Should you scrape moss from a roof before softwashing?

 

When softwashing a roof, should you scrape moss from the roof, or not? This is a question we are frequently asked. And there are varying points of view about the best way to softwash moss on a roof.

So we thought to clarify the situation in light of our experience.

Ben, who always goes to great lengths to explore all the possible options when softwashing a roof, has found this from his experience:

Remove large moss balls from the roof prior to softwashing, by using a Benz Professional Roof Moss Scraper. It’s best to remove all moss from low pitched roofs situated in sheltered or shady locations. Steep pitched roofs are more forgiving of less thorough scraping.

In general, spray-only treatment – with any softwash chemical – of roof moss is never completely satisfactory. Pre-scraping prior to treating with Benz Bio Cleanze has proved to be the most effective approach.

Spraying with Benz Lightning Cleanze

Ben also experimented with spraying moss with highly concentrated Lightning Cleanze.

This approach quickly turned the moss into a mush that somehow he had to remove.

The problem was that rain washed the mush into gutters, downpipes and drains. And therefore could potentially cause serious, hard to remove blockages.

Removing the mush by hand, prior to it entering the drainage system, turned out to be messy, difficult and highly unpleasant.

If you try this approach, remember that there could be some active sodium hypochlorite remaining in the mush, so stringent H&S precautions, including appropriate PPE, should be seriously considered and implemented.

Click here to learn about Benz Professional Roof Moss Scrapers – the professional way to remove moss from roofs.

We hope this information is helpful.

Cheers,

Ben, Leo & Fiona

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