Not only is green moss on your balcony a bit of an eyesore, but it can also become really slippery and slimy, making it an unsafe addition to your outdoor space. Thankfully, whether your balcony is made out of concrete or wood, you can get rid of it.
To get rid of green moss on your balcony, you will need baking soda or any chemically based powder, bleach, and a stiff broom. By covering the moss with the powder, scrubbing it with the broom, and spraying a bleach mixture on it, you can get rid of your green moss in two days.
Below you will find out how to remove the green moss from your balcony in nine easy steps while also making sure that you prevent it from coming back. Read on so you can finally say goodbye to green moss for good.
Get Baking Soda, Bleach, and a Stiff Broom
Before you begin, you should purchase all the necessary items, including baking soda, any type of household bleach, and a stiff broom.
If you want, you can choose to use a typical baking soda such as the Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, or another type of powder-like agricultural lime, such as the Soil Doctor Pelletized Calcitic Limestone.
A third option is to use soda crystals, like the Dri-Pak Soda Crystals which was used by this gentleman to remove a large amount of green moss in the following video:
Whichever you choose, make sure you have enough to fully cover the area with the moss.
You will also need bleach; however, you will be mixing it with equal parts water, so not too much is needed. Any household bleach such as the Clorox Disinfecting Bleach will do the trick.
In order to properly scrape away all the moss, you will need a stiff broom, one with tough bristles. The Indoor Outdoor Floor Scrub Brush Bristles Broom would do the trick. You may also need a shovel if your moss is really thick.
Finally, to complete step nine, which is an optional step, but one that will help prevent moss in the future is to make a zinc sulfate mixture. You can buy 5lbs (80oz) of Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate online, although you will only need 3lbs (48oz) to mix with water.
Clear Your Balcony and Cover Plants
Before you begin, clear off anything you have on your balcony.
It is especially important to either move or cover any plants that are near as the harsh chemicals you will be spraying could kill them. As for the grass, you can cover it with a tarp or just do your best to avoid it.
Once you have done this, you are ready to get started!
Pour Warm Water Over Moss
Start by filling a bucket or two with warm to hot water. Pour the water over the moss, completely covering every area.
If you have a lot of green moss or it is very thick, you could go ahead and use equal parts of warm water and bleach during this step. However, if the moss is on the minimal side, the following steps should be enough to get rid of it.
If you choose to use bleach in this step, ensure all exposed skin is covered, and no pets are going to come around licking the ground.
Scrub With Stiff Broom
Grab your stiff bristle broom and begin sweeping and scraping away the moss. You may need to use a shovel if parts are extremely thick.
Have a garbage bag or bin prepared so you can get rid of it all right away. Don’t worry if not all of it comes up, however, as this is just the beginning.
Sprinkle Baking Soda on Moss
Whether you choose to use baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), a type of agricultural lime or soda crystals, make sure you have enough to sprinkle over the entire area.
Use the powder by sprinkling a thin layer over all exposed moss. These chemically based powers will help kill the moss as it neutralizes the environment it is currently thriving in.
Wait 24 Hours and Sweep Away Powder
You will now need to wait 24 hours for the chemically based powders to do their thing. Once again, ensure no furry friends or small children are going to be around as these products can be extremely harmful or fatal if consumed.
Once 24 hours have passed, and hopefully, no rain has halted the process, sweep away the powder and any moss that comes with it.
Spray Bleach Mixture
Now is time to spray the bleach mixture. First, put on some gloves, like the Super Remover Chemical Resistant Gloves, and make sure your exposed skin is covered.
Using a spray bottle is optional, as you can just lightly pour this mixture over the moss. However, if you want to be more efficient, you can use a basic bottle such as the Professional Plastic Spray Bottles, or take it up a notch and use a Hand Held Garden Sprayer Pump.
Keep in mind that since there will be bleach in this bottle, you should keep them separate from ones you may use for other things.
You are going to fill this bottle with equal parts of bleach and water and then spray or cover the moss completely. The benefit of this step is that it can also prevent moss growth for up to one year.
Make sure you do not spray any grass or plants that are near as this can kill them.
After 30 seconds, you can move on to the next step.
Scrub Area and Rinse Completely
Grab your stiff broom and scrub away all moss that was left. By either using a hose or buckets of water, you can then rinse the area thoroughly.
If you are finding that some moss is left or you just want to be sure that it does not come back, you can move on to step nine. If not, you can now enjoy your moss free balcony!
READ ALSO: How to Clean a Balcony Without a Water Hose
If Needed: Spray Zinc Sulfate Mixture
Finally, if it’s needed, you can use one last mixture, which is a zinc sulfate mixture to get rid of the final bits of green moss or to add extra moss prevention. By doing this, you can prevent green moss for potentially 2 to 5 years.
This mixture is made of 3lbs (48oz) of zinc sulfate and 5 gallons (19L) of water. You can adjust the amount if needed based on the size of the area, but always keep the ratio the same.
Place this into the same spray bottle or lightly pour it over all mossy areas or areas you think moss may occur. Be mindful this chemical can also kill your plants or grass.
If needed, you can grab out the broom again and scrub. After that, you can go ahead and thoroughly rinse off your balcony.
Conclusion
By using warm water, a chemically based powder, a stiff broom, and a bleach mixture, you are sure to kill and remove all green moss. If needed, the zinc sulfate mixture will help remove anything leftover and keep your balcony green moss free.
Slimy green moss is an unattractive feature you do not want to add to your balcony, and by following all the above steps and taking some extra ones for prevention, you can be sure your green moss problems will be over.