the space and adding a dehumidifier if large amounts of humidity are present.

Final thoughts on how to get rid of moss

In conclusion, when removing mold it is important to make sure you remove all traces from your home or business and to not spread the mold spores to other places. This means removing all of the contaminated materials and fixing any problems that may be causing excess moisture in your home/building.

Remember, those who suffer from allergies or respiratory problems may be very sensitive to mold. Those with chronic illnesses such as asthma or emphysema should avoid it at all costs, especially when they are performing any type of physical activity outdoors. By following the tips above, you will be able to get rid of most moss without the risk of harming yourself or others.

Finally, once you’re learning about how to get rid of unwanted stuff, why not continue learning about how to deep clean your carpets

 

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