Cleaning & Preventing Moss & Algae on Paths & Patios

Moss and algae can make paths very slippery, particularly in the winter months. Moss and algae can become established in damp shady conditions. There are a number of ways to treat these areas depending upon the tools at your disposal and how much work you wish to do.

Brushing the surface - always good preparation

Before you start any cleaning treatments you should brush the area, preferably with a good stiff brush, to remove as much dirt and loose growth as possible. We have a full range of brushes, including wire brooms, that can be found here.

Treatment

Option 1

After brushing, spray all affected paths with Strong Surface Cleaner - Batiface this should be left on the surface for between 30-60 minutes before rinsing with water using either a hosepipe and brush or, ideally, a SMALL pressure washer. The rinse will remove the dirt or staining from the path surface. This method is especially effective when paths become slippery during the winter months as the Batifast gets deep into the surface to ensure a clean and slip free path.

Paths or patios of York Stone or other similar paving may be susceptible to black staining which can be very difficult to remove. For these areas we recommend using Powerful Alakline Surface Cleaner - BATIFORT which should be sprayed on to the surface, allowed to act for 15-20 minutes before being rinsed.

Once the path has been cleaned and is dry, we advise an application of pH Neutral Surface Cleaner - Baticlean CR. The application of this ensures that the whole surface has been cleaned as it can be easy to miss areas when using Batifast or Batimust, Baticlean CR should be applied to the whole area and does not require rinsing.

Option 2

Brush the surface then spray with Baticlean CR which will clean the surface but should only be applied to a dry surface during dry weather.

 

Future

You should always try and keep paths clean by brushing to remove leaves and cutting back anything that causes shade or the accumulation of moisture especially during the winter months.

In addition to this you can do the following:

1. Every 10 - 14 months simply brush the path and, on a dry day, apply a new coat of Baticlean CR or just wait until the first signs of staining appear.

2. Once the area has been cleaned and the original coat of Baticlean CR has dried, you can seal the area. This protects the surface from the worst effects of the weather, dirt, oil staining (engines & BBQ!) and general wear & tear. Hydrosil BS should, once again, be applied to a dry surface during dry weather.