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Moss can take hold of patios and paving due to its high moisture retention and rough texture.
While patio slabs and tarmac are popular for their neat and attractive look as driveway surfaces, they often lose their newness when moss arrives.
To tackle moss, director of The Expert Gate Company Daniel Scholfield is adamant that bleach is the go-to for this job but cautions that proper dilution is crucial.
He said: “Any brand of bleach will work to kill moss on your driveway, but it needs to be diluted with water first.
“This is to prevent any discolouration on your driveway, allowing it to keep its original colour and preventing random stains.”
Daniel suggests a mix ratio for an effective bleach cleaning solution: “A ratio of five tablespoons of bleach to a gallon of water (roughly 3.7L) is practical for most cleaning uses of bleach, including on your driveway.”
He advised households to prepare the mix in a bucket before pouring it into a spray bottle for easier use.
Now, homeowners can evenly spray the affected patio or driveway areas with the diluted bleach in a spray bottle.
Daniel instructed to coat all affected zones uniformly with the “moss killer solution” for optimum results, advising: “Leave the bleach solution to soak on your driveway for around 15 minutes, giving the moss killer time to work its magic.”
Nevertheless, homeowners should be wary of leaving the solution on for an extended period as it may discolour the driveway.
After 15 minutes, Daniel recommends washing off all the bleach from the treated spots with warm water, possibly repeating the process multiple times to ensure no residue remains.
He warned: “If you miss any spots, this could negatively affect your driveway by causing discolouration, so take care with this step.”
Once the bleach is thoroughly washed off, allow some hours for the solution to continue acting. A tell-tale sign of effective treatment is moss turning yellow, indicating it has been killed.
A strong bristled brush should then be used to rigorously scrub away the now-dead moss from the driveway. This might demand significant effort, but Daniel assures that “the results are well worth it”.
He added: “With all of the moss removed, you’ll be left with a perfectly cleaned driveway that’ll look as good as new.”
After successfully eradicating the moss, Daniel suggests regular driveway sweeping as one of several measures to “stop it coming back”. This can inhibit the establishment of moss spores and seeds.
By regularly brushing your driveway, you can drastically lower the odds of moss gaining a foothold and spreading.
