How to treat moss and algae on a tennis court
Well, the first thing you do is not to worry as cleaning a tennis court is not a particularly difficult task. It can take a bit of work and can take a little time, but it is a task that many of us can do ourselves. What is especially straight forward is keeping the court clean, this is the easiest task of all. What can be a little harder is to get a court clean. Depending upon the size of the area to be treated and the thickness of any moss that is growing on the surface, then it can take a little time to get the court back to a completely moss free playing surface but it is not difficult especially if you are using the correct methods and cleaning products.
Whether it is the whole playing area, outside of the tramlines or behind baselines, certain areas of a tennis court will eventually have some moss growth upon them. Many tennis courts have trees and bushes surrounding them which provide welcome shade to a weary player but, this shade provides the perfect environment for moss to grow. This moss growth can not only ruin the appearance of the surface but can, under certain weather conditions, become slippery therefore dangerous. It can also slowly start to cause damage to a playing surface, so it is important that the moss is removed, and the surface kept clean.
SURFACE PREPARATION
We recommend that the surface should be brushed to remove any loose moss, dirt, leaves etc. You may find that very large amounts of moss can be removed in this way and to help with this initial task, we have a full range of Brushes & Brooms with our WIRE BROOM being especially popular for clearing all types of hard surface.
If it is possible, after your brushing, you can use a small pressure washer to help you to remove heavier areas of dirt or staining. However, undertake this process with caution as larger pressure washers could possibly cause damage to the surface if not used with care. Some pressure washers can also use large volumes of water and the process can become very messy, but it is an effective way of both removing areas of moss and cleaning the surface.
If the court is surrounded by trees or large shrubs, then it will help to cut these back slightly to allow more light onto the tennis court. This additional light will allow the area to dry quicker thus not retain moisture for as long. As we all know (and if you didn't then you do now) if there is no water then there will be no moss so the dryer the area then the less potential moss growth.
If the surface has areas where brushing alone is not able to clean then our Rapid Acting Surface Cleaner - Batface can be used. This should be sprayed on to the area and left on the surface for between 15-30 minutes. After this time the treated area should be rinsed and brushed to remove the staining or dirt. Once again, you can use a pressure washer for this rinsing which will have the benefit of not just rinsing the surface but also lifting the dirt.
Once you have completed your brushing or done as much as you can (or can be bothered to do as it is a very boring job) you can apply our pH Neutral Surface Cleaner. Baticlean CR should be applied to a dry surface during dry weather and it will help clean the surface for you and it doesn't require rinsing. After a few days, brush the surface to remove any loose dirt or debris.
KEEP IT CLEAN!
You should try to keep the court swept as often as possible. This doesn't mean every day or even every week, but you should sweep away leaves etc every couple of weeks. As I have said earlier, the less shade then the less moss growth. Any foreign object that is allowed to stay on the surface, such as leaves, will cause shadow therefore allow moisture. Remember, more moisture more moss.
Users tend to either apply a new coat of Baticlean CR on an annual basis or wait until the court starts showing signs that it needs to be cleaned. Please remember that the whole playing area can be treated or alternatively only the areas where there is dirt or staining.