Simple 70p hack to remove moss from your garden that isn't bleach

Moss can lend a storybook charm to gardens, but it can also pose a hazard in areas with high foot traffic. Frosty weather alone can make outdoor walking treacherous, but the risk of slipping and falling due to moss growth on stone pathways or concrete is an additional concern. However, there's a simple solution to eliminate slippery surface moss from your garden using a common household item - washing up liquid.

Joe, a lawn care expert and founder of Joe's Lawn Care, revealed that washing up liquid can be transformed into "an epic moss killer" capable of removing moss from your pathways and gardens. In a blog post, Joe shared: "I know this may sound even more baffling..



.but you can eradicate your moss problem with a two-ingredient cocktail of water and dish soap." To try out Joe's easy moss remover, you'll need 60ml of dish soap and four and a half litres of water.

It's also important to check your local weather forecast to ensure it won't rain for the next 24 hours, so your hard work isn't washed away. Joe added: "I know this sounds odd, but mixing 60ml of dish soap into 4-and-a-half litres of water and then filling up a hand sprayer is one of the most incredible moss-killing recipes you could ever come across. "Simply take your mixture outside and spray on any patches of moss you come across, holding your bottle just a couple of inches away as you drench the moss with your epic creation.

" Washing-up liquid can be snagged for a mere 70p at Tesco and Aldi , while Asda offers their own 'just essentials' washing-up liquid for a thrifty 55p. Joe reveals that you'll spot if your homemade moss assassin has done its job the following day when the moss will have transformed from vibrant green to an "orangey-brown" hue as it starts to wither. But if you're aiming to banish the moss permanently from your garden, then you've got to tackle the root of the problem in your soil or grass that's causing the pesky plant to keep popping up.

Joe suggests a couple of straightforward lawn care strategies, including 'scarification', which is all about getting rid of organic material known as thatch from your lawn to stop the grass from getting too choked up – because moss loves to thrive in nutrient-starved patches. Joe explains: "One of the most effective methods is scarification, where the cause of your moss is tackled by removing the surface thatch on which the moss is growing. Simple.

And that's not all, because aeration plays a crucial part in keeping moss at bay (I'm a poet and didn't realise it). "By punching holes through your grass/soil, you're not only relieving compaction and allowing water and nutrients to pass into the root zone, you're creating a drier top surface and that is how to discourage moss from growing.".