How to Get Moss Out of Grass Safely for Pets

Mother Nature apparently hates empty spaces, so she does her best to fill in patches of bare soil with plants. Moss is one of her common filter plants for shady, damp spaces, and it spreads across sparse areas as thick, spongy mats. Some mosses, such as Irish moss (Sagina subulata, U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8), make suitable ground covers, while other mosses just seem to make your yard a slippery mess. Because your pet probably spends a lot of time outdoors, take steps to remove unwanted lawn moss using animal-friendly methods.

Remove Moss

Vigorously rake out moss as soon as it appears for a fast fix that doesn't pose a threat to pets. Discard the debris and cover the raked area with a 2- to 3-inch layer of natural straw or bark mulch to keep moss from regrowing in that area. Mowing your grass using a specially designed dethatching blade can also physically remove moss from your lawn. After adjusting the height of the lawn mower so the blade touches the surface of the soil, make two or three passes over your entire lawn. Rake up and discard the moss your lawn mower digs up.

Spray Large Patches

Moss-controlling soaps, called cyrptocidals, contain biodegradable potassium salts of fatty acids. The natural ingredients work by drying out unwanted moss while not harming pets or any desirable plants in the area. Look for a ready-to-spray formulation that takes the guesswork out of mixing solutions. After reading the instructions on the manufacturer's label, liberally spray the moss with the soap product. Lightly rinse the treated area with water from your garden hose about 30 minutes after treatment, and don't water the area again for at least 48 hours. The soap causes dying moss to turn yellowish-white in color. Retreat the area in two to four weeks if any green moss remains. Rake up dead moss and discard it.

Soap solutions might be animal-friendly and less toxic, but they can still irritate skin and eyes on contact and pets shouldn't eat anything treated with them. Keep pets out of the treatment area until the solution dries. Wear protective clothing and safety glasses or goggles when spraying soap to reduce the risk of contact.

Spot Treat Small Patches

Spot treat small patches of moss with common household items that won't negatively affect your pet. Make a 3 percent soap solution by mixing 1 ounce of lemon-scented liquid dish soap with 1 quart of water. Pour the solution in a handheld squirt bottle and directly spray the mossy area.

Another effective spot treatment solution contains 2 to 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 quart of warm water. Wait for a sunny day and then use a squirt bottle to directly spray the moss with the solution. Baking soda solutions sometimes burn the surrounding grass. Test the solution on an inconspicuous patch of moss and and wait 24 to 48 hours to check nearby grass for damage. If the grass stays green, spot treat all moss patches in your yard.

Prevent Moss

Once you've removed lawn moss, keep it from returning by following pet-safe preventative methods. Moss thrives in shady, damp areas and can outgrow grasses in areas with little sun. Pruning trees and shrubs that shade the area allows more sun to reach the ground. Cut back overhanging low branches and prune out thick interiors and canopies to reduce the density of the shade. Between each cut, dip your pruning tools in a solution containing 1 part chlorine bleach and 9 parts water. This helps you avoid spreading disease pathogens or pests to your other plants.

Reduce moisture in problem areas by only watering your lawn when it needs it. Wait until the grass starts wilting to give your lawn 2/3 to 3/4 inch of water. Water early in the day so the grass has plenty of time to dry before nightfall. This is especially important in early spring and fall when moss grows most vigorously.