Homeowners urged to pour washing up liquid in garden this summer

Daily Record

04-06-2025

Experts believe the common household item can improve the look of your garden.
When grass is thick and green it makes gardens look healthy and well maintained. However, many gardeners complain that moss often ruins the look of their lush lawn. The silent grass killer tends to creep and makes your turf look patchy and uneven.
Many believe moss can be beneficial to the environment because it traps carbon dioxide, which provides a habitat for insects and creates shade for the soil. However, not everyone agrees with many claiming they 'detest' the squidgy green moss taking over their lawn.
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Thankfully, gardening experts believe they have found a simple, cheap way to get rid of moss using a very common household item.
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Instead of spending a lot of money of expensive sprays and chemicals that line the shelves in garden centres, householders should give washing-up liquid a try.
Garden experts believe it is a much better way to kill moss without chemicals, reports the Express.
According to JoesLawnCare.co.uk, dish soap can be turned into 'an awesome moss killer'.
It says: 'You can eradicate your moss problem with a two-ingredient cocktail of water and dish soap.
'Mixing 60ml of dish soap into 4-and-a-half litres of water and then filling up a hand sprayer is one of the most incredible moss killing recipes you could ever come across.
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"Simply take your mixture outside and spray on any patches of moss you come across, holding your bottle just a couple of inches away as you drench the moss with your epic creation.
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''How will I know it has worked?' I hear you ask. Well, over the next day or so, you'll see your moss invasion turn from a lush green colour to an orangey-brown before it totally dries up and succumbs to the surrounding grass. It's epic.
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'Now, ideally, you'll want to have checked the weather first and time your homemade moss spraying session with a rain-free period of 24 hours or more, otherwise your solution will be washed away and rendered useless.
"But as long as you do that, there's no reason this won't work. Then, once your moss has turned that weird orangey-brown colour and died, simply grab your rake and remove it from your lawn.'
Shoppers were recently warned of the consequences of buying dishwasher detergent that is sold in plastic bottles. Cleaning experts said both the ingredients in washing-up liquid and the bottle it comes in are harming the environment every time you wash up.
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Every time you drain your sink, you are releasing fossil fuels and chemicals, potentially putting aquatic life at risk.
Eco-friendly blogger Sustainably Lazy said dish soap has 'surfactants', which are the active ingredient which strips dirt off dishes and keeps it suspended in the water.
But, warned: "Mainstream brands use fossil fuel-derived surfactants, many of which end up in rivers and harm aquatic life."