Roofs are continually exposed to moisture and organic debris, leading to moss problems. Whether moss on your roof is caused by degradation, lack of maintenance, or the environment, you will need to treat your roof at least at one point during its life.
For this reason, it’s important to have a roof moss killer on hand so that you’re ready to clean your roof whenever the moss starts growing. While you can rely on premade moss killers for roofs, homemade moss killers are more natural and less expensive.
This article has included affordable, easy, and effective roof moss killer recipes that you can make at home. Let’s get started.
Homemade Moss Killer For Roofs – 5 DIY Ways
- 8 Ounces Dawn Ultra Dish Soap + 2 Gallons of Water
- 1 Pound Powdered Oxygen Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
- 1 ½ to 3 ½ Cups Chlorine Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
- 1 ½ to 3 ½ Cups Distilled Vinegar + 2 Gallons of Water
- 50:50 Mix of Laundry Strength Liquid Chlorine Bleach and Water
Is It Bad to Have Moss Growing on Your Roof?
Yes, having moss growing on your roof is bad. Ideally, moss typically grows well in dark, wet, and cool climates. However, moss is dangerous for all roof types, whether you have tiles, composite shingles, or cedar shakes. When these plants grow, they supply the roof with constant moisture, accelerating rotting and deterioration.
With time and if you don’t control the moss, they spread under tiles, shingles, and shakes, increasing the damage to other roof areas. If you continue to ignore them further, they damage the shingles’ protective layer and attract bugs and rodents, creating an opportunity for leaks and pest infestation.
Additionally, moss has a lot of weight that is usually subjected to the roof. A large moss mat is surprisingly heavy, spongy, and holds much water. This added weight on your roof can cause serious damage to specific areas, which can be risky to the house’s occupant.
What Causes Moss on Roof?
Moss grows well in cool, damp environments. So if moss is growing on your roof, it’s most likely you live in cooler areas of the country. Or it can grow in a section of your roof that doesn’t receive sunlight consistently.
Research shows that moss growing on any roof surface is more severe on roof sections shaded or periodically exposed to excellent weather conditions. This may either be the presence or absence of much sunlight on a roof surface. When a combination of shade and cool moisture on a roof surface, moss or lichens have a high chance of growing on it.
Moss growth on roofs can be drastic, and finding ways to tackle them before they grow too much is an essential factor to consider. Regular roof maintenance is a recommended remedy to handle and eliminate the problem.
Best Time of Year to Remove Moss from Roof
Knowing when to get rid of moss from the roof can significantly come in handy. If you have these plants growing on your roof, it’s obvious you may want to get rid of them as soon as possible. However, they might regrow, so you need to understand the best time of the year you’re supposed to get rid of them.
Moss doesn’t grow that much during the summer season. However, during the fall rains, moss can grow quickly and become out of hand. So, the best time to remove moss is in its pre-growth stage when it’s still vulnerable or anytime before the rain. And that is in summer and before peak fall rains.
If you wait until fall, the moss shall have reproduced, making them uncontrollable. Don’t get me wrong; you can still get rid of moss during fall. However, it will take much more effort than in other seasons when it’s not yet fully grown.
5 Homemade Roof Moss Killer Recipe
- 8 Ounces Dawn Ultra Dish Soap + 2 Gallons of Water
- 1 Pound Powdered Oxygen Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
- 1 ½ to 3 ½ Cups Chlorine Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
- 1 ½ to 3 ½ Cups Distilled Vinegar + 2 Gallons of Water
- 50:50 Mix of Laundry Strength Liquid Chlorine Bleach and Water
As I mentioned, you can find premade chemical-based roof moss killers designed specifically for your roof type. However, chemical-based products are likely to have negative effects on your roof, especially if they have respiratory problems.
So, to protect your roof and the people occupying the house, you want to make your moss killer using less intrusive chemicals. Also, making your moss killer is a cheap alternative because the products you’ll need are readily available in your home.
Here are five homemade roof moss killer recipes that you can make today to clean your roof. If you don’t find any of these recipes helpful, you can still remove moss from your roof without using detergents.
8 Ounces Dawn Ultra Dish Soap + 2 Gallons of Water
Dawn Ultra is a powerful dishwashing soap that can remove tough grease and grime. However, it also removes roof moss, algae, and lichens.
Requirements:
- Dawn ultra dish soap
- 2 gallons of water
- Large bucket
- Gloves
- Garden sprayer
- Ladder
Procedure:
- The first step is to mix 8 ounces of Dawn Ultra Dish Soap with 2 gallons of water in a large bucket.
- Once you have the mixture in the large bucket, pour it inside a garden sprayer.
- Wear your gloves.
- Take your ladder and use it to climb your roof.
- Inspect the moss growth area and spray the solution using the garden sprayer.
- Wait for 15 or 20 minutes for the moss to soak in the solution.
- Rinse with plain water and check if the moss has been fully removed.
- If there’s a bit of moss remaining, repeat the process until your roof is free from the growing moss.
1 Pound Powdered Oxygen Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
Yes, you can use oxygenated bleach on roofs. This type of bleach is safe to use on roofing materials and will not damage the shingles or other components of the roof. Oxygenated bleach is a powerful cleaning agent that can remove stubborn stains and dirt from surfaces. It is also effective at killing mold and mildew.
Requirements:
- 1 pound of powdered oxygen bleach
- 2 gallons of water
- Large bucket
- Garden sprayer
- Gloves
- Ladder
Procedure:
- Take the 1 pound of powdered oxygen bleach and mix it with 2 gallons of water in a large bucket.
- Ensure the solution is well mixed in the large bucket before pouring it into the garden sprayer.
- Wear gloves to prevent the bleach from coming into contact with your skin.
- Take the ladder and climb your roof.
- Shower or spray the solution on the moss growing on your roof.
- Spray thoroughly until you ensure every moss growing on the roof is well soaked with the solution.
- Wait for approximately 20 minutes.
- Rinse with plain water and check whether all the moss has been removed.
- If there is still some moss remaining, spray the bleach solution again until you alleviate all the moss, and finally rinse with plain water.
1 ½ to 3 ½ Cups Chlorine Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
You can also make chlorine bleach for roofs, but it is important to use the correct dilution and to test on a small area first. Also, when using chlorine bleach, always wear protective clothing.
Requirements:
- Chlorine bleach
- 2 gallons of water
- Large bucket
- Garden sprayer
- Ladder
- Gloves
Procedure:
- Take between 1 ½ and 3 ½ cups of chlorine bleach and mix with 2 gallons of water in a large bucket.
- Ensure you dilute the chlorine with water to prevent it from harming your roof shingles.
- Wear your gloves to protect your hands from the chlorine bleach.
- Pour the mixed solution into the garden sprayer.
- Climb the roof with your ladder.
- Sprayer or shower the solution on the growing moss on your roof.
- Wait for 20 minutes and then rinse with plain water.
- Check to confirm if all the moss has been removed.
- Spray the solution again if there’s some moss remaining.
1 ½ to 3 ½ Cups Distilled Vinegar + 2 Gallons of Water
Combine one part distilled vinegar with ten parts water. Unlike chlorine bleach, which may harm your roof shingles over time, distilled vinegar is quite safe.
Requirements:
- 1 ½ to 3 ½ cups of distilled vinegar
- 2 gallons of water
- Large bucket
- Garden sprayer
- Ladder
Procedure:
- Take between 1 ½ and 3 ½ cups of distilled vinegar, depending on how much moss has grown on your roof.
- Mix the vinegar with 2 gallons of water in a large bucket.
- Pour the solution into the garden sprayer and climb the roof with your ladder.
- Check everywhere the moss is growing and spray the solution.
- Wait between 15 and 20 minutes for the moss to soak in the solution.
- Rinse thoroughly with plain water.
50:50 Mix of Laundry Strength Liquid Chlorine Bleach and Water
This is also a great homemade recipe you can utilize to get rid of moss growing on your roof. Here’s how to do it.
Procedure:
- Take the laundry strength liquid chlorine bleach and mix it with water in a ratio of 50:50.
- Use a large bucket to mix the solution.
- Pour in a garden sprayer.
- Climb your roof using a ladder and spray on the growing moss.
- Wait for at least 15 minutes.
- Rinse with plain water and check whether the moss is removed correctly.
- Repeat the process if there’s still moss remaining.
Other Non-Chemical Ways to Remove Moss from Roof
There are also other non-chemical ways to remove moss from your roof. Check them out below.
Scrapping
Roof scrapping is one way to get rid of moss without using chemicals. Although it’s difficult to scrape the moss off your roof, if you have the patience and willingness to do it, you can go ahead and use aluminum material for the job.
Aluminum is safe because it’s not too hard like steel. Once you crape, you can rinse off with plain water using a garden hose.
Power Washing
Power washing uses high-pressure or low-pressure water to clean your roof and remove moss. The good thing about this method is that it doesn’t involve using chemicals. However, you can consider using quality biodegradable pressure washer-safe detergent to tackle the moss appropriately.
Hosing and Brushing
With this process, all you need to do is place a ladder close to where the moss grows and hose off using a water pipe until all the moss is removed. However, you need to be careful and avoid damaging your roof shingles.
Blowing and Hand Cleaning
You can also blow the moss growth on your roof with low water pressure and use your hand to clean with a brush. This is an easy process because you only need a water pipe, ladder, and brush to get rid of the moss.
Also Read– Using bleach to clean roof shingles
Roof Maintenance Tips to Prevent Moss Growth
Here are some tips to keep in mind and prevent moss growth on your roof:
- Regularly clean your roof and check for any bacteria growing there.
- Always keep your attic well ventilated.
- If you have trees growing around your compound, ensure you often trim overhanging branches.
- Make sure you replace the caulk around flashing as required.
Conclusion
It’s common for moss to grow on roofs, but this is something you can prevent by implementing the proper roof maintenance tips we’ve just shared in this post. In addition, there are many tips for homemade moss killer for roofs, so make sure you’re using the right ones depending on your needs.
I hope this post has helped you learn ideal ways to tackle moss growth on your roof. But, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out through email.