Take a moment and play the following mental scene through your mind: You just finished the installation of a brand new home roof. The color is attractive and coordinates well with overall exterior decor. Shortly after, you notice faint dark streaks appearing on its surface. To your utter dismay, these roof stains are also clearly visible from a considerable distance. What should you do?

There is a common misconception that weather conditions are the only cause of formerly attractive rooftops fading into bland, dull, unsightly spectacles. After climate, the second most common scapegoats are birds flying overhead and adjacent trees. In fact, such winged creatures and natural foliage play little or no part in causing the roof stains that tarnish your home’s covering. The real villains are microorganisms that mar your roof by multiplying after landing upon the shingles. They are the same moss and algae spores you are already familiar with, except this variety is an airborne species.

Although they appear to be streaked stains to an unaided human eye, they are actually living entities that constantly multiply exponentially. If your home’s roofing is shaded by nearby trees or if you reside in a particularly snowy, rainy, or hail-prone climate, you must anticipate and prepare for their constant proliferation. Limestone components contained within most roof shingles are asphalt derivatives that provide the perfect breeding conditions for these spores. If the situation continues unabated, permanent roof damage is the likely result.

To eliminate this eyesore, seek professional help or conduct a thorough cleanup job yourself. The latter option does involve some risk, as mossy growth creates slippery conditions upon your roof’s surface. The use of chlorine-based bleach is also common, as it is also an excellent surface cleaner. The main drawback to chlorine use is possible damage to unprotected skin areas and lungs.

Also, remember that when cleaning roof shingles, you must start at the uppermost section and work your way downward. Also, be sure to spray the cleaning chemicals and water in a downward motion. This will prevent any bleach, water, or other solutions from bleeding into the roof’s interior via the shingles. Upward motion is the only means of penetrating these small spaces between the shingles. Use a downward angle to avoid such problems as a leaking ceiling. High-pressure liquid flow makes it somewhat more difficult to prevent this.

Use an ordinary garden hose to remove any residual solutions from your roof. High-pressure washers might remove roof stains, but cause permanent damage to underlying shingles. There are scrub brushes available for sale that you may use to scrub the stains very gently. This technique has inherent problems as well, however. Also, be sure to step very softly upon the roof to avoid creating any structural damage. Include all gutters in your cleaning effort; double-check that no trapped debris remains after you finish.

Keep in mind that cleaning a roof is usually a slipper task. Therefore, use a harness attachment and chicken ladder. These tools are not expensive, but offer much better safety while you clean up.

When you have eliminated all those ugly roof stains, you will immediately realize that your home’s enhanced exterior made your effort well worthwhile. Be vigilant, however, with follow-up visual inspections to ensure that it continues to look great.