Is your home driveway covered with a green, filthy layer of moss that ruins the front appearance and exterior of your property? Well, one of the most frequent issues with external concrete flooring is the development of moss. Moreover, many people mistakenly believe these basic plants are fungi, but they actually have chlorophyll in their small, green leaf carpets.
The ideal growing environment is a concrete surface that is shaded throughout the day and is situated in a moderately damp location. Remember that it is a safety threat as it makes walkways slippery, so someone might fall if they’re not careful. Hence, it is paramount to take adequate measures to get rid of it timely.
Fortunately, there are plenty of methods that can be followed to ensure complete removal of moss.
How to Clean Moss Off Concrete Surfaces?
1. Pressure Washer
With the assistance of the right tools and equipment, pressure washing is an extremely effective way to clean moss. Further, here are the steps to be followed:
- To determine the ideal setting for the concrete surface, see your pressure washer’s directions. You will probably want a low-pressure nozzle, such as one with a 40 or 25-degree angle.
- Use a protective plastic covering to protect the area you don’t want to get damp or damaged.
- Also, avoid aiming directly at the impacted area. The nozzle and the region should be separated by at least 50 centimetres.
- Move the nozzle nearer to the surface, but not more than 15 cm.
- To eliminate all of the moss, sweep the wand over the area while holding it in both hands.
2. Soda Crystals
If you don’t already have a bag of soda crystals, sometimes referred to as “washing soda,” you will need to buy one for this approach. Although most of us are accustomed to using it to remove stains or soften water, moss may also be effectively removed with this multipurpose cleaning powder.
- Apply the washing soda all over the place. This powder should not be confused with baking soda. Because baking soda and washing soda differ chemically, they won’t have the same results.
- Next, use water to wet the area. A soft bristle brush will work if you don’t have a watering pot. So, simply submerge the bristles in water and disperse the water onto the soda by swishing it around.
- Give it two to three days to work. To clear the moss, soda requires time, so be patient.
- Further, use a strong brush to scrub the yard. The moss is gone, but the place still has to be cleaned. It is time to scrape off the brown layer with a stiff brush!
- Gently clean the area with water. One last detail and your driveway is spotless!
3. Bleach Solution
Follow the given instructions to guarantee a smooth removal process, ultimately making sure that no moss is left on the floor screed:
- Mix one part household bleach with four parts water to create a bleach solution. It will diminish tough moss on concrete and stop it from growing again.
- Pour water into a bottle sprayer or garden sprayer and add some bleach. To protect your hands from direct contact with the solution, put on gloves.
- Further, evenly apply a layer of the bleach liquid over the surface of the affected area.
- It takes roughly a week for the moss to entirely disappear. If you are unsatisfied with the first coat of bleach spray, apply another one.
- After eliminating the dead moss with a scrub brush, give the area a garden hose rinse. Besides, do not rinse bleach onto other plants or surfaces.
4. Vinegar
One of the most readily available home substitutes for commercial cleaning agents is vinegar. Moreover, follow these tips:
- Make a vinegar mixture – pour a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water into a spray bottle.
- Leaving no spaces, apply the mixture to the entire affected region.
- Give the vinegar for two days to settle.
- After the allotted time has elapsed, see if the moss has dried out and become brown. If there are still any visible traces of green colour, give it one more go and wait until the moss has completely disappeared.
- Now, rinse off the moss from the concrete after removing it with a brush.
5. Washing Powder
It may surprise you to learn that moss on your driveway can be effectively cleaned with a high-quality washing powder. Also, it removes moss from driveways and stone pavers in the same manner it cleans oil and dirt from your clothes.
- While trying not to leave any gaps, thoroughly spread the powder evenly over the affected spot. Also, it is crucial to use a powdered detergent because liquid detergents won’t have the required impact. Additionally, use a powder bearing the label “Bio” to prevent polluting the environment.
- Now, you have to wait until it rains! This procedure gets a bit challenging since you have to pick a day when you know it’s going to rain and spread the solution just before it starts.
- Scrape off the green moss.
- Once the detergent does its job, a brownish mat of dead moss should appear in place of the green covering. To get rid of it, use a rigid brush.
- Clean up the place well.
- Make sure it dries completely because too much moisture will encourage the moss to regrow.
6. Boiling Water
Just boil a large pot of water and cover the mossy area with the boiling water. However, if the moss has spread widely over the yard, this approach may take some time to give a favourable outcome. So, it is possible that you would need to boil and pour a few times. Thus, you may ask your friends and family to assist you in boiling the water in multiple pots to save time.
Further, boiling water can burn your skin, so you should use extra caution when handling it. To hold the pot, use oven mitts. Additionally, to prevent mishaps, never carry more water than you can lift.
Takeaway
Because moss is a shade- and water-loving plant, sunlight is the most useful method to get rid of it. Moss thrives in moist floor screed surfaces, paved areas, and driveways that are frequently drenched in water. Therefore, you must determine that the troubled spots are receiving enough sunlight and are not excessively wet due to overwatering or leaking faucets.
In addition, large bushes and tree branches that significantly obscure sunlight are also a worth-noticing problem. So, trimming the huge shrubs and maintaining the height of the trees will help in letting in more light. Besides, you may choose any of the approaches mentioned above to clean the moth and prevent its development in the future.
