In autumn, our terraces tend to become covered with moss. This is normal, but not very aesthetic, the phenomenon develops due to the lack of sun and ambient humidity. Before switching to environmentally bad and expensive chemical herbicides, don’t hesitate to use natural methods that work, here are a few!
General tips before you start
Before you run out to buy herbicides, first try to apply a few simple but effective tips to remove the moss and find a nice, clean patio.
Bleach is to be banned completely: it damages materials, but also plantations.
Always act when the weather is dry. This is preferable because the foams are thirsty and the products have plenty of time to act.
Rinse the surfaces you have treated thoroughly.
Citric acid
It is an anti-foam product that works by drying them out.
The method: it consists in pouring in 4 liters of lukewarm water 300 grams of citric acid, 7 drops of tea tree essential oil, 75 grams of baking soda and 10 ml of oil (castor, rapeseed, sunflower or coconut). Mix everything, spray, leave on for three days and clean with a brush and rinse with a water jet.
Make sure it doesn’t rain for three days. The soil must be very dry.
Warning : this product can discolor marble and some natural stones, moreover it requires to wear gloves, glasses and a mask, because it is irritating.
Baking soda
This is a solution, which although also very simple, really works well. Put in a bucket 1 liter of lukewarm water. Dilute 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Apply this mixture to the patio with a broom or brush.
Rinse well with clean water and admire your terrace. This solution, like the previous one, is suitable for concrete, wooden or asphalt terraces.
Remove the foams by hand
It just takes a little bit of time and courage, but this simple method is incredibly effective. With a good broom, vigorously scrub the terrace floor, insisting on the parts where the moss has settled. You can also use a spatula or a stiff bristle brush. Then sweep.
Care must be taken not to damage the covering of the terrace. It is a precise method, but it takes longer than others. This is particularly valid on dense mosses forming large piles. Sometimes you will then need to apply one of the methods we give you.
Potato cooking water
When you don’t have foam all over the terrace and the parts to be treated are still limited, the cooking water, and in particular that of the potatoes, is interesting. When it’s salty, it works even better. It is necessary to pour the still hot water and then to wait a little.
Salt
Salt is effective, but only for use on remote areas of the plantations. You have to dilute coarse salt in hot water, then spray it on the foams. Rinse quickly after putting this product on.
It is also possible to dig lightly at the root of the foam, add pure coarse salt and rinse immediately.
Basil essential oil
This essential oil is a natural weedkiller and fungicide. Put a few drops in a bucket of water and liquid soap. Spray directly on the foams and leave to act. Scrub with a brush and rinse.
Black soap
Put water and black soap in a bucket, soak your push broom, and scrub the areas where the moss has grown. Then leave for half a day, brush again to remove the foams. Rinse with clean water. You can add a little washing up liquid.
White vinegar
You can simply use it neat and spray it on the foams directly. If you prefer, dilute it in hot water.
Read also : How to clean a wooden deck?
