How to get rid of moss on roof rails - permanently?

p.eco

Active Member
Jun 24, 2014
227
16
Ireland
Guys, any idea how to get rid of moss that keeps popping up at the bottom of roof rails? I always get rid of it when cleaning the car but its back in no-time and its really doing my head in. Is there any product that will not damage the paint?
 
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camelspyyder

2 SEAT-er
Jun 26, 2014
1,305
175
Move to a country where is doesn't p155 down all the time :)

I use a soft tooth brush.

WD40 gets rid of glue deposits on paintwork. Does it work on moss too?
 
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RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Yup, lack of environmental pollution is likely to be your problem, aided by too much rain!

While I was looking after my daughter's late 2009 Ibiza SC, that sort of thing annoyed me, it was mainly on the side door window seals - again for me not enough pollution and too much rainfall.

I'd be very wary about using a "soft toothbrush" as that sort of thing should not exist as it would fail to do its job properly - I bought an Audi S4 that was under 3 years old, and it looked like its previous owner had lovingly worked on the alloys with a toothbrush, never a good idea. Old toothbrushes are okay for scrubbing dirty unpainted car parts that normally don't get seen - as long as you don't leave them soaking in petrol!
 

martin j.

Active Member
Feb 11, 2007
1,996
889
Fife
I get the mould in window seals too, I use a spray gun with g101 or a bathroom cleaner in the channel with window up then a blunt blade* around a bit of Blue roll in between the glass and seal with the window down to clean in there, did see a spray mildew and mould remover so going to try that, at 79p it worth a shot.
 

Spuddy01

Active Member
Aug 30, 2018
20
10
Blasted mine off today with power washer but no doubt it will be back again in a few weeks.
 
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MatTheMerciless

Active Member
Feb 16, 2019
84
54
You need to use a biocide to kill the spores. They’re likely hidden away under the rails. Use a high pressure pump sprayer to blast it in there.
 
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Bullet

Active Member
Mar 1, 2019
80
66
Bedfordshire
Absolutely no idea if it affects paintwork so beware but... A product called Patio Magic kills mould/liverwort etc on patio slabs and keeps them clear for quite a while, no green slime. I havn't tried it on a car but with careful application and rinsing could be ok?
 

Dizz

Active Member
Apr 12, 2019
34
9
I use farmers sodium hydrochlorate (milk line hypo) to clear this stuff on my walls, it seems to keep working for days after, even with a rinse, I don't think I would put it on my car. Steam cleaner blast maybe?
 

Ken H

Active Member
Dec 20, 2015
161
8
Cork , Ireland
I’m surprised there isn’t some sort of product on the market that you can use. I power washed both rails last year, got right in there. Did one side in particular , it blasted it all out it seemed, but noticed a part of the roof liner inside was wet ! Somehow the water got in. A year later that side is twice as bad as the other side . Once the water gets in under the rail then you’re screwed.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Not enough low pollution areas around to justify it I'd reckon, so not recognised as a problem looking for a solution that could make money.

But, on the topic of moss etc clearers, I sprayed wasp's nest destroyer around a section of my garage roof which tends to get covered in moss a lot, really to stop wasps getting under the roof tiles and continuing to build a nest - 4 years later these few concrete roofing tiles are still clear of moss!!
 

martin j.

Active Member
Feb 11, 2007
1,996
889
Fife
Would some Miltons sterilising fluid work? Makes babies bottles safe, used it in a screen wash bottle that was smelly.
 
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