Cleaning Moss From Bricks

If you have an unsightly growth of moss on your bricks, you are probably looking for a way to remove it. However, moss is very durable and will return if not destroyed completely.

Many methods of moss removal will actually only remove the visible growth, leaving the moss alive to grow back again. Fortunately, there is a way to get rid of moss that is growing on bricks that will not only kill the moss but keep it from growing back.

Setting Up

Before you do anything, you will need to get ready. First, mix equal amounts of bleach and water, and put the resulting mixture in your spray bottle. Get your safety goggles on—you will be sending bleach through the air, and you do not want any in your eyes.

Make sure all children and pets are kept out of the area as bleach is toxic. If you are working inside, open all doors and windows in your work area to keep it well-ventilated to minimize the effect of the toxic fumes that bleach can give off.

Finally, use your broom to remove as much surface moss as possible. This is not an effective way of removing moss, but it will allow the bleach easier access to the source of the moss, thus making it more effective.

Cleaning

Now that you are set up, you are ready to begin. Use your spray bottle to spray your mixture of bleach and water onto the areas most affected by moss. There is no reason to be stingy here—you can't use too much bleach, but it is very easy to use too little.

Soak the entire affected area and do the same with the entire surrounding area just to be safe. The mixture will work its way into the bricks and kill the moss at its source.

Finishing Up

Give the bleach some time to soak in and do its work, about 15-20 minutes. Go over the affected areas with a broom again to remove anything that may have come loose. Finally, rinse the whole area thoroughly with water to remove bleach left behind.

Alternatives

Sometimes, it is impossible to use bleach, or using bleach will have other, unacceptable side effects. For example, if you have plants in the area of your bricks, bleach will likely kill or damage them as well. If for whatever reason, you do not want to use bleach to remove the moss from your bricks, you are not out of luck.

You can use vinegar as an alternative. Again, use equal amounts of vinegar and water in your spray bottle—the steps otherwise remain the same. Be aware that vinegar is less effective than bleach at killing moss, so it is not the first choice; however, vinegar is better than nothing and may be perfectly capable of doing what you need.