Green marks on your garden fence? Two ways to clean green algae without a pressure washer

Homebase advises on garden jobs to do in March

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Green marks can be a common sight on your garden fence, typically the result of algae formation. Algae most often grows on wood when it becomes damp, and can be a common sight for gardens across the UK, particularly after the recent slew of storms to hit the nation in recent weeks.

In many cases, a combination of specialist cleaning products and a pressure washer is cited as a go-to way to tackle this mossy build-up.

However, pressure washers can be expensive to buy or rent.

Luckily, there are some other ways you can tackle algae by hand, and leave your fence looking fresh in time for spring.

Use a mixture of dish soap and warm water

For this you will need:

  • A bucket
  • Dish soap
  • Warm water
  • A firm bristled scrubbing brush

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Admittedly, this method will require a little bit of elbow grease, but it can work well on smaller areas of algae build-up.

To begin, fill up a bucket with warm, soapy water.

Next, tackle the fence using a firm bristled rubbing brush.

What jobs are you doing to get your garden spring ready? Join the conversation in the comments

Use circular motions to buff away the algae and other dirt which may be hiding away in the cracks of your fence.

Finally, rinse away the soapy water with fresh warm water.

You can do this by hand or, to speed the process up, by using a hosepipe if you have one.

Bleach and water

For this you will need:

  • Rubber gloves
  • A bucket
  • Bleach
  • Warm water
  • A firm bristled scrubbing brush

Whether you have a larger build-up or are facing some stubborn green stains that simply won’t budge with soapy water, it may be time to bring in the bleach.

A combination of bleak and water will promise a more intensive clean.

However, when using bleach, do make sure that the mixture will not drip down onto any plants or foliage, and this may kill them.

Fill your bucket with one part bleach and two parts water.

Depending on how strong your mixture is, bleach can lead to discolouration or even strip fence paint.

Before you begin, it is a good idea to test your solution on a small patch of the fence to make sure this will not cause damage.

Make sure to wear rubber gloves before beginning the clean, as bleach can cause irritation to the skin.

Tackle the fence by scrubbing with your brush in circular motions.

Once finished, rinse down the fence with clean water using a hosepipe.

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