Moss Growing on Steps?

Question

I am having a problem with moss growing on the artificial carpeting that covers the front steps of my house. It's on the north side and receives absolutely no sun, though it does drain well after it rains. There are landscaping shrubs on either side of the steps, therefore I am hesitant to use bleach or salt water. I would like suggestions on ways to control the moss growth without endangering the health of the shrubs.

Answer 1

Spray the carpet with ordinary white vinegar, the cheapest you can find. Bleach will remove the color of moss, mildew, and mold stains, but will not kill them. Vinegar, by some sort of chemical action, kills these organisms. After several hours, or the next day, rinse the carpet off with the narrowest (stream) setting on your garden hose nozzle, to beat all the moss out and away.

Vinegar will also remove the green film or slime on the shady side of buildings, porches, or steps, and the mildew on bathtub tile enclosures and in the corners of the walls and ceiling above the tub. Spray it on, let it stay awhile, then hose it off. It's a big help to the effort to remove water salts from flower pots, too; soak them in VERY HOT water to which a cup or two of vinegar has been added, then scrub clean.

Add a cup to the "rinse only" cycle of your dishwasher, or to the "rinse" cycle (if you're quick enough to spot when it starts), and you'll have beautifully clean dishes. If your dishwasher doesn't clean well, run it through all its cycles, adding a cup to the machine as each cycle starts.

Add a cup or two to the clothes washer rinse cycle...and watch how murky the water gets from all the excess soap you've been using. Hint: Cut down on laundry soap a little at a time until tossing in the vinegar doesn't produce murky water. You'll be amazed at how little soap you REALLY need to use to get clothing clean, and how much money you'll save by cutting back.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Bleach products would endanger the shrubs.

For years the common moss remover was Blue Stone, Coppersulfate crystals, but now I'd highly suggest OxiOut. Not only will it remove the moss, your shrubs and lawn will LOVE whatever is washed off. In fact they'll probably grow better as they will have received an oxygen boost.

http://www.oxibrands.com/?view=view_product&id=2

Answer 3

Put some bleach in a spray bottle-about 10% bleach and the rest water-carefully set the spray pattern and apply on a calm (no wind) day so it does not hit your good shrubs-may have to apply a couple times-should do the trick!

Answer 4

Maybe carefully power washing the steps, then go back and with a bleach solution and brush it on the areas that had the heaviest growth. You can cover landscaping plants with a tarp or heavy plastic to protect it from the high pressure spray. Good luck!

Answer 5

I would remove the carpeting. Maybe paint the steps, it has to be very dirty, think of what you're carrying into your home.

Answer 6

Bleach or sunshine.