How to remove moss from a roof yourself (and when not to)

What the tile makers say

Marley, one of the UK's biggest roof tile makers, is direct. It says "accessing the roof to remove moss or lichen yourself should not be attempted due to the inherent risks of working on roofs", and that "it's best to leave this job to experts". It also "does not recommend foot traffic directly on the roof tiles or covering", because tiles aren't made to be walked on.

That rules out most DIY moss removal on a two-storey house. You can't scrape a slope you can't safely reach, and you can't reach most main roofs without standing on them.

Roofs you can do, and roofs you can't

If you're doing a low roof, do it like this

• Use a plastic scraper or a stiff, non-wire brush, and work down the slope, the way the water runs. On DIYnot, a homeowner who asked whether a wire brush was okay was told "yes, it will" damage the tiles, and switched to a nylon scraper and a stiff brush.
• Marley says moss can be scraped off with hand tools, but "this must be performed with caution to avoid damaging roof tiles and slates".
• Never use a pressure washer. Marley says high-powered jet washing is "not recommended as it can damage the surface of the slate or tile".
• Collect the moss as you go. Don't let it wash into the gutters and downpipes, or you'll swap one job for another.
• Clear the gutter below when you've finished.

Ladder safety, if you use one

The Ladder Association's guide, written with the Health and Safety Executive, sets out the basics:

• Set a leaning ladder at 75 degrees, using "the 1-in-4 rule": one unit out at the bottom for every four up.
• Stand it on firm, level ground, and do a quick check of the ladder for damage before you use it.
• "Maintain three points of contact when climbing."
• "Don't overreach – make sure your belt buckle (or navel) stays within the stiles." Move the ladder instead.
• "Don't work off the top three rungs."
• "Do not rest a ladder against weak upper surfaces such as glazing or plastic gutters."
• For anything taking more than 30 minutes, the guide recommends using different equipment.

If a job needs you to break any of these, it's not a DIY job.

Moss killers: use them carefully, or not at all

A moss treatment can slow regrowth, but it isn't harmless. Marley warns that chemical washes "can be harmful to plants and animals", and that gutters and outlets should be protected. On Mumsnet, one homeowner found after a roof was treated that "the spray and splashes killed all my plants on that side of my garden."

If you use one, choose a product whose label says it's for use on roofs, and follow the label exactly. In Great Britain, products that kill moss and algae are regulated, and they must be used as their label directs. Don't mix your own from bleach or other household chemicals. And don't expect too much: Historic England's research found that the longer-term effectiveness of common biocides "has been observed to be extremely limited".

When it's a job for a roofer

• The moss is on the main roof, or anywhere you'd have to stand on the tiles to reach.
• The roof is old clay, slate or listed.
• The moss is thick, tile edges are lifting, or you've spotted slipped or cracked tiles.
• There's a leak, or a damp patch on a top-floor ceiling.
• The gutters keep blocking with moss, and you can't reach them safely either.

How we remove roof moss

We take moss off by hand, with scrapers and brushes, from roof ladders hooked over the ridge, so we're not standing on your tiles. Where it suits the roof, we follow up with an approved treatment, sprayed at low pressure and kept off plants and ponds. Then we clear your gutters and downpipes and send you photos of every slope, before and after.

Written by Hawkes Roofing, roofers based in St Albans who remove roof moss by hand across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and north-west London. Last reviewed 26 October 2026.