Getting moss off fence panels prior to re-staining

[goalc]

Hi - I hope someone can help...

we have a long fence in our garden and several panels are covered in what appears to be a layer of green moss (there is no pattern as to which panel gets it so I have no idea why it appears where it does). We want to re-stain the panels as they look a right mess (and I am sure it is not doing them any good), so can anyone suggest the best way to get the moss off the panels ?
We can't use a pressure washer as we are still in a drought area, and the only other idea I had was to try and scrape it off with a steel brush, but I think that this will (a) take a long time and (b) ruin the fence panel.
Any ideas will be appreciated...
thanks

 

[JohnD]

kill it with dilute bleach. If you add a bit of washing-up liquid it will wet the surface better instead of beading up and running off. You can buy moss and algae killers in your garden shop but they are the same thing.

You may need to apply a couple of times.Once it is dead you can get it off with a stiff brush.

 

[libby lou lou]

I'm a firm believer in the jetwash/steam cleaner brigade,is it not possible,if you have one, to syphon from the bath, never tried it but i know it would work, waybe a bit slower but, quicker than any other route, i do mine once a year, then a quick brush with creosote

 

[Thermo]

check your local water companies website. In the main the hosepipe ban only applies to the watering of private gardens and the washing of private gardens. The use of jetwashs havnt been banned due to the health and safety implications of not using them on paths and the fact it is normally done as a one off.

 

[goalc]

thanks for the advice.... i'll have to look into the water company issue re jet washers - i wasn't aware of that !

 

[Thermo]

most people arent!

 

[ModernMaterials]

Of course at the time you would be washing the paths in your garden and 'accidentally' hitting the fence with the jet.

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I always use a pressure washer to prepare feather-edge fencing for treatment. It is very important to guage the distance of the jet from the fence so as not to open up the grain too much but you will work this out after about 30 seconds.