Algae and Moss on Walls

[smudge]

Hi, we are doing up an old farm cottage and have a bit of a problem, all the barns are white washed but are covered in algae and need to be washed properly to get rid of it, there are chemicals out there but dont want to use them or go to the expense any ideas?

Also we need to clean out the barns and they are covered in muck and need to be washed out property before i can get any animals in there, any ideas again on what i can use :) thanks a million x

[nenomarie]

hi, I remember seeing someone on tv Grand Designs restoring a castle and the ancient stones were all green and they got it off with just a high powered power washer, it took them ages but it worked really well, not sure if this helps but good luck!

[lira]

Hi, I've used white distilled vinegar to clean algae and mildew in our house. Used one capful of bleach in a full spray bottle of water too. Prefer Vinegar though, it gets everything clean!

[Fries-With-That]

Easiest way to clean the white wash is with a wire brush.

wait until you've had a few dry days and then use a wire brush to scrub the whitewash, then whitewash it again. WHEN WORKING WITH WHITEWASH BE SURE TO WEAR SAFETY GLASSES AND DECENT WORK GLOVES.

algae on whitewash is usually caused by water running down the walls( or by splashing up on the walls) make sure the gutters and downpipes are in proper working order and keep them cleaned out.

the best thing you can use on the inside is jeyes fluid( available from most hardwares or supermarkets)

If you want a proper farm type cleaner go to one of the farm co-op stores and buy a cleaner that the farmers use for their milking parlours.

[noni]

Hello, Like fries, I was going to suggest Jeyes Fluid diluted to clean walls, my father always used it, its good for cleaning old garden pots and containers before sowing seeds as well

[Costellon]

My Grandfather was a master decorator and swore by a vinegar, water and washing soda mixture for washing (sometimes the algae gets "into" the mortar/plaster), then, for outside walls (to "seal" them) mix cow manure with water, paint it on, allow to dry thoroughly and paint over it, seriously, no smell !
For inside walls, seal them with egg white (painted on after washing) and you can then wallpaper or paint without any worries (works for dampness also).
Hope this has not disgusted you, it works. Sometimes the old tricks are the best, without chemicals.

[Moeby]

Hi we used to have a green type of mould on our walls. Someone suggested it came from conifers nearby. We sprayed it with diluted bleach first, a painter friend told us to do this as we had to kill any algae before painting. We left it to work a few days then scrubbed down and painted. Our paint lasted 5 years. We are in need of painting again but the green mould did not come back. If you paint over the mould without killing it it will just come through your paint again. Hope this is of some help. Kind regards.