Moss is a simple plant with shallow roots that can act as a groundcover in your lawn, taking up space where your grass is thin. If you want to get rid of moss, there are several methods you can use:

• Chemical Method: If you need to get rid of moss in your lawn, the first step is killing the living plant. You can easily find chemical herbicides that target moss, many of which are iron-based products and can actually feed your lawn at the same time that they are killing the moss. Be sure to find a product specifically for moss, as herbicides for other weeds may not work on moss and can also damage your turf.

• Organic Method: If you don’t want to introduce herbicide into your yard or just want something you can do at home, there are two moss-killing solutions you can easily make at home. You can mix either gentle dish soap or baking soda with lukewarm water to create an effective DIY herbicide that will kill moss. Don’t worry too much about your turf, as neither of these solutions should damage the surrounding grass. After about 24 hours, the moss will dry up, turn brown, and die. Rake up the dead moss, and re-seed the areas.

• Raking and Dethatching: If you’re dealing with a limited moss problem, you can try simply raking it up, going at it at different angles to loosen it up. Once you’ve gathered all the moss, place it in a trash can. For a speedier fix, use a power rake or fit your lawn mower with a dethatching blade to speed up the process.

• Water Restriction: Moss grows best with plenty of moisture. Adjust lawn sprinklers to keep them from watering the pavement, and try to avoid splashing the pavement when you hand water nearby planting areas.

• Bleach Treatment: If you want to remove moss from pavement, you can use bleach. Combine 1 cup of household bleach with 1 gallon of water in a large bucket, and stir in 1 cup of liquid dish or laundry detergent. Douse small patches of moss with the solution, or apply it liberally to larger areas with a sprayer. Allow the bleach mixture to set for at least 5 minutes to kill the moss. Rinse the pavement thoroughly with the garden hose and flood the area generously. Bleach treatment may remain effective against recurring moss for up to a year.

Its important to note that moss isnt like other weeds, so traditional weed killers wont be effective against it. Moss doesnt have true roots and isnt actually detrimental to your grass. In fact, some people incorporate moss into their lawns on purpose.