Specialist soft-wash treatment for moss, lichen and black streak on tile and Colorbond roofs. No high-pressure damage. Designed for the damp, shaded properties common across the Yarra Ranges hills.
“Our tile roof was black with moss after 8 years in Olinda. Zac soft-washed it and over the following months it's cleared up beautifully. No pressure-wash damage. Honest advice the whole way.”
“Lots of black streak on the Colorbond. Zac quoted fairly, treated it carefully, and gave realistic expectations on timeline. Roof now looks 10 years younger.”
If you live in Olinda, Belgrave, Monbulk, Warburton or anywhere in the Dandenong–Yarra Ranges hills, you already know — moss and lichen are the price you pay for the green canopy. Shade plus moisture plus airborne spores means roofs in this zone end up colonised within a few years. By the time you can see it from the ground, it's already eating into your tiles' protective glaze, lifting ridge capping, and stripping years off your roof's lifespan.
The mistake most people make is hiring someone to "pressure wash" the moss off. That's a disaster. High-pressure water strips the surface coating on cement tiles, drives water under your ridge capping, blasts grit out of pointing, and shortens roof life by years. Cheap fix, expensive consequence.
The right method is a low-pressure soft-wash with a biocidal treatment that kills the moss and lichen at the root. Over the following weeks the dead growth dies back, weathers off, and the roof slowly returns to a clean finish — without any of the surface damage. We can also do a careful hand-removal of the heavy stuff first if you want immediate visible results.
We treat tile, Colorbond, terracotta and slate. For roofs with extensive ridge capping damage we'll flag that on the report and recommend a re-pointer — we don't try to be everything, just the cleaning piece done properly.
Soft-wash method, careful prep, and a follow-up plan so you actually see the result.
We walk and photograph the roof. Loose tiles, cracked ridge capping, damaged flashings — all flagged before we start.
Specialist biocidal solution applied at low pressure. Kills moss and lichen at the root without surface damage.
For severe moss colonies we hand-clear the worst patches first so the treatment can penetrate.
Gutters covered or rinsed afterward so debris doesn't sit and block them.
Garden beds and lawn beneath the eaves rinsed and protected before and after — no leaf burn.
Tannin staining and algal black streaks treated as part of the same wash.
Realistic timeline of what to expect over the next 6–12 weeks as treated growth dies back and weathers off.
Full visual record of the job and any defects we noticed.
Roof cleaning needs eyes on the property. We do a free no-obligation site visit and quote.
Best results in mild, overcast weather. We pick a good window and book it in.
Soft-wash treatment applied, heavy growth hand-cleared. Usually a full day on site.
You'll see the roof progressively clear over 6–12 weeks. We send through a follow-up after a month.
Because it does more damage than the moss. High-pressure water strips the surface coating on cement tiles, lifts and dislodges ridge capping, drives water under flashings into the roof space, and shortens the lifespan of the roof by years. Cheap upfront, expensive in the long run. Soft-wash kills the growth at the root and lets it weather off without damaging anything.
If we hand-clear heavy growth first, yes — most of the bulk comes off. The biocidal treatment then continues working for 6–12 weeks, killing the underlying spores and gradually clearing the staining and finer growth. We send a check-in photo at the 4-week mark.
Yes — we wet down surrounding garden beds and lawn before and after to dilute any runoff. The biocides we use are roof-grade and break down quickly on contact with soil and plant matter. We've done hundreds of jobs without a single plant issue.
Most Yarra Ranges homes need a roof treatment every 3–5 years depending on tree cover and aspect. Heavily shaded properties under tall gums or pines come back sooner. We'll give you a realistic estimate for your specific roof.
No — we stick to cleaning. If we find damaged ridge capping, broken tiles or rusted flashings we'll flag them on the report and can recommend trusted local trades to handle the repair work.
Yes, we treat Colorbond too. Different solution and lower concentration — the surface is more delicate than tile. Same soft-wash principle.
Roof cleaning quotes need eyes on the property. Drop your details and we'll book in a free no-obligation site visit and quote.
Or call 0410 832 278.
Roof cleaning is usually paired with a gutter clean — we discount the combined job 10%.
Free site visit. Honest quote. Soft-wash done properly. Call Zac and we'll sort it.