Our house faces north, and as such the tarmac drive
gets no sun at all and is quite damp.

I've tried over the years removing the moss that grows
by scraping it off with a spade and blasting it off
with a power hose. Neither of which work really
successfully and are starting to damage the tarmac.

So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but
what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next
week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and
what to avoid if possible.

Many thanks


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

On 2014-01-17 19:48:00 +0000, Roger Tonkin said:

Our house faces north, and as such the tarmac drive
gets no sun at all and is quite damp.

I've tried over the years removing the moss that grows
by scraping it off with a spade and blasting it off
with a power hose. Neither of which work really
successfully and are starting to damage the tarmac.

So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but
what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next
week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and
what to avoid if possible.

Many thanks

A very weak dilution of e.g. Jeyes fluid, perhaps? But not if it's
going to run off into any plants you do want to keep. If the moss is
dangerous to you with regard to walking on it, I quite see your
concerns. If it's not and you're only concerned about appearance, my
own view would be to enjoy it but nobody would call my style 'tidy'!
;-) I like moss.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

Roger Tonkin wrote:

Our house faces north, and as such the tarmac drive
gets no sun at all and is quite damp.

I've tried over the years removing the moss that grows
by scraping it off with a spade and blasting it off
with a power hose. Neither of which work really
successfully and are starting to damage the tarmac.

So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but
what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next
week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and
what to avoid if possible.

Many thanks

Have a go with coca-cola - seriously.

Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable cleaning
agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete
which it does very effectively.

.... which is why I can not understand anybody putting the stuff inside
themselves ...

Larry

On 18/01/2014 07:04, Larry Stoter wrote:
Roger Tonkin wrote:

Our house faces north, and as such the tarmac drive
gets no sun at all and is quite damp.

I've tried over the years removing the moss that grows
by scraping it off with a spade and blasting it off
with a power hose. Neither of which work really
successfully and are starting to damage the tarmac.

So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but
what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next
week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and
what to avoid if possible.

Many thanks

Have a go with coca-cola - seriously.

Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable cleaning
agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete
which it does very effectively.


You mean motor oil? That would be amazing given all the expensive
products which don't work very well IME

"Larry Stoter" wrote in message
...
Roger Tonkin wrote:

Snip

So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but
what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next
week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and
what to avoid if possible.

Many thanks

Have a go with coca-cola - seriously.

Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable cleaning
agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete
which it does very effectively.

... which is why I can not understand anybody putting the stuff inside
themselves ...

I know of a number of garages who use coca cola for cleaning
battery terminals!

Phil

"Phil Gurr" wrote in message ...


"Larry Stoter" wrote in message
...
Roger Tonkin wrote:

Snip

So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but
what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next
week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and
what to avoid if possible.

Many thanks

Have a go with coca-cola - seriously.

Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable cleaning
agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete
which it does very effectively.

... which is why I can not understand anybody putting the stuff inside
themselves ...

I know of a number of garages who use coca cola for cleaning
battery terminals!

Phil
================================================== ====

Bit more messy and sticky, but I am lead to believe that HP Brown Sauce is
good for that too

Mike

---------------------------------------------------------------
www.friendsofshanklintheatre.co.uk
www.hmscollingwoodassociation.com
www.rneba.org.uk
www.nsrafa.org

stuart noble wrote:

On 18/01/2014 07:04, Larry Stoter wrote:
Roger Tonkin wrote:

Our house faces north, and as such the tarmac drive
gets no sun at all and is quite damp.

I've tried over the years removing the moss that grows
by scraping it off with a spade and blasting it off
with a power hose. Neither of which work really
successfully and are starting to damage the tarmac.

So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but
what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next
week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and
what to avoid if possible.

Many thanks

Have a go with coca-cola - seriously.

Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable cleaning
agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete
which it does very effectively.


You mean motor oil? That would be amazing given all the expensive
products which don't work very well IME

Yes, motor oil, where a car has been standing and leaking oil.

Large bottle of coke, stiff brush and some newspaper. Poor some coke on
to the concrete and work the stiff brush in circles. Doesn't need to be
particularly hard or vigorous. The idea is to get the coke into all the
cracks. Keep the surface wet with fresh coke as necessary. After 5 mins
or so, soak all the liquid up with the newspaper.

Depending on how old the stains are, you'll need to reapeat several
times. When I've tried it, the oil stains where about 2 years old and 3
applications got rid of most of the stain.

Larry

This is simply because it is among the most acidic of beverages on sale. It has a pH of 2.8. Some vinegars are less acidic than that (Wikipedia reports taht cider vinegar has a pH of over 4, which may explain why my chilli preserve with cider vinegar went mouldy) though strong vinegars are down to about 2.2. Lemon juice is usually slightly more acidic than vinegar, around 2.0. But I expect that coca cola is generally rather cheaper than vinegar or lemon juice. Maybe if you could bulk source vinegar it might be cheaper.

The potential trouble with using coca cola is the sugar in it which would make your drive sticky until it had been washed by the rain, and you wouldn't want to be treating it except when you could get a couple of dry days to allow it to get to work.

I use Patio Magic, which contains benzalkonium chloride. A 5litre container retails for around £20, but you dilute it 2 or 3 times so get about 10-15 litres to apply. They say that treats around 170 sq m, but my drive is 140 sq m and I don't quite get coverage of it all, so I concentrate on the worst bits. Smaller containers also available. I suppose that is still a bit more expensive than coca cola. I was surprised at the admonition that the moss and algae gradually reduce after the initial kill, but it seems to be true, the drive continues getting cleaner for several months after application. I wait until spring to apply it.

There is a product called Algon, which claims to be "safer" and "organic" but they won't say what the active ingredient is. I wonder if it is just a strong vinegar.

Google has just managed to confirm to me that my suspicion is correct. Well if they sell what is in effect vinegar as a moss and algicide, and one can source it more cheaply under its usual name, why not use it? The acid in coca cola is phosphoric acid, but I don't see why that shuold work any differently.

On 20/01/2014 09:37, echinosum wrote:

"'Mike'[_4_ Wrote:
;997615"]Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable
cleaning
agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete
which it does very effectively.

... which is why I can not understand anybody putting the stuff inside
themselves ...

I know of a number of garages who use coca cola for cleaning
battery terminals!

This is simply because it is among the most acidic of beverages on sale.
It has a pH of 2.8. Some vinegars are less acidic than that (Wikipedia
reports taht cider vinegar has a pH of over 4, which may explain why my
chilli preserve with cider vinegar went mouldy) though strong vinegars
are down to about 2.2. Lemon juice is usually slightly more acidic
than vinegar, around 2.0. But I expect that coca cola is generally
rather cheaper than vinegar or lemon juice. Maybe if you could bulk
source vinegar it might be cheaper.

The potential trouble with using coca cola is the sugar in it which
would make your drive sticky until it had been washed by the rain, and
you wouldn't want to be treating it except when you could get a couple
of dry days to allow it to get to work.

I use Patio Magic, which contains benzalkonium chloride. A 5litre
container retails for around £20, but you dilute it 2 or 3 times so get
about 10-15 litres to apply. They say that treats around 170 sq m, but
my drive is 140 sq m and I don't quite get coverage of it all, so I
concentrate on the worst bits. Smaller containers also available. I
suppose that is still a bit more expensive than coca cola. I was
surprised at the admonition that the moss and algae gradually reduce
after the initial kill, but it seems to be true, the drive continues
getting cleaner for several months after application. I wait until
spring to apply it.

There is a product called Algon, which claims to be "safer" and
"organic" but they won't say what the active ingredient is. I wonder if
it is just a strong vinegar.



[/i][/color]
What about sugar free coke?

"David Hill" wrote in message ...

On 20/01/2014 09:37, echinosum wrote:

"'Mike'[_4_ Wrote:
;997615"]Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable
cleaning
agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete
which it does very effectively.

... which is why I can not understand anybody putting the stuff inside
themselves ...

I know of a number of garages who use coca cola for cleaning
battery terminals!

This is simply because it is among the most acidic of beverages on sale.
It has a pH of 2.8. Some vinegars are less acidic than that (Wikipedia
reports taht cider vinegar has a pH of over 4, which may explain why my
chilli preserve with cider vinegar went mouldy) though strong vinegars
are down to about 2.2. Lemon juice is usually slightly more acidic
than vinegar, around 2.0. But I expect that coca cola is generally
rather cheaper than vinegar or lemon juice. Maybe if you could bulk
source vinegar it might be cheaper.

The potential trouble with using coca cola is the sugar in it which
would make your drive sticky until it had been washed by the rain, and
you wouldn't want to be treating it except when you could get a couple
of dry days to allow it to get to work.

I use Patio Magic, which contains benzalkonium chloride. A 5litre
container retails for around £20, but you dilute it 2 or 3 times so get
about 10-15 litres to apply. They say that treats around 170 sq m, but
my drive is 140 sq m and I don't quite get coverage of it all, so I
concentrate on the worst bits. Smaller containers also available. I
suppose that is still a bit more expensive than coca cola. I was
surprised at the admonition that the moss and algae gradually reduce
after the initial kill, but it seems to be true, the drive continues
getting cleaner for several months after application. I wait until
spring to apply it.

There is a product called Algon, which claims to be "safer" and
"organic" but they won't say what the active ingredient is. I wonder if
it is just a strong vinegar.



[/i][/color]
What about sugar free coke?
=========================================



Don't use Diet Coke, your drive might shrink.

Mike


---------------------------------------------------------------
www.friendsofshanklintheatre.co.uk
www.hmscollingwoodassociation.com
www.rneba.org.uk
www.nsrafa.org

On Friday, January 17, 2014 7:48:00 PM UTC, Roger Tonkin wrote:
Our house faces north, and as such the tarmac drive

gets no sun at all and is quite damp.



I've tried over the years removing the moss that grows

by scraping it off with a spade and blasting it off

with a power hose. Neither of which work really

successfully and are starting to damage the tarmac.



So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but

what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next

week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and

what to avoid if possible.



Many thanks





--

Roger T



700 ft up in Mid-Wales

Armillotox

Jonathan

On Saturday, January 18, 2014 2:45:50 PM UTC, Larry Stoter wrote:
stuart noble wrote:



On 18/01/2014 07:04, Larry Stoter wrote:

Roger Tonkin wrote:



Our house faces north, and as such the tarmac drive

gets no sun at all and is quite damp.



I've tried over the years removing the moss that grows

by scraping it off with a spade and blasting it off

with a power hose. Neither of which work really

successfully and are starting to damage the tarmac.



So it looks as if it must be a chemical attack, but

what with? I,m hoping to get to a garden centre next

week, so I'd like some idea of what has worked and

what to avoid if possible.



Many thanks



Have a go with coca-cola - seriously.



Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable cleaning

agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete

which it does very effectively.





You mean motor oil? That would be amazing given all the expensive

products which don't work very well IME



Yes, motor oil, where a car has been standing and leaking oil.



Large bottle of coke, stiff brush and some newspaper. Poor some coke on

to the concrete and work the stiff brush in circles. Doesn't need to be

particularly hard or vigorous. The idea is to get the coke into all the

cracks. Keep the surface wet with fresh coke as necessary. After 5 mins

or so, soak all the liquid up with the newspaper.



Depending on how old the stains are, you'll need to reapeat several

times. When I've tried it, the oil stains where about 2 years old and 3

applications got rid of most of the stain.



Larry

I believe some US police forces use it to clear up blood after accidents.

Jonathan

On Monday, 20 January 2014 17:37:54 UTC+8, echinosum wrote:
"'Mike'[_4_ Wrote:

;997615"]Full strength coke is a good, cheap and easily obtainable

cleaning

agent. Personally, I've used it for removing oil stains from concrete

which it does very effectively.



... which is why I can not understand anybody putting the stuff inside

themselves ...



I know of a number of garages who use coca cola for cleaning

battery terminals!



This is simply because it is among the most acidic of beverages on sale.

It has a pH of 2.8. Some vinegars are less acidic than that (Wikipedia

reports taht cider vinegar has a pH of over 4, which may explain why my

chilli preserve with cider vinegar went mouldy) though strong vinegars

are down to about 2.2. Lemon juice is usually slightly more acidic

than vinegar, around 2.0. But I expect that coca cola is generally

rather cheaper than vinegar or lemon juice. Maybe if you could bulk

source vinegar it might be cheaper.



The potential trouble with using coca cola is the sugar in it which

would make your drive sticky until it had been washed by the rain, and

you wouldn't want to be treating it except when you could get a couple

of dry days to allow it to get to work.



I use Patio Magic, which contains benzalkonium chloride. A 5litre

container retails for around �20, but you dilute it 2 or 3 times so get

about 10-15 litres to apply. They say that treats around 170 sq m, but

my drive is 140 sq m and I don't quite get coverage of it all, so I

concentrate on the worst bits. Smaller containers also available. I

suppose that is still a bit more expensive than coca cola. I was

surprised at the admonition that the moss and algae gradually reduce

after the initial kill, but it seems to be true, the drive continues

getting cleaner for several months after application. I wait until

spring to apply it.



There is a product called Algon, which claims to be "safer" and

"organic" but they won't say what the active ingredient is. I wonder if

it is just a strong vinegar.[/i][/color]

According to http://www.rhs.org.uk/media/pdfs/adv...rsForGardeners it's acetic acid, so yep, pretty much just strong vinegar.


Graeme

On 17/01/2014 22:41, Sachs wrote:
A very weak dilution of e.g. Jeyes fluid, perhaps? But not if it's going
to run off into any plants you do want to keep. If the moss is
dangerous to you with regard to walking on it, I quite see your
concerns. If it's not and you're only concerned about appearance, my own
view would be to enjoy it but nobody would call my style 'tidy'! ;-) I
like moss.



No I know what the OP means. I have moss on my drive and it drives me up
the wall, as it just gets thicker sand in a suburban environment looks
neglected and untidy.
I spray weedkiller or pathclear on mine just to kill it but it takes an
extreme amount of effort to brush it off or even scrape it though a hoe
gets the thickest stuff clean out of the cracks, bleach would do or I
have found the salt I chucked over the ice last year also killed the moss.

--
Janet Tweedy
South Buckinghamshire

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