If you have pavers in your garden that spend a large part of the day in the shade and are exposed to plenty of rain, you might find that over time, they will be covered in moss.
I have a brick path that leads from my verandah to my back garden and I have to clean off the moss on these at least once a year to keep them looking clean. Plus, moss can also be slippery and this can be quite hazardous if the pavers experience a lot of foot traffic.
There are plenty of ways to remove moss from your pavers. Some of these involve chemicals that you can purchase from Bunnings or your nearest hardware store while others involve using common household products that you already have.
Use vinegar to kill moss
Many of you will be aware that I prefer not to use too many harsh chemicals in my garden. I much prefer to use more natural options, even if that means putting in a little more work.
Vinegar can be a useful product to have in the home and it has various uses around the garden. It will kill your moss fairly quickly when poured straight onto your pavers.
It’s possible just to use normal white vinegar that you will already have in your pantry, or you can purchase some special cleaning vinegar. This is slightly more potent.
What to do
- Pour the vinegar onto the moss on your pavers. Make sure that you don’t splash any onto plants growing nearby.
- Leave the vinegar to sit for around an hour.
- Use a stiff scrubbing brush to eliminate the moss from the pavers.
- Hose off any remaining moss and vinegar. A pressure washer is also good for this.
Precautions
Bear in mind that vinegar will damage or kill any plants that it comes into contact with. Especially, if you’re using it undiluted. Therefore, you want to take care that the vinegar does not come into contact with any of your precious plants.
Use baking soda to remove the moss
Baking soda not only makes a great cleaning product for around the home but it also has numerous uses around the garden. One of these is it will help to remove the moss on your pavers.
As a bonus, baking soda is a great neutraliser and can prevent the moss from growing back.
What to do
- Make sure that the moss is damp.
- Sprinkle baking soda liberally over the moss on your pavers.
- Wait for the moss to dry.
- Now you can just sweep it off with a garden broom or stiff-bristled brush.
- Rinse the pavers with water to remove any residue.
Use bleach to kill the moss
Bleach is another common household product that you can use to eliminate the moss from your pavers. Just be sure to test a small area first to ensure that the bleach will not discolour your pavers in the process.
What to do
- Make up a solution using equal parts of water and bleach.
- Pour this directly onto your pavers.
- Leave the solution sitting on the pavers for around fifteen minutes.
- Use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the moss off the pavers.
- Rinse off the remaining bleach solution preferably with a high-pressure washer.
Precautions
Like vinegar, the bleach solution will damage or even kill, any plants that it comes into contact with. So, take extreme care if there are plants growing around your pavers.
Use boiling water on small areas
If only a small section of your pavers has moss growing on it, you can even just use boiling water to kill the moss.
What to do
- Pour some boiling water from the kettle directly onto the moss.
- Use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the moss off.
- Alternatively, you can use a high-pressure washer to remove the moss from your pavers.
Use a commercial moss remover
You can purchase a moss-removing product from Bunnings or your nearest hardware store. These products are designed to kill the moss so that it is easy to remove.
What to do
- Read the directions on the label.
- Apply the moss remover as per the instructions.
- Leave for the period of time indicated in the instructions.
- Use a garden broom to sweep off the dead moss. Or, you can use a high-pressure washer to wash it off.
Precautions
Before applying the moss remover to all of your pavers, make sure that you test it on a small section first. This will allow you to check that the product will not stain or damage your pavers.