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Cleaning green slime off Gritstone

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 Dale Comley 31 Jan 2017

Right so I've found myself a unclimbed project on the grit but it's suffering from a chronic case of green slime. I have tried the obvious treatments, brushing, chalking and brushing some more but the slippery slime persists. Has anyone had any success removing the slime without damaging the rock?

Thanks
Post edited at 10:04
 andyb211 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dale Comley:

Try Domestos, works great on whin sill too
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OP Dale Comley 31 Jan 2017
In reply to andyb211:

It also bleaches the rock...
 Adam Long 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dale Comley:

The trick is to wait for a really grim wet day like today, when the lichen is soft. Use a brush with wooden bristles, and take a bottle of water for rinsing the sludge off.
 Dave Garnett 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Adam Long:

Wooden bristles?
 Jon Read 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Adam Long:

> The trick is to wait for a really grim wet day like today, when the lichen is soft. Use a brush with wooden bristles, and take a bottle of water for rinsing the sludge off.

Seconded. (Plastic brushes are ok too). Having scrubbed lots of bits of Hen Cloud with due love and care, this is by far the best way to do it. Clearly you have to exercise some additional care, as the rock will be a little softer due to the dampness.
 edhawk21 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dale Comley:

I'm sensing some extreme sarcasm in the this thread
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 galpinos 31 Jan 2017
In reply to edhawk21:

Not from Adam Long and Jon Read you're not. They should be listened too.
OP Dale Comley 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Adam Long: great, thanks for the advise Adam, I'll head out tonight and get scrubbing!

 olddirtydoggy 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dale Comley:

Cordless angle grinder, only kidding.
 Graeme Hammond 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dale Comley:

> great, thanks for the advise Adam, I'll head out tonight and get scrubbing!

So i just need to head out tonight too and look for a headtorch to find your project
 radar 31 Jan 2017
In reply to olddirtydoggy:
Jeyes fluid and a hard scrubbing brush. But, probably best left to gritstone paving slabs in the garden

Wait for a wet drizzle day, and scrub away with the stiffest brush your eco- conscious will allow. The green slime water that comes off is evil, so wear old stuff that you don't mind putting in the bin afterwards.
Post edited at 17:19
 JimR 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dale Comley:

What about spraying with patio magic? Clears green algae and lichen off my patio (also use it on the boat). It works by killing the green stuff rather than just pruning it back (so to speak) so it does'nt green up again as quickly.
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 Jon Read 31 Jan 2017
In reply to JimR:

Not really the sort of thing you want to be spraying about in a natural moorland habitat, I would have thought?
(or even a grotty quarry)
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 Timmd 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Jon Read:
> Not really the sort of thing you want to be spraying about in a natural moorland habitat, I would have thought?

> (or even a grotty quarry)

Indeed.

Sometimes the more unexpected places like brownfield sites or quarries can be more interesting from an ecological point of view.
Post edited at 17:46
 sfletch 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Jon Read:

> natural moorland

Pull the other one.
 deepsoup 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dave Garnett:
> Wooden bristles?

A hard scrubbing brush with natural fibres. I'm not sure if bassine is strictly speaking wood (for example), but near enough - it's definitely a plant fibre anyway.
 rocksol 31 Jan 2017
In reply to andyb211:

And will leave white stain Just wait until lichen really dries then easily brush off (no wire brushes as per yesteryear or Yorkshire bolster chisel brushes)
 Jon Read 31 Jan 2017
In reply to sfletch:

Yeah yeah yeah. In the great Anthropocene, clearly nowhere is natural, but that's hardly the point and I'm sure you know what I was suggesting.

Patio cleaning fluids should be used in the garden, not somewhere with a wider biodiversity and protected species.
 JimR 31 Jan 2017
In reply to Dale Comley:

Used sensibly, patio magic in a spray container will only kill algae (the green stuff the OP is asking about) on the area sprayed and have zero effect on the biodiversity of the surrounding environment. If, on the other hand , a crag wide application is required then Agent Orange may be a better choice.
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 Adam Long 31 Jan 2017
In reply to deepsoup:

>bassine

Ah thanks, never knew what it was called. Palm leaf fibre apparently.

Agree with Jon, cleaning fluids should not be used on the crags. The bleached streaks left by the lichenicidal effect of chalk are bad enough without adding to it intentionally.
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