Handyman Billy's Tips for Moss Removal
How to Kill Moss on Your Roof or Brick Walls

Thanks for dropping in to Handyman Billy's home improvement tips pages. One of the big problems home owners have in the Pacific Northwest is moss build-up on brick walls and patios as well as damaging moss on roofs. Wherever there is humidity and rain like here in Oregon, you will find an abundance of moss (as well as algae).

Today I am recapping two projects I have completed to kill moss on a brick wall and a roof. Following a recommendation from a landscaping contractor associate of mine I put 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner to the test for killing moss on the two projects listed below.

Case 1: Removing Moss on a Brick Retaining Wall
A good friend of mine who had been more than supportive during my recent hip replacement surgery had moss covering the north facing retaining wall running across the front of his property. We are not talking a few clumps of moss, but instead years of growth that distracted from the beauty of the wall and the curb appeal of his home.

Doing the labor to get rid of the moss for him seemed like a good way for me to say "thanks for your help" during my recovery time.

The Process
Step 1:
Because the moss covering the brick retaining wall was thick , I knocked off the largest clumps with a wire brush (this was suggested by the landscaping contractor).

Step 2:
I mixed the 30 Seconds cleaner concentrate with water at a 1-1 ratio and put it in a clean garden pump sprayer.

Step 3:
I sprayed the diluted solution on a 20 square foot section of the wall paying special attention to cracks in the rocks and areas where the moss growth was greatest. Once I covered the entire area, I went back over it 2 more times and kept the surface wet for 5 mins.

Step 4:
I set the garden hose on "jet" and rinsed the product and moss off of the wall (the label said no pressure washer necessary, so I took them at their word). Then I repeated the process in 20 sq ft sections until the wall was finished.

Results:
What a difference! It killed the moss and revealed the beauty of the brick that he had never seen in the 3 years that he owned the home. There were three small spots I had to go over a second time where the moss had grown deep into the cracks between the brick, but otherwise it got rid of any trace of the moss.

After I finished and was taking care of a few weeding details in his flower beds, neighbors were stopping and asking how much I would charge them to get rid of their moss. 30 Seconds passed the test and performed beyond my expectations.

Case 2: Moss on the Roof A neighbor of mine had moss covering about 20% of her roof. Except for the moss patches, the rest of the roof was in excellent condition. With the new hips and all, I decided to bring a younger helper in on this one. I didn't quite feel stable enough to climb on the roof myself.

The Process:
Step 1:
We mixed our 30 Seconds concentrate and filled up a 3 gallon back pack sprayer. After a stern lecture from me to my helper about roof safety, we got started at 7 AM to avoid the mid day heat.

Step 2:
As we did with cleaning the moss from the bricks, we applied 30 Seconds over manageable sections of the roof. Areas on the roof with more moss got a little more saturation. The landscaping contractor that recommended this product told me that if I forgot everything else, to remember to keep the surface wet with the cleaner for a few minutes. We paid special attention to the areas where the sun was hitting to keep the roof wet and make sure the product had a chance to work.

Step 3:
We rinsed the cleaning solution from the roof using a gentle spray aimed toward the edge (bottom) of the roof.

Results:
The roof moss was completely gone and the roof looked like new. We cleaned the mold on the gutters with 30 Seconds too and eliminated the black streaks. My neighbor was more than grateful and treated both of us to a great lasagna dinner with homemade pie to follow.

I found the 30 Seconds website just by entering 30 Seconds cleaner in Google search and there is a list of retail locations on their site.

If you have a home improvement tip or a product that you would like Handyman Billy to review, drop us a line at the email address in the heading of this page. Our next project will be about how to make your backyard bird and critter friendly. Thanks for visiting!