The safe way to get moss off a Portland roof, without wrecking the shingles doing it.
Moss doesn't just make a roof look neglected — left alone, it holds water against the shingle, lifts and separates them, and starts the same breakdown process nature uses on a fallen log. We remove it with an Eco friendly treatment. Never using zinc, bleach, or peroxide. Every job ends with a photo-documented inspection emailed to you.
Moss doesn't just sit there. It works your roof apart.
Portland's wet climate is about as good for moss as it gets, and moss is genuinely rough on a roof. It holds water directly against the shingle instead of letting it run off, and as it spreads it lifts and separates shingles from each other — the exact seal that's supposed to keep water out. Left long enough, that's the kind of damage that ends in a full roof replacement instead of a cleaning.
We think of moss and lichen as nature's first step in breaking down a structure — the same process that turns a fallen tree into soil, just starting on your shingles instead. Treating it early is what keeps it from getting that far. Annual treatments is by far your best bet.
- Retains water against the shingle and separates shingle seams over time
- Often required by insurance companies and home inspectors before a sale closes
- Makes a house sell quicker, and often for more, once it's off
- Regular maintenance is the single best thing you can do for a roof's lifespan
An Eco friendly treatment. Not a shortcut chemical.
We hold an Oregon Department of Agriculture Commercial Chemical Operator license (#AG-L1056261-CPO), required to apply roof treatments like this professionally.
Every roof gets eco-friendly moss treatment sized to what that roof actually needs — we take off what's best for the shingles, not what looks the most dramatic — followed by an eco-friendly, US-made treatment. The active ingredient is potassium salts of fatty acids, basically a plant-based soap, blended with biodegradable surfactants that help it grip the roof and keep working instead of rinsing off in the first hard rain.
It's US-made, safer for waterways, fish, gardens, plants, and animals — not just "safer than bleach." Zinc sulfate, the other product you'll see recommended for moss: it's a fine powder that mostly rinses off in the first hard rain, and it's genuinely toxic to breathe and rough on humans, plants and animals. We don't use it, and we don't use bleach or peroxide either.
For roofs with black mold or algae staining that brushing alone won't lift, we've also got a low-pressure wash in the toolkit — gentle enough that we can hold a hand in front of the nozzle while it's running, so it is a very soft wash method.
Why we don't sell zinc strips.
Jesse's blunt about them: "I don't know how they can legally be sold. They don't work, they have to be put in with nails, they break, look ugly, make noise." Zinc strips get recommended online as a low-effort fix, and we don't believe they work. You're driving nails into your roof just to hang them — nail holes on a roof are never a good trade for a strip of metal that may not even do much.
Annual treatment paired with regular gutter cleaning is the best way we've found to keep moss off, and it's the healthiest thing for the roof — no nails, no gamble on whether a metal strip is actually working.
What's In The Tank
- Eco Friendly moss & algae treatment
- Potassium salts (a soap, not a poison)
- Biodegradable surfactants for grip and longevity
- Low-pressure rinse for mold & algae staining
What We Never Use
- Zinc or zinc sulfate
- Bleach
- Peroxide
- High-pressure blasting that strips granules
From first look to your inbox.
Assess
We check shingle age and condition, how dense the moss is, and where water actually drains, and flag any leak-risk spots before any spraying starts.
We come out for a free roof check on every job — see our estimate process.Treat
We apply our unique treatment first, giving it time to loosen the moss's hold on the shingle so removal doesn't tear granules loose along with it.
Remove
The treatment kills the moss at the roof, and over the following weeks it dries out and dies — no scraping the roof bare. When a roof calls for it, or a customer wants the moss gone sooner, we'll gently hand-brush and or low-pressure rinse — never a high-pressure blast that strips granules. Gutters get cleared in the same visit.
Inspect & Photograph
With the roof clean, we walk it a second time and photograph anything worth flagging — soft spots, worn flashing, granule loss — A more advanced look than most home inspectors would give being that we have been in the roofing business for over 25 years.
Report Emailed
You get the full set of photos and our notes sent to your inbox, so you're seeing exactly what we saw — not just hearing about it secondhand.
Real Portland roofs, before and after.
Eco-friendly Moss Treatment FAQs
Is the treatment safe for my pets and plants?
How long does a roof cleaning last?
Can you clean steep or hard-to-reach roofs?
Do you only clean roofs at certain times of year?
Why not just use zinc strips instead of paying for a treatment?
Get your roof's moss looked at.
Every estimate includes an honest look at what your roof actually needs — moss treatment, repair, or in rare cases, a replacement conversation. We'll tell you straight either way.