So, you have moss on your roof, and you’re wondering how best to remove it without using any chemicals? You’ve come to the right place. Your roof is a crucial part of your house that needs proper maintenance to alleviate any future issues. Moss, algae, mildew, and other types of bacteria tend to grow on roofs in most houses.
Luckily, there are many ways to get rid of them. However, most of them involve the use of chemicals, which may not be that ideal. But, there are various ways to avoid using chemicals, and this post will outline them for you.
How To Remove Moss From Roof Without Chemicals
Method 1 – Manually
The first method you can use to remove moss from the roof is by doing it manually. This method involves properly scrubbing your roof where you’ll see the moss stains to ensure you remove them completely. Here are some of the steps you need to take to get rid of moss manually from your roof.
- Take a ladder and climb up the roof where the stains are. Make sure you do it carefully to avoid falling off the ladder.
- Use a DIY cleaning solution inside a garden sprayer and run the solution all over the affected area on your roof. You can also use a hose to run plain water on the roof to get rid of the dirt or dust.
- Rub off the moss gently as you run the plain water or DIY solution, but avoid scraping, scouring, or pounding on your roof. Rubbing the roof too roughly may result in damages, so you have to be careful.
- You should also avoid using a pressure washer if you don’t have a garden sprayer or hose.
- Finally, consider installing zinc or copper on your roof to prevent future moss growth.
Method 2 – Homemade Roof Moss Killer Recipes
Several homemade roof moss killer recipes you can use to help you get rid of moss on your roof. Check them out below.
- 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 White Distilled Vinegar + 2 Gallons of Water
8 Ounces Dawn Ultra Dish Soap + 2 Gallons of Water
Take the 8 ounces of Dawn Ultra Dish soap and mix it with 2 gallons of water. You need to have a large bucket that will accommodate the two gallons of water, which you’ll mix with the dish soap. I recommend using warm water as that is most effective when it comes to removing moss on roofs.
First, wet your roof with plain water thoroughly to ensure you get rid of any dirt, aside from the moss. Once you have the mixed solution, climb your roof using a ladder and spray or shower on the parts you see moss.
1 Pound Powdered Oxygen Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
Mix the 1 pound of powdered oxygen bleach with 2 gallons of warm water. Get a stiff-bristle scrub brush and then attach it to the end of a pole. You can also use a broom if you don’t have a pole. The next step is to climb up your roof and brush downward to loosen the moss. Take the oxygen bleach solution and apply it where the moss is growing on your roof.
Once you begin applying the solution to the moss, continue layering it to keep the moss damp for approximately 20 minutes. Use a brush to scrub the moss off your roof, right from top to bottom. After you’re done, rinse the roof with cold water.
1 ½ to 3 ½ cups Chlorine Bleach + 2 Gallons of Water
Take between 1 ½ and 3 ½ cups of chlorine bleach and mix with 2 gallons of water. Mixing chlorine bleach with water helps to dilute the chemical and make it safe for cleaning your roof. Once you have the mixed solution take a garden sprayer and pour all of it inside. Using a garden sprayer is easy and safe for your roof.
Take a ladder and climb your roof to where you see moss growing. Spray the solution with the garden sprayer. If you lack a garden sprayer, you can use a bucket to shower the solution all over the moss-affected area. Shower while scrubbing gently with a brush and once you’re done, wait for about 20 minutes to see if the moss has been removed. Repeat the process if there are still traces of moss on the roof.
1 ½ to 3 ½ Cups White Distilled Vinegar + 2 Gallons of Water
Mix between 1 ½ and 3 ½ cups of white distilled vinegar with 2 gallons of water in a bucket. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Take a ladder and climb your roof to inspect the areas with moss growing on them. Once you understand the size you need to spray on your roof, you can mix enough solution for it.
Take the solution and spray it on your roof, everywhere you see moss growing. However, you need to be careful when using this recipe to kill plants surrounding your home. Avoid contact with fruits, living tree branches, or vegetables around your house.
Once you’ve sprayed the solution appropriately, ensure you leave it for several days. Dig up the dead moss in your yard and destroy it. Ensure you get rid of all the moss on your roof by scraping gently with a brush.
Method 2 – Hose Off and Brush All Moss Loose from Your Roof Shingles
Place your ladder near the area where moss is growing on your roof. Ensure you’re wearing safe shoes or sandals when climbing to the roof. Once you’re on the roof, hose off the moss-growth area with plain water and spray downward at an angle.
After spraying:
- Use a long-handled soft-bristle scrub brush to get rid of the moss from your roof.
- Ensure you scrub from the top down to prevent lifting shingles.
- Continue rubbing gently but avoid scraping the roof. You can work in small sections at a time to avoid damaging your roof or breaking the shingles.
Method 3 – Changing PH Level
Another ideal method to alleviate moss growing on your roof is by changing the PH level. When you lower or increase the PH level, it’s a limiting factor that restricts the moss habitat and kills the moss completely. For example, research shows that moss has an optimum growth at PH 8.0 to 8.5, but having a PH of 3.5 restricts moss growth. However, moss can still grow on a PH of 7.8.
Another research has also shown that PH levels 3.5, 5.8, 6.4, and 7.8 have different effects on moss growth. Therefore, this also confirmed that moss growth is significantly affected by PH levels. Moss can comfortably grow in an environment with PH levels 5.0 to 6.0. Therefore, it’s difficult for moss to survive in an environment with PH level 7 and above.
You can change the environment of your roof to a PH level base that will make it difficult for moss growth. You can use products such as baking soda, salt, bleach, baking powder, and soap to do this. All you have to do is mix any of these products with water and apply the moss growing on your roof.
Method 4 – Power Washing
Power washing is another recommended method, but you need to note that it can be dangerous for your roof shingles. However, when you seek the assistance of a professional, you might get the right insights on how to do it best. There is also the option of using a low-pressure power wash to clean the roof and alleviate the moss growth.
Using the low-pressure power wash is the safest way to consider because it will prevent your roof from being damaged. Low-pressure power wash doesn’t damage your roof and can easily remove the growing moss without much hassle.
Method 5 – Soft Washing
Another common method to remove moss growing on your roof is through soft washing. With this method, you need to cover your roof with something suitable while preparing to get rid of the moss. The next step after covering the roof is to remove the moss manually by using hand tools.
After you physically remove the moss, smear a soft wash to the roof shingles and tiles using soft wash specialist equipment. This will automatically help to kill the moss on your roof.
Also, after you clean the roof, go ahead and clean the gutters to remove any remaining debris. The good thing about soft wash is that it’s environmentally friendly, and also completely removes all the moss and restores your roof to its original condition.
Method 6 – Blowing and Hand Cleaning
Blowing and hand cleaning is another way to remove moss growing on your roof. This is one of the easiest methods of maintaining your roof and keeping it in good condition. All you have to do is blow the roof once or twice a year to get rid of any debris, dirt, branches, and leaves that can facilitate moss growth on your roof.
That means you often have to inspect your roof to see any traces of moss growth or other bacteria. If you inspect the roof and discover signs of moss growth, dampen it with water and remove it with a nylon brush. When removing the moss, ensure you do it cautiously to avoid damaging the roof shingles and ending up with repairing costs.
Inspecting your roof can be done every three months, as this is an ideal time to ensure proper maintenance. Staying longer than that might make you find too much moss growing on your roof, which may require a lot of work to remove.
Method 7 – Laundry Strength Liquid Chlorine Bleach and Water
Fill up laundry strength liquid chlorine bleach in a bucket and add water. Mix these substances to ensure you completely dilute the chlorine bleach to make it harmless on your roof shingles. Spray the solution on the affected areas and wait for a short time. Wash off the solution to check whether the moss has been removed properly.
Wrap Up
Based on all the methods we’ve discussed in this post about removing moss from the roof without chemicals, it’s clear to see some methods are simple while others are a bit complex. Nevertheless, removing moss growth from your roof is important because it prevents damages and rust if the moss is left unattended.
We hope this post has helped you learn some of the ideal options you can use in your home’s roof. If you have any questions or feedback regarding our post, please reach out to us via email, and we’ll be happy to help.