How to Get Rid of Moss on Patio Pavers – Driveways and Walkways

Mansory walkways, pavers, stepping stones, and concrete sidewalks can look aged and weathered when algae, mold, and moss grow on them. These areas ugly look will prompt the inquisition about how to get rid of moss on patio pavers, walkways, driveways, and other areas around your home where you don’t want to nurture any living plant.

Aside from giving your home an ugly look, this plant is slippery in nature, making your outdoor area dangerous to use. Also produce spores that are dangerous to the health and attract bugs, worms, and other annoying insects.

For this reason, removing weeds and moss from your pavers will not only restore the amazing look of your outdoor but also clear the area of toxic compounds that are being released from this plant.

There are many ways to rid of moss from pavers, concrete, driveway, or walkway, but the best and simplest method is making use of a homemade herbicide that consists of bleach or vinegar.

Using bleach or vinegar will permanently get rid of moss from your outdoor space and prevent the growth of new ones. This solution works by making the area unbearable for the plant to survive.

However, there are many things you need to do to prevent the growth of these plants around your home totally.

To put an end to your search about how to kill moss or how to get rid of moss, continue reading as we have explained various ways to keep your home clean of these plants, with the various ways to prevent it from growing.

How to kill or Get Rid moss Growing on Your Pavers, Walkway, or Concrete 

Killing moss, algae, and other plants growing on your pavers between the concrete or walkway will help restore your outdoor area’s ascetic look. Doing this will also help to make the area clean, free, and safe to use. Below are some of the ways to permanently get rid of moss around your home.

1. Sunlight 

The best way to remove and stop moss from growing around your home is to expose it to sunlight. Moss is only meant to thrive in damp areas, shady spots, and humid conditions. By exposing the area to sunlight, you stop the plant’s growth, and in few days, you have the area clear of them.

Clear the area by moving cars, pruning shrubs or tree branches, or move patio furniture and anything that could have been obstructing sunlight in the area. However, if there is nothing to move to expose the area to direct sunlight, there are many other ways of getting rid of moss from your home.

2. Using A Weeding Machine 

One of the best and easiest ways of removing weeds from pavers and crevices on walkways and sidewalks around the home is by using a weeding machine. This machine removes moss and weeds between the pavers by sweeping in between the crevices. This machine makes the weeding process easy as you don’t need to bend or kneel to remove these weeds.

The Ryobi Power machine comes with a wire brush that sweeps moss and weeds away from crevices, and it is easy to maintain when the brush stop functioning well. However, there are various types of these weeding machines, and our recommended weeding machine for this purpose is the Ryobi RY18PCA-0 ONE.

The machine makes it easy and fast to remove moss, weeds, and other unwanted plants away from pavers and cracks between walkways and sidewalks. This machine is ideal for those with a back problem and the aged, as they don’t need to bend or kneel to weed the outdoor area.

3. Moss Removal Deck Crevice Tool

Manually removing moss and weed from the deck, crevices, and opening between pavers is another easy way to make your crevices free of this unwanted plant. The Bon Tool is our recommended tool for this purpose.

With this brush, you don’t need to bend or kneel to remove moss and unwanted plants between openings. This tool gives you two options to clean openings around your home. You can either use the brush or the iron spike at the front of the brush to remove tap root weed.

Also, this brush makes it easy to clean your outdoor area without kneeling or bending, making it suitable for those with back or waist problems. After using homemade solutions, such as bleach, vinegar, or commercial herbicide on moss and weed in your openings, this tool can be used to clear the area when they start to rot.

4. Using Bleach

Another good way of removing moss from pavers, cracks between walkways, or sidewalks is using bleach. This solution does not only kill these plants but also prevents new ones from growing. It does this by making the area inhabitable for these plants.

Aside from clearing the area of moss, algae molds, or mildew, this solution can also be used to wash the area, making it free and clean to use. This method is economical, as bleach can be found in many homes.

However, you have to be careful when applying this solution, so it does not splash on plants you intend to keep.

Also, keep children and pets away from the area after applying this solution. Likewise, do not forget to protect yourself while applying this solution, as it may irritate when there is contact with your skin.

You can make use of undiluted bleach for this process or mix it with to cover more area. Get this solution into a sprayer and apply it to the moss or plant you want to kill. After a day, you can scrub it off using a hard brush and rinse it with clean water. You can read on about killing weeds and moss with bleach.

5. Hot Water 

Hot water has proven to be effective in getting rid of moss growing around your home. This process is also suitable for killing weeds where you don’t want them. This method is safe for use as it does not have a rippling effect on neighboring plants and safe for pets and children.

To do this, pour boiled water on the moss you want to kill and scrub off with a hard brush or a stiff broom. When doing this, you have to be careful of splashing the boiled water on plants you want to kill or on yourself. Hot water will the cells of these plants, thus drying them out.

6. Herbicides 

There are herbicides specifically designed to get rid of weeds permanently. The herbicide, when used, will not only kill the moss, weeds, or algae growing in your pavers or between cracks but will also prevent the growth of new ones.

Our recommended herbicide for this process is the Roundup-Ready-to-use Max control. This herbicide comes with a sprayer making it easy to use. There is no need for mixing, and it comes with everything you need to make use of it out of the box. This method is also one of the easiest ways of removing moss from pavers, cracks between walkways and sidewalks.

However, you have to be very careful when applying this solution as it may irritate when it comes in contact with the skin. For this reason, you have to ensure you protect yourself by wearing protective gloves.

7. Vinegar 

Probably, you have read or heard before now that vinegar can be used in killing weeds. Well, this claim is actually true, and it can also be used for getting rid of moss growing in your pavers, crevices, crack between walkways and sidewalks.

Basic home vinegar consists of %5 acetic acid that dries weeds or any plant it touches. Vinegar will also prevent the plant from growing in the area it is used. This solution can be mixed with salt, and few drops of dish soap increase its effectiveness.

Get this solution into a sprayer and apply it to the plant or area you want to kill. After applying this solution on weeds or moss, allow this solution to settle in the area for 30 minutes and scrub with a stiff broom or brush to remove stains away from the pavers.

Hose the area with clean water and allow it to be sundry. It is best to use this solution undiluted and mix it with dish soap. The soap helps to stick the solution on the plant for better effectiveness.

8. Baking Soda 

The common baking soda can also be used as an herbicide in killing weeds and moss around your home. Baking soda works by drying the plant cells, which in turn kills the plant. So if you have some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) at home, it is time to leverage on its alternative purpose.

For this method, put some baking soda on the moss you want to get rid of and leave it overnight. The next thing is to use a stiff broom, push broom, or deck brush to eliminate the moss and the baking soda. After this, you can hose the area to remove debris from the moss and the soda.

9. Using Power Washer 

Another simple way to get rid of moss from your pavers or concrete. Moss does not have a taproot and can be removed by the force of water. Cleaning your pavers is one of the best ways of removing moss and restoring your stones’ appealing look.

However, if you use this method on your pavers, you may lose the antiweed sand between your pavers. Furthermore, this method is not as effective as other methods listed above. Nonetheless, it is ideal for clearing the area after using any of the methods above.

10. Constant Cleaning 

Another easy way of removing moss from your home is by cleaning the area. Moss is a soft plant and can be eliminated by using a hard broom or scrub on them. Wherever you see moss growing in your home, get your stiff broom and sweep off the moss.

This method is also suitable for preventing moss growth around your home either on the pavers, between cracks and crevices in the walkway, and many more. To totally get rid of moss, you have to sweep the area consistently. However, this method is entirely effective, as the moss will keep growing without exposure to sunlight.

How to Prevent Moss from Growing on Your Pavers or Concrete 

Besides growing on pavers, concrete, and walkways, moss can also grow on walls and almost any surface. However, the growth of this plant can be prevented when proper care is taken into consideration. Below are several steps to prevent and limit moss growth around your home.

• Clean your pavers or walkway: With time, particles such as dust, dirt, leaves will combine with sands in the joint to create a perfect place for moss to survive. You can prevent this from happening by regularly cleaning the surface with a broom. This process will also limit the growth of existing ones. And with time, you will have your home clear of moss.
• Keep it dry: Moss is known to thrive in damp and humid conditions. If you notice moss’ growth around your home, you could check around for broken pipes or leaky faucets. Stop the moisture in the area by making the necessary adjustment and repairs. Also, always be ready to remove standing water around your home either with a broom or blower, especially in shady areas, as soon as possible. You can also fix water-logged areas to keep the area water-free.
• Get rid of new moss quickly: Don’t overlook and greenish growth on your concrete or pavers. If overlooked or left unchecked, it will colonize the area and steal your pavers’ appealing look. When this happens, you get rid of them using any of the methods highlighted above. If you use a pressure washer while removing moss from your pavers, this may result in the pavers’ loss of sand. When this happens, don’t forget to replace the jointing sand to keep your pavers intact and weeds-free.