How to Remove Lichen

Lichen is a living symbiotic community of algae and fungus with each growth required for the other to survive. Lichens are an extremely durable type of organic growth that can establish in a wide range of climates and surfaces, from sub alpine mountains to the roof of your home.

Lichen are mildly acidic, causing erosion on the surface it grows on. It is extremely difficult to eliminate using pressure cleaning or scrubbing alone. The strong bond between lichen and the substrate is key to its ability to colonise in these wide ranging environments - it will even grow on glass or stainless steel. This strong bond is what makes lichen removal difficult, and a futile exercise if you choose the wrong cleaning method.

Water Blast cleaning has been the most common method for lichen removal, but it's not effective in complete removal due to the strong bond between the lichen and the substrate. The pressure required to completely remove the lichen is enough to damage the substrate. For any one who has tried to water blast cleaning lichen, you will know it's time consuming, and disappointingly the lichen will grow right back.

The key to lichen removal and keeping the surface clean is simple, the growth must be completely killed. The best and cheapest way to do this is apply an Outdoor Cleaner, such as Bio-Shield® to the lichen covered surface..

This highly effective outdoor cleaner will quickly kill the lichen and allow the surface to clean up naturally with rainfall over the next 3 to 12 months. No water blast cleaning and no scrubbing is required.

Outdoor Cleaners like Bio-Shield are so effective in cleaning a lichen covered surface, they can keep it clean for up to 4 years, which is about 4 times longer and a fraction of the cost of water blast cleaning.

The application of Outdoor Cleaners like Bio-Shield® is a simple and easily carried out DIY process.