How to Kill Moss on Paths

by Jessica Mahoney
    Kill moss on a path if it becomes a slipping hazard.

    Kill moss on a path if it becomes a slipping hazard.

    Bryophytes including mosses are an important part of the ecosystem, but in California, many mosses are considered rare plant species. Contrary to common belief, moss thrives in dry and sunny areas, alkaline and acid soils, and in moist and dry conditions. Mosses pose no real threat, so leaving them to grow helps to keep the ecosystem balanced. Moss even adds a touch of charm to pathways, but they could make the path slippery, posing a risk of serious injury. If you find it necessary to rid the path of moss, choose natural elimination methods that won't harm neighboring plants and wildlife.

    Eradication Methods


    Scrape as much moss as possible off the path with a wide putty knife or similar scraping tool. This step is only practical on hard surface paths, such as concrete, stone and paver paths and is impractical for gravel paths.


    Pour 1 gallon of undiluted 20-percent acetic acid vinegar into a garden sprayer. Use less for very small areas to conserve vinegar.


    Saturate the pathway, cracks and boundary lines where you want to kill moss and prevent it from growing back. The vinegar will make any remaining moss dry out and increases the acidity in the soil so it cannot sustain plant life. This treatment may remain effective for up to one year but may be reapplied any time moss appears on the path.


    Let the vinegar set on the path for about 10 minutes, then use a scrub brush to work it into any small crevices in the path. Spray the surface again before scrubbing if the vinegar has dried. You may rinse the vinegar away if desired, but leaving the vinegar on the path increases the chances of killing all the moss.


    Clip back any tree branches that may be providing too much shade to the area of the path where moss is persistent. Although some mosses will grow in dry, sunny conditions, many mosses thrive in damp, shady environments. Trimming tree branches increases the amount of sunlight on the path and helps the area to dry out faster.

    Relocating the Moss in Your Garden


    Reserve any moss that you scrape off the path, remove as much soil as possible and let it dry in the sun for a few hours.


    Add one handful of dried moss to a blender with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1 cup of buttermilk and 1 cup of water.


    Blend the mixture to create a slurry a similar consistency to cream soup.


    Pour the mixture directly onto an area of your garden where you'd like moss to grow. Surfaces like the path are the best candidates for encouraging moss growth.


    Paint the moss mixture directly onto a surface in the garden similar to the path surface. You can paint words, pictures and other designs with a regular paintbrush and the moss will grow wherever you paint.


    Mist the area periodically with a spray bottle to keep it moist, but don't saturate the area, or you may wash away the moss mixture.

    Things You Will Need

    • Putty knife
    • 1 gallon 20-percent acetic acid vinegar
    • Garden sprayer
    • Scrub brush
    • Lopping shears
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 cup buttermilk


    • If you don't have a garden sprayer, pour the vinegar onto the path or apply with a small spray bottle. Apply enough to ensure the stones in the path are fully saturated and the vinegar penetrates the soil through any cracks in the path.


    • Spray the vinegar slowly and carefully. The vinegar will kill the moss, but it also kills any other plants and may prevent plants from growing for up to one year.
    • Relocating the moss keeps your path safe, while maintaining balance in the ecosystem. Apply the moss mixture to surfaces such as fences, brick walls, stone retaining walls, ceramic or clay pots or statuary.

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