Tired of Scrubbing? There’s a Better Way
Our concentrated moss killer does the hard work for you. Spray it on, let it work, brush off the dead moss. No pressure washer needed, no risk of damaging your brickwork.
Brick walls, steps, and paths are moss magnets. The porous surface soaks up moisture, the texture gives moss something to grip, and before you know it, that lovely red brickwork has turned into a green, slippery mess.
The good news? Brick is actually one of the easier surfaces to treat, as long as you use the right approach. Get it wrong and you risk damaging the brick or simply watching the moss bounce back within months.
Why Brick Gets So Mossy
Brick is porous. That’s the fundamental problem. Every time it rains, your brickwork absorbs water like a sponge. In shaded areas or north-facing walls, that moisture hangs around for days. Perfect conditions for moss to establish itself.
The mortar joints between bricks are even more vulnerable. They’re softer, more porous, and often slightly recessed, creating sheltered little pockets where moss spores can settle and thrive. If you’ve noticed moss concentrated in the joints rather than on the brick faces, this is why.
Understanding how moss spreads helps explain why it seems to appear overnight. Those tiny spores are everywhere, just waiting for the right conditions.
The Pressure Washer Problem
Your first instinct might be to blast the moss off with a pressure washer. It’s satisfying, it’s quick, and it works. Sort of.
The problem is that pressure washers can seriously damage brick, especially older or softer varieties. The high-pressure water erodes the surface, blasts out mortar, and can even crack individual bricks. You’ll get rid of the moss, but you’ll also create a rougher, more porous surface that moss will colonise even faster next time.
For newer, harder engineering bricks, careful pressure washing might be acceptable. But for most garden walls, period properties, or decorative brickwork, it’s a risk not worth taking.
The Better Approach: Treat Then Remove
The most effective method for brick is to kill the moss first, then remove the dead growth. This is gentler on the brickwork and actually more effective long-term.
Here’s the process:
Apply a moss killer treatment to the affected areas. A pump sprayer works well for walls. You want thorough coverage but not so much that it’s dripping everywhere. Most treatments take a week or two to fully kill the moss, so don’t expect instant results.
You’ll know it’s working when the moss changes colour, from bright green to yellow-brown. This means the moss is dead and ready to remove.
Once the moss is dead, brush it off with a stiff bristle brush. This is much easier than trying to scrub live moss, and you won’t need to apply much pressure. The dead moss will come away readily, taking minimal brick surface with it.
For stubborn patches in mortar joints, an old screwdriver or wire brush can help work the dead moss out of crevices.
Brick Steps and Paths
Horizontal brick surfaces like steps and paths get even more moss than walls because water sits on them rather than running off. They’re also a safety hazard. Wet moss on brick steps is genuinely dangerous.
The treatment approach is the same, but you might want to follow up with a light scrub using soapy water to remove any remaining residue. For paths, a stiff yard broom works well once the moss is dead.
If you’ve got brick steps leading up to your front door, it’s worth treating them preventatively every six months or so. The best times to treat are early spring and mid-autumn, before moss hits its growth spurts.
What About Household Remedies?
You’ll find plenty of suggestions online for using bleach, vinegar, or other household products on mossy brick. Some work better than others.
Bleach will kill moss, but it can also discolour brick and damage plants nearby. If you do use it, dilute it heavily and rinse thoroughly afterwards.
Vinegar is less harsh but also less effective on thick moss growth. It’s better suited to light coverage or as a preventative measure.
The honest truth? Purpose-made moss killers are formulated to kill moss without damaging surfaces or surrounding plants. They cost more than a bottle of vinegar, but they work better and you’ll use less product overall.
Preventing Moss Coming Back
Once you’ve cleaned your brickwork, you’ll want to keep it that way. Complete prevention isn’t always possible (some walls are just in moss-friendly locations) but you can definitely reduce regrowth.
Improving drainage around the base of walls helps. If water pools against the brickwork, it’ll stay damp and mossy. Check that ground levels slope away from walls and that any drainage channels are clear.
Cutting back overhanging vegetation makes a big difference. More sunlight and better air circulation mean the brick dries faster after rain. Even trimming back a few branches can transform a perpetually damp wall into one that only needs treating once a year.
For walls that are hopelessly shaded, like those against a north-facing boundary or under mature trees, you might need to accept that regular treatment is part of the maintenance routine. Our comprehensive guide to moss removal covers prevention strategies in more detail.
A Note on Historic Brickwork
If you’re dealing with period property or historic brickwork, be extra cautious. Old lime mortar is softer than modern cement mortar and more easily damaged. The bricks themselves may be handmade and more porous than modern equivalents.
For genuinely historic buildings, consider consulting a conservation specialist before treating moss. In some cases, a certain amount of moss growth is considered acceptable or even desirable for the character of the building.
For most garden walls and standard residential brickwork though, the treat-and-brush method described above is safe and effective.
Want the easy option? Skip the scrubbing and let the treatment do the work. Our Moss, Mould & Algae Killer is safe for brick and keeps working long after application.
