Anyone who has ever tried to permanently remove lichen from their stones will know the next day what they did. It takes a lot of effort and, above all, muscle strength to drive the fungus out of the garden. Annoyingly, the strenuous scrubbing often only removes the visible layer of the fungus. However, the spores of the fungus remain in the stones and after a short time produce white spots on the surface again. There must be a way to get rid of lichen without strenuous physical work and, above all, permanently. The following tips represent recommended alternative methods.
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Supporting tool
Unfortunately, the stubborn fungus cannot simply be magically removed. In any case, the removal requires some work. Suitable tools are essential for this and make cleaning the stones much easier. The following tools are available for this purpose:
- Soft bristle brush
- Wire broom
- Drahtbürste
Soft bristle brush
The brush with soft bristles is an alternative to the wire brush. It is also mainly used on smaller areas, but is handy and flexible. In contrast to wiry bristles, it does not roughen the soil structure. In return, however, this means that she is powerless against stubborn braids. These can be recognized by their white color. Slightly purple or yellow stone deposits are not too deep and can usually be easily removed with soft bristles.
Wire broom
This tool comes with both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, a long handle allows you to work while standing, so that your back and knees are protected. This is particularly helpful if the lichen spreads over a large area. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that the hard bristles roughen up the paving stones. If the spores are not completely removed, the fungus will settle even deeper in the grooves when it forms again, making it difficult to remove in the subsequent treatment.
Drahtbürste
If it is only a manageable area where the ringworm appears, a wire brush is the right choice. Although it still takes a lot of force to remove the fungus from the stones, thanks to the selectable size and closely spaced bristles, the wire brush adapts to the shape of the paving stones and even gets into the joints.
4 effective ways to get rid of lichen permanently
In addition to the various tools, there are various methods you can use to remove lichen from stones. Use home remedies or devices along with the above tools to permanently remove the lichen.
equipment
If you want to remove lichen from stones permanently and without wasting time, it is best to use one of the following devices.
- high pressure cleaner
- Bunsen burner
The high-pressure cleaner
Water alone does not free the stones from the annoying lichen. However, if it is pressed with great force onto the infested soil, the spores of the fungus are released. The advantage of a high-pressure cleaner is that the necessary treatment time can be clearly seen. The water jet should be sprayed onto the braid until the visible coating has completely disappeared. However, care should be taken with stone paving with deep joints. The water could push the spores into the soil, where they spread again after some time. For this reason, it is important to carefully hose down the stones again after use – especially in the gaps.
The Bunsen Burner
Like water, fire kills lichen. The size and performance of the device should be based on the area to be treated. After scorching, the remaining ash must be removed from the stones with a wire brush. A Bunsen burner should only be used by those who already have experience with this tool, as there is an increased risk of injury if you are careless.
home remedies
Fortunately, there are also alternative procedures that do not require any chemicals thanks to their simple production from household products:
- vinegar essence
- salt
vinegar essence
Although no one wants the smell of vinegar on their doorstep, this home remedy will help with yellow or purple lichen that isn’t too stubborn. The acid is diluted with water and poured over the unsightly floor covering with the watering can. Here, too, it must be rinsed again with clean water afterwards. However, there is no way around manual removal with a wire brush. However, the fungus dissolves a lot more easily with prior treatment.
salt
Alternatively, sprinkling salt on the lichen when it is in direct sunlight will help. The home remedy dries out the spores so that they can be removed more easily when cleaned with a broom or wire brush.
Conclusion
Lichens on stones can also be removed without chemical fungicides. Which method is suitable depends on the robustness of the floor covering. Unfortunately, there is no way around physical work. However, pre-treating with home remedies will help scrape off the fungus more easily.
