Roof cleaning and moss removal
Moss scraped, treated and gone, without wrecking your tiles. Get up to three free quotes from vetted local teams in 60 seconds.
Roof cleaning and moss removal takes the moss, algae and lichen off your roof without damaging the tiles underneath. Done properly it is careful, low-tech work: scrape by hand, treat with biocide, rinse gently. Done badly it is the one roofing job where the cheapest quote can genuinely wreck your roof.
What the service covers
- Manual moss removal: moss scraped off tile by tile with hand tools, from access equipment or the scaffold, so the tile surface stays intact.
- Biocide treatment: a spray applied after scraping that kills the spores the scraper cannot reach, keeping regrowth down for years rather than months.
- Soft washing: low-pressure rinsing that lifts algae and staining without blasting the tile surface, the safe alternative to a jet wash.
- Gutter clear-out: everything scraped off the roof otherwise ends up in the gutters, so a clear-out while the access is up is the sensible add-on.
When a roof needs cleaning
Moss is not just cosmetic. It holds moisture against the tile surface for weeks after rain, and in winter that trapped water freezes, expands and spalls the face off tiles a little more each cycle. Clumps break off and block the gutters, and thick growth at tile edges can lift the covering enough to let wind-driven rain through. If your roof is turning green, north-facing or shaded by trees, our guide to moss on the roof explains what is happening up there and when to act.
How the work runs
The team inspects the roof first, then works from proper access equipment, towers or scaffold on larger jobs, never by walking an unsupported mossy roof. Moss comes off by hand, the roof gets its biocide treatment, the debris is bagged rather than washed into your drains, and the gutters are cleared last. A typical semi is done in a day. Results from a scrape and biocide typically hold for 2 to 4 years, with shaded and north-facing slopes at the shorter end.
What roof cleaning costs
These are the 2026 rates from our roof cleaning cost guide, which also explains why the method matters more than the price:
| Job | Typical cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Manual moss scrape (semi) | £400 – £800 |
| Scrape + biocide treatment | £500 – £1,000 |
| Soft wash clean | £500 – £1,000 |
| Per m² rate | £8 – £15 |
| Gutter clear-out add-on | £80 – £200 |
Why use a vetted roof cleaning team
The gap between proper roof cleaning and roof damage is entirely in the method, and you cannot supervise it from the ground. Every team we refer is vetted for insurance, trading history and the quality of recent work, uses manual and soft-wash methods, and quotes against the fair rates above. Get up to three itemised quotes through our free quote service, with no obligation to accept any of them.
Get real prices for your roof clean
Up to three itemised quotes from vetted local teams, checked against the fair rates on this page. Free, no obligation.