How to Remove Moss from Roof Tiles

Learn how to remove moss from rooftops with our easy instructions.
What You’ll Need:

Safety goggles
Rubber gloves
Safety rope
Ladder
Garden hose with a spray nozzle
Moss remover liquid spray
Garden weed pump sprayer or a large spray bottle
Scrubbing brush
Soft bristle brush

Step 1: Prepare the area

No matter what method of moss removal you choose you are going to get a little dirty so you need to dress appropriately! Wear some old clothes, be sure to wear safety glasses and use rubber gloves when handling products like bleach. A hat is also good to keep the sun off and slip-resistant shoes like your old dunlop vollies. Have a safety rope handy if you’re headed to the roof’s peak and tie off on high points not low points. Cover nearby plants with plastic sheets to protect.

Spray all moss covered areas of the roof with water and work from the top of the roof downward to ensure water pours off the roof and you do not slip on the wet area.

Step 2: Scrub tiles

Before applying a moss remover cleaner use a scrubbing brush or a a long handled soft bristle brush to scrape moss from the roof tiles. Work one small section at a time allowing you better control of your scrubbing motion. Move your brush downw to protect the tiles from breakage.

Step 3: Apply Moss Remover

Use a pump sprayer or large spray bottle to apply your preferred moss-remover. mixtures of vinegar, low dose bleach or mould killer can work. Soak the moss and let the solution set per the manufacturer instructions. Let it set for about 20 minutes.

Step 4: Rinse Roof

Get the hose and rinse off the moss remover solution and now dead moss. Remove remaining moss with a scrubbing brush and rinse the roof again.

Step 5: Power-Wash Roof

You can use a power washer to clean away moss, but there are several caveats to do this first, you need to ensure that roof tiles are not broken or damaged as water applied at a high-pressure is likely to damage and seep through any cracks. Also, when using a power washer you will need to stand on the roof above the mold so you can point the power washer in a downward direction and not blow water up the tiles into the roof cavity. If you opt for a power washer to remove moss from your roof, use it on the low pressure setting possible.

Prevent Moss on Roof

There are preventive measures you can use to keep your roof moss free. Trim branches overhanging your roof keep gutters free of leaf debris and regularly remove leaves branches and weeds that pile up on the roof and encourage moss to grow.