Sometimes it is unavoidable to remove ivy from a house wall. Be it that the masonry is already suffering, or that it is becoming too difficult to prune the ivy at great heights - what is certain is that removing ivy can be a lengthy and strenuous job.
How to remove ivy from a house wall?
To remove ivy from a house wall, tear off the tendrils from top to bottom, remove adherent roots with spatulas (€15.00 on Amazon) and wire brushes and dig up the roots permanently. On smooth walls, a new coat of paint can conceal any residue.
Ivy roots are stubborn
Ivy climbs up the house wall using its roots. These adhesive roots have the unpleasant property of being very stubborn and clinging to the ground with all their strength.
Simply tearing or cutting off the ivy is not enough. A large part of the roots remain on the wall and leave ugly stains there.
You often won't get very far with high-pressure cleaners or sandblasting machines if you want to remove ivy from a house wall. These devices cause serious damage to the walls.
Tear off ivy from top to bottom
First, start by tearing off the ivy vines from top to bottom. You must be particularly careful with walls with joints.
Ivy can only be removed from plastered walls with effort and care. If you are too careless, you may have to re-plaster the house later.
Removing ivy from clinker brick walls
The joints are the big problem with clinker walls. Here you should tackle the ivy with spatulas (€15.00 on Amazon) and wire brushes.
Residues always remain
No matter what you do, ivy always leaves residue on the wall. The wall often looks very unsightly afterwards. If the walls are smooth, a new coat of paint can solve the problem.
For clinker walls, remove the remains of the roots with wire brushes.
Dig up roots
To permanently eliminate ivy from a wall, you must dig up the root. This can also be a difficult undertaking. Depending on how old the ivy was, the underground roots go very deep. Sometimes you have to dig 60 centimeters or more to get the roots out of the ground.
Tip
If the walls are very high, it may be worthwhile to commission a specialist company to remove the ivy. The experts know exactly how to permanently remove the ivy without damaging the house wall.
