How to get rid of moss on paving slabs?

Moss is everywhere. It is distributed everywhere: from the warm, humid tropics to the faceless polar regions. People use it in medicine, science, construction and even in design (as a decorative element). But cleaning paving slabs from moss is a long-standing and far from the most favorite pastime of every owner.

Thanks to its stability and ability to adapt to any conditions, moss will easily appear in your yard, in particular, in the seams between the paving stones. Your new “neighbor” can spoil your mood, the visual impression of a well-groomed yard and easily destroy your reputation as a good host. Therefore, we have prepared tips for you on how and by what methods to clean paving slabs from moss.

We are highly recommended to hire professionals who use Pressure Washing to get rid of moss. One of the leading companies is LiveClean Today. Visit their website for more info.

How to get rid of moss on paving stones?

Experts distinguish two methods of dealing with moss – manual and with the help of chemicals. We advise you to combine them to get the maximum result.

The first step is cleaning. To begin with, you will have to work on your own. In order not to damage the paving slabs, you need to be careful and use the right tools that can completely remove the layer of moss from the surface. Here are a few tools that are sold at any garden supply store:

• soft wire brushes;
• seam scrapers;
• putty knife;
• gas soldering iron;
• high pressure washer;
• broom (this is a last resort, if there is nothing else at hand).

After you have cleaned the surface yourself, you need to rinse it with water and repeat the procedure again. This is done so that small particles of moss do not remain on the top layer of paving slabs. If they are not removed, all your efforts will go down the drain.

Stage 1: cleaning the pavement

After re-cleaning, we proceed to the second step – the use of chemicals from moss on paving stones.

All that needs to be done is to fill the surface of the paving slabs with a specialized substance and wait for the chemicals to do their job. But how exactly should unwanted vegetation be removed?

How to remove moss from paving slabs with “folk methods”?

On the Internet, you can often find comments and entire articles that home methods effectively help remove moss from paving slabs and their cost is much less than the price of professional chemicals. Therefore, we have collected the most common options and checked whether they are really so effective. Spoiler – no.

Washing soda and saline solution are items that are in every home. “Experts” advise making a solution (we take soda or salt and pour boiling water over them), spray the affected areas with it and wait 1-2 days. Then rinse it off and brush again with a bridge brush. We tried this miracle cure and found that it was of no use. This is because there is too little sodium carbonate in ordinary soda, which could destroy the moss. If this tool were effective, they would have cleaned all the paving stones.

In addition to powders, on the Internet it is advised to use vinegar and carbonated drinks, in particular, Coca-Cola. We were not afraid and checked which of the proposed ones would really help. But again, disappointment – table vinegar did not affect the vegetation in any way, and a more concentrated solution must be used in large quantities. As for Coca-Cola, as a remedy for moss, it is ineffective. In addition, this drink is sticky and attracts the attention of insects.

The only thing that really helps in both prevention and control of moss is sand. “My dvir” advises after cleaning and other procedures to fill them with seams between the paving stones. Then there will be more chances that it will remain clean, and grass or moss will not appear between the seams.

Chemicals for moss on paving stones

As we can see, home remedies are ineffective, so let’s move on to a review of professional chemicals for moss on paving stones. They will definitely destroy all the moss and there will be no trouble with them. These substances can be bought at any garden store. They are usually sold as concentrates, so you will need to prepare a solution. Do not forget to follow safety rules, because chemicals, unfortunately, will not benefit your hands.

Care of paving slabs

To prevent moss from growing in your yard, you need to create the right environment. It usually develops in areas that are not sufficiently lit by the sun, in places where there is high humidity and there is no constant flow of water. To eliminate these moss-friendly conditions, you need to:

• make a constant flow of water;
• to fill the gaps under the slabs with sand;
• provide areas with drainage.

Careful attitude helps paving slabs stay in good condition longer. If you do everything correctly and according to our instructions, then a beautiful yard will be provided to you for many years.

How to remove grass between paving slabs?

As a bonus, we will also tell you about cleaning paving slabs from grass. To prevent the appearance of grass between the slabs, paving stones are placed on a special surface (a base of sand and gravel that will not let moisture through). If not, then we advise you to remove the grass in the following ways:

• manually with scissors or a knife;
• scald seams with boiling water;
• rinse with a high pressure washer;
• burn with a gas or gasoline soldering iron;
• using special chemicals containing herbicides.