GreenSeasons
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Our Company
    • Community Support
    • Clients Served >
      • Campus
      • Commercial
      • Government
      • Industrial
      • Residential
      • Testimonials
    • Bios
    • FAQs
  • SERVICES
    • Design / Build >
      • Landscape Design
      • Landscape Installation
      • Irrigation
      • Landscape Drainage Solutions
      • Outdoor Lighting
    • Landscape Maintenance
    • Mowing Service
    • Lawn Care
    • Christmas Lights
  • CONTACT
    • Baton Rouge Office
    • Greenwell Springs Office
    • Slidell Office
  • CAREERS
  • BLOG
  • PAYMENT
  • QUOTE

Why is the Outside of my House Green and How Do I Clean It?

1/16/2013

10 Comments

 
A lot of home owners have a similar question at some point in their lives, "Why is my house turning green and how do i fix it?"  Chances are the green on your home is green algae, moss or mildew.  The good news is it is fairly simple to clean.
Picture

Here's what you will need:
  • Safety Glasses
  • Chemical Resistant Gloves
  • Water Hose with Nozzle
  • 1 Decent Size Bucket
  • 1 Cup of Bleach
  • 1 Tablespoon of Dish Soap
  • 1 Gallon of Water
  • Long Handled Nylon Brush
  • Plastic Tarp (to cover exposed plants)

Cleaning Algae from Small Areas
Mix the ratio of bleach, dish soap and water in a spray bottle.  Wet the area down with a hose.  Spray it with the cleaning solution.  Let it sit for three to five minutes.  Scrub it with a brush or simply wash it with a hose and repeat if necessary.

Picture
Cleaning Algae from Medium Areas
Wear your gloves and glasses.  Add water to the bucket.  Add in your dish soap and bleach and mix it with your brush. Test a small to make sure there is no discoloration with your particular brick or siding.  Spray the dirty area with the hose to loosen the mess.  Use your nylon brush to scrub the area on the wall with the mixture.  Wait three to five minutes until your see the green starting to run.  Spray off treated area with your hose.  If there is staining or if there is more algae, moss or mildew, simply repeat the process.  You can use this same method on fences also.


Cleaning Algae from Large Areas, Like Your Entire Home
If you have a large area that needs to be clean, like your entire home, do the following:

Either rent a pressure washer with an exterior cleaning solution or hire a professional.  Hiring a professional could end of saving you in the long run, especially if you have brick exterior. Bricks and especially the mortar between them can be damaged by using a power washer incorrectly and the repairs on that will be far more expensive than the cost of hiring someone to take care of it for you.

What Causes Algae, Moss and Mildew to Grow On The Side of my Home?

Sunlight
Areas with a lot of sun will be more likely to grow the green stuff.

Water
If the area it is growing is constantly damp, there is your problem.  Make sure there are not irrigation nozzles facing your home. Check to see if the area holds water.  If it holds water, you may want to create a small trench to drain the area or install some drainage. If it is a continuous problem, you may want to invest in gutters for your roof to divert water away during storms.

Dirt
Believe it or not, dirt can be the culprit even when everything else has been taken care of.  Dirt is able to hold enough water to allow your algae infestation to take hold.  If this is your problem, you should look into having your home power washed.  A good preventative measure for this would be storm gutters for your roof.  Another helpful, and cheaper, option would be mulching the beds near the problem area to prevent rain from splashing dirt onto the wall.

Plants
Plants can leave sap and living tissue on your home.  Algae loves this stuff.  Keep your plants properly pruned away from your home.  If you are planning a new landscape bed, try and keep a good distance from your home.  One mistake a lot of people make is they plant shrubs and trees a good distance from their home at the size the plant is when they put it in the ground.  Unless you transplanted the shrub or tree full grown, you will have a problem with it in a few years.

Air Flow
Areas of your home's exterior without proper airflow usually retain moisture.  Keep plants pruned in these areas and try to place structures or decorations where they do not prevent air from moving freely in these problem areas.



10 Comments
Dollhouse Dolls link
5/7/2013 11:20:07 pm

Good post !!This really is my very first time i visit here. I discovered so numerous fascinating stuff in your weblog particularly its discussion. From the plenty of comments on your content articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment right here! keep up the great work.

Reply
Housekeeping Services San Antonio link
6/17/2013 12:49:24 am

Could not be written any better. Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!....

Reply
TS Massage Victoria link
3/8/2021 12:02:46 am

I enjoyed readiing your post

Reply
Kwik Print A0 A1 A2 link
12/29/2022 09:06:11 pm

Enjoyed reading the article above, really explains everything in detail, the article is very interesting and effective. Thank you and good luck… This site is very helpful for me. I love that site and it is also an informative site

Reply
Mitchell link
1/29/2025 02:28:40 am

I’ve been struggling with algae on my home’s exterior for months, and this guide has saved me time and money. The bleach solution worked great on smaller areas. I also didn’t know that poor airflow could contribute to moisture retention—will definitely keep that in mind!

Reply
bangkok services link
3/4/2025 02:40:43 am

Amazing post! The information you provided is very detailed and easy to understand. I appreciate the way you break down complex topics into simple language. Your blog is a great source of knowledge for many readers. Please continue sharing such helpful content. Your efforts are making a big difference for those who want to learn more about this topic. Looking forward to more posts like this!

Reply
ราคาการ์ดงานแต่ง link
3/23/2025 02:19:38 am

This is a very useful post! I really appreciate the time and effort you put into writing this. The insights you shared are practical and easy to understand, making this post beneficial for anyone interested in this topic. I have learned a lot from reading this, and I’m looking forward to more content like this in the future. Please keep up the great work and continue sharing such valuable knowledge!

Reply
Exploring Cascais link
4/14/2025 07:37:37 am

This is a really good post! I appreciate the way you explained everything so clearly and in such an engaging tone. It’s not always easy to find content that breaks things down so well, especially on this topic. Your effort truly shows, and I’ve learned something valuable from reading this. I’m looking forward to checking out more of your posts. Keep up the great work and keep sharing helpful insights like this!

Reply
vind sneller een huurwoning via Wonen31 link
4/19/2025 10:40:03 am

This post had me laughing out loud! I totally get the impossible standards we sometimes set to keep a tidy home, especially when guests are expected or we’re just craving order. The “no breathing, walking or blinking” line sums it up perfectly. As a mom trying to maintain some level of house cleaning amidst chaos, I feel this in my soul. Thanks for making such a relatable post that captures real-life mom moments!

Reply
dr hart ortho link
4/22/2025 09:20:04 am

Great article! I had green algae on my vinyl siding last year and didn’t know bleach and dish soap could be that effective. Definitely going to try your mix before I rent another pressure washer. Also, didn’t think about irrigation spraying the house — will double-check that too.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Charlie Casselberry

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Aeration
    Allergies
    Ants
    Azalea
    Bed Bugs
    Butterflies
    Camellias
    Compost
    Diseases
    Diy
    Drainage
    Fall
    Fertilization
    Flowers
    Fountain
    Fruit
    Fundraising
    Fungus Control
    Gardener
    Gardening
    Gutter Cleaning
    Holiday Lighting
    Home Care
    Homegrown Food
    Horticulture
    Hurricane
    Indian Hawthrones
    Indoor Plants
    Industrial
    Irrigation
    Landscape Architecture
    Landscape Bed Cleanup
    Landscape Design
    Landscape Lighting
    Landscape Maintenance
    Landscaping
    Lawn Care
    Louisiana Super Plant
    Mechanic
    Mosquito Control
    Moss
    Mowing
    Mowing Equipment
    Outdoor Events
    Overseeding
    Palms
    Pest Control
    Pets
    Plant Health
    Planting
    Podcast
    Pools
    Pressure Washing
    Pruning
    Recovery
    Roaches
    Rocks
    Rodent Control
    Roses
    Rye Grass
    Safety
    Shrub
    Sod
    Sports
    Spring
    Sprinkler
    Storms
    Summer
    Termites
    Top Dressing
    Travel
    Tree Work
    Tree Work
    Tropicals
    Vegetables
    Weather Proofing
    Weeds
    Winter
    Winterize

    Archives

    February 2025
    September 2024
    July 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    October 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    March 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    June 2016
    April 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

    RSS Feed

Picture

Contact

225-752-2333
[email protected]

Services

Landscaping
Irrigation
​Mowing

About

About Us
Markets
Brands
​Site Map

Locations

GreenSeasons
Baton Rouge Office
11628 S Choctaw Drive, Suite 227
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815
Review Us!
Greenwell Springs Office
14461 Frenchtown Road
Greenwell Springs, LA  70739
Slidell Office
56010 Highway 433
Slidell, Louisiana 70461
Review Us!
© 2020 GreenSeasons
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Our Company
    • Community Support
    • Clients Served >
      • Campus
      • Commercial
      • Government
      • Industrial
      • Residential
      • Testimonials
    • Bios
    • FAQs
  • SERVICES
    • Design / Build >
      • Landscape Design
      • Landscape Installation
      • Irrigation
      • Landscape Drainage Solutions
      • Outdoor Lighting
    • Landscape Maintenance
    • Mowing Service
    • Lawn Care
    • Christmas Lights
  • CONTACT
    • Baton Rouge Office
    • Greenwell Springs Office
    • Slidell Office
  • CAREERS
  • BLOG
  • PAYMENT
  • QUOTE