I am a paving professional and you need to stop using vinegar on moss – try a 59p Savers buy
IF you want your patio to impress your guests this summer, you’ve come to the right place.
If you don’t clean your patio regularly, it can quickly become covered in dirt and weeds. Moss, however, is one of the hardest things to get rid of.
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This nasty stuff grows deep on surfaces and thrives on stone, making it an eyesore when you want to relax outside on a warm summer day.
Moss can get stuck in small cracks and grow back from small patches, making it difficult to remove completely, no matter how hard you scrub.
But fear not: If you’ve tried everything from white vinegar to baking soda and haven’t had any luck, luckily a cleaning expert has shared a super-simple solution with you.
And not only is it incredibly effective, it’s also very affordable.
Paving professional Deborah Eaton, cleaning and patio expert at Simply Paving, has shared a simple way to remove moss and prevent it from growing back.
And with Deborah’s trick, you probably already have the answer in your kitchen cupboard.
And even better, if you don’t, it will only cost you 59p at Savers. Yes, you heard that right.
When it comes to getting rid of moss for good, Deborah said, “Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need expensive products to clean a patio without a pressure washer.”
Instead, Deborah swears by dish soap to combat moss.
She continued: “One of the most effective cleaning products for patios is actually just old-fashioned dish soap mixed with warm tap water.”
While stone is normally the ideal environment for moss to grow, dish soap contains surfactants that can thoroughly break down the moss’s protective layer, completely killing every bit of moss.
Dish soap dries out the moss and prevents it from retaining moisture.
Gardening work in August
Veronica Lorraine, gardening editor at The Sun, has shared 10 gardening jobs to do during the last month of summer, as well as the most important jobs to remember when you go on holiday.
1. Watering plants on holiday
Think about how you are going to water your plants when you go away. Irrigation systems are ridiculously expensive, so ask a friend or neighbor to come over.
2. Don’t forget your houseplants!
For houseplants use the upside down bottle trick – fill a wine bottle and then turn it upside down, pour downwards and stick it in the pot – the water should slowly seep out. For smaller plants you can use a thick piece of string and run it from a glass of water into the soil – this will allow it to soak up water slowly. Be sensible with your watering – visit www.mains2rains.nl for some tips on how to save water in August. But use as much grey water – i.e. dishwater – as possible to save such a valuable resource.
3. Dig for potatoes
The second early potatoes are ready to be harvested.
4. Keep removing faded flowers
Use pruning shears or pinch off the flowers with your finger and thumb. For roses, make sure you get back to a set of five leaves so you have the best chance of more flowers.
5. Plant strawberries
You can actually plant strawberries as early as the end of August, which will be ready next year. For the strawberries you already have, if there are any shoots growing out of them, try to put them in pots to get more strawberries for free.
6. Prune lavender
At the end of August, when the lavender has finished flowering, you can prune it back. Always prune it back to the woody stems, but make sure you can still see some small buds.
7. Collect seeds
Many plants are starting to go to seed now, so it’s the perfect time to collect them and get free plants for next year. Just make sure you label the envelopes.
8. Sow hardy annuals
Sow hardy annuals towards the end of the month so they will flower next year. Try to choose sheltered spots for them.
9. Pruning back roses
Prune the climbing roses back and make sure they are all tied up. Give your roses their last feed at the end of August.
10. Make sure your hanging baskets are well watered
It is very important to give hanging baskets enough water. They dry out first and the least quickly.
This means that moss cannot grow in that spot for a long time.
Paving professionals warn against using white vinegar to kill moss because it is acidic and can damage the surface or stone.
Garden tips and tricks
Therefore, using dishwashing liquid is not only natural, but also much safer and more environmentally friendly.
Additionally, most commercial moss removers contain harsh chemicals that can leach into nearby soil or plants, contaminating the environment.
How to Use Dish Soap to Remove Moss
If you want to use dish soap to remove moss from your patio, all you need is your favorite brand of dish soap (or the cheapest one you can find), a bucket, and a stiff brush or broom.
Simply mix some dishwashing liquid with hot water in a bucket and then sprinkle the cleaning solution over your patio.
Cheap Gardening Tips
- Keep weeds away with straw
According to gardeners and plant experts, all-natural straw is one of the most effective tools you can use in your garden.
You don’t have to buy a whole bale, you can usually buy smaller bundles from your local farm shop, for upwards of £1.50.
Some shops even sell ready-made bags specifically for gardens, often costing around £10, but can be found on the shelves or online. - Call your local garden center
If you are unsure about how to care for your plants, call or search online at your local garden center instead of using the Internet.
Nursery staff have up-to-date knowledge of the conditions in your region and can provide you with tips for caring for your plants that are specific to your climate and soil.
You can call them with a question or just drop by. They also want your plants to grow well. - Wood to keep snails out
Use a piece of wood to keep snails out of your garden.
According to experts, they crawl under it for shade.
Then you can collect them and throw them away. - Save your toilet paper rolls.
According to a tip from Family handyman.
Save the tubes and cut them into two-inch pieces before placing them in a watertight container.
Then simply fill the tubes with potting soil and start planting your seeds.
According to the website, if you want to put them in the garden, you can plant them directly in the tubes. Because they are cardboard, they will decompose organically.
Then use a stiff brush or broom to simply brush the moss away. It should easily disappear without too much effort and hassle.
It is advisable to clean your terrace on a sunny day, so that the solution does not wash away in the rain. In addition, experts advise to scrub the moss diagonally, as this is gentler on the surface.
After removing the moss, simply rinse the patio with a bucket of clean water to remove any remaining residue.
After 24 hours your patio should be dry, clean and moss-free.
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