Although moss growing on your driveway may seem pretty harmless, it can actually become very slippery in wet conditions. This means you could easily slip, and cars entering through your driveway gate could suffer from less grip. Plus, it’s important to keep your driveway clean and tidy, which is why so many people seek moss removal from their driveway.
If you’re looking to kill moss on your driveway, keep reading for our easy-to-follow instructions.
What you need to kill moss on your driveway?
The ingredients listed below will kill moss on your driveway. These include:
- Liquid bleach
- If you don’t have access to bleach – baking soda or vinegar works well too
- Water
- Large bucket
- Spray bottle
- Hard-bristled brush
Once you have everything to kill moss on your driveway, let’s dive into how to use these items to ensure a clean, safe driveway to use daily.
How to get rid of moss on a tarmac driveway
1. Dilute bleach
Any brand of bleach will work to kill moss on your driveway, but it needs to be diluted with water first. This is to prevent any discoloration on your driveway, allowing it to keep its original colour and preventing random stains. A ratio of five tablespoons of bleach to a gallon of water (roughly 3.7L) is practical for most cleaning uses of bleach, including on your driveway. Mix the solution in your bucket and then fill the spray bottle for easy distribution of the bleach across your driveway.
2. Spray the moss
Now it’s time to spray the areas of your driveway that have been affected by moss. Be sure to evenly distribute the moss killer solution across all of the affected areas. This ensures that the solution will be most effective.
3. Soak for 15 minutes
Leave the bleach solution to soak on your driveway for around 15 minutes, giving the moss killer time to work its magic. Try not to leave the solution for too long though, as this may result in your driveway becoming stained.
4. Remove bleach with warm water
Using warm water, remove all of the bleach from the treated areas and your driveway. You may want to go over the driveway a few times to ensure that there is no bleach left behind. If you miss any spots, this could negatively affect your driveway by causing discolouration, so take care with this step.
5. Wait a few hours
With the bleach solution now rinsed away, you’ll need to wait for a few hours for the solution to keep working. You will know that the moss is dead if it has turned a yellow colour. This means you’re ready to move onto the next step, where you can finally remove the dead moss from your driveway.
6. Scrub the moss away
Use a stiff, hard-bristled brush to scrub all of the dead moss from your driveway. This will take some elbow grease, but the results are well worth it! With all of the moss removed, you’ll be left with a perfectly cleaned driveway that’ll look as good as new.
How to prevent moss from growing back
Now that you know how to get rid of moss on your driveway, how can you stop it from coming back? Fortunately, there are a few different ways that you can reduce the risk of moss growing back onto your driveway.
1. Brush your driveway regularly
Keep on top of brushing your driveway to prevent moss spores and seeds from settling into it. If you regularly brush your driveway, there will be a much lower chance of moss being able to stick around long enough to thrive on your driveway.
2. Increase exposure to the sun
Moss thrives in dark, damp places. So, by increasing the amount of sun your driveway sees, you can prevent moss from growing on your driveway. This can be done by changing where you park vehicles, allowing those spots of driveway to get more sunlight. Additionally, trimming back overgrown bushes and trees can expose your driveway to more sunlight, ultimately keeping moss at bay.
3. Change the soil’s pH
If you want to keep moss from growing in your garden and driveway, try to make your soil’s pH more acidic. This will make it near impossible for moss to grow in such conditions, so you won’t have to worry about moss on your driveway. A simple way to do this is by using baking soda or agricultural lime to raise the pH level of your soil. Simply sprinkle it in the necessary areas.
With a clean, moss-free driveway, you’re free to enjoy your beautiful garden. Why not enhance it with a wooden driveway gate? To hear more about what driveway gates can do for you, get in touch with us.