On trees, paving stones and even on natural stone – sooner or later lichens will appear on outdoor surfaces everywhere. What brings natural charm to some is a thorn in the side of others. Do you belong to the second group and would like to remove lichen from stones? How does this work in the long term?
Nice or not, the fact is that the covering ensures that the surfaces wear out more quickly and are also more sensitive to frost. It therefore makes sense to take action against the lichen growth on some garden elements. What helps against lichen on stones?
Why the stone covering is harmful
Lichens are a combination of fungi and bacteria, which live together like in a shared apartment, so to speak, which is how the lichen forms. This can be brown, green or gray, have a white border or even black dots. Since they absorb and store moisture like sponges in order to live on it, the surfaces become more sensitive to weather influences.
This is problematic when it comes to decorative natural stone, but also on sidewalks, which become slippery and pose a risk of injury.
How to remove lichen from stones?
Forget chemical weed killers because they actually have no effect in this case. In fact, by doing so you could only increase the spread. Scratching is also not an option, at least not if you don't want to damage the stone surface. Which remedies for lichen on stones are effective? What could be more powerful than a weed killer?
The good old baking soda as a lichen remover
This inconspicuous home remedy is a real miracle cure in many situations. And even if it seems strange, it can be very effective even as a lichen remover. How can you use baking soda to get rid of fungus on flagstones and other stone?
- Wait for a dry day. This means that the product can work better and is not just diluted by moisture or even washed away by rain.
- Boil water and dissolve the baking soda powder in it. The following applies: 10 to 15 g per 10 liters. Simply adjust the quantity to your needs. If you have large areas to work with, increase the amount of ingredients proportionally.
- Apply the resulting caustic soda solution to the lichen. You can use a spray bottle or mist sprayer for this.
- Let the lye work for about 24 hours. Then scrub the lichens off, preferably with a wire brush.
- Then rinse the surfaces with water.
You will get lichens on paving stonesin this waylos.
Removing lichen from stones: Is burning them a good idea?
Maybe someone recommended using a weed burner to get rid of fungus on rocks, and now you're wondering if that's really how you should remove lichen from rocks. If you use natural stone, you should definitely leave it alone as it would only damage the stone.
It depends on the material. Paving stones are usually suitable for being treated in this way. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- The device should be tailored to the area to be processed. There are different sizes to choose from.
- Take safety precautions as there is a risk of fire and injury.
- Burn off the lichens. Only aim the flame at them until they themselves are on fire.
- Simply sweep away the remaining ash after burning.
What can you do against lichen infestation on wooden furniture?Read here!
Use pure water to eliminate?
No, we have to disappoint you. This will probably be difficult, if not impossible, with just water and a brush. With the right pressure, however, things look different again.
A high-pressure cleaner, for example, can help you. To do this, aim the jet directly at the lichen. After some time you will notice how the top layer comes off. Remember that lichen is also made up of fungi, which in turn grow from fungal spores. When using water jets, they are also likely to be pushed into the soft joints, which can cause new lichen to form over time. Once you have removed the old ones, you should rinse the entire area, including the joints, thoroughly with water again.
Note on salt and vinegar essence as a remedy against lichen infestation
Can you remove lichen from stones with vinegar or salt? You often read about vinegar essence as a remedy that is supposed to help with yellow and purple stone lichen, among other things. Salt, in turn, is said to dry out the fungal-bacterial community and thereby kill it, especially in combination with sunlight. But as effective as these home remedies may be, they are legally prohibited for use outdoors.
Vinegar causes the soil to become acidic and also reaches the groundwater, while salt also kills the microorganisms. Both are harmful to the environment to a certain extent and therefore not recommended for nature's sake.
Do you have tree lichen? How to remove yellow lichen from treesfind out here.
Prevent new lichen formation
You can prevent or at least delay the reappearance of stone lichen by doing the following:
- Clean surfaces regularly with a high-pressure cleaner.
- Reduce shade so that the stones can dry faster, because without moisture, lichens will not develop.
- A little-known trick is the use of metal to combat lichen formation. You can purchase special metal strips from the hardware store that are attached to the roof. When it rains, some metal always ends up on the stone surfaces through the water runoff, which in turn kills the components.
Also read:Home remedies to remove green growth: Clean your patio, fences, walls, garden furniture, etc.!
