If green or black isn't the intended color of the brick or stone on your patio, walkway, walls, or chimney, then you might have a problem with fungus, moss, or mildew. Try this masonry-cleaning solution.

Mix one quart of household liquid bleach into 1 gallon of warm water. Apply with a stiff bristle brush and then rinse the solution off with clean water. However, sodium hypochlorite, the active ingredient in bleach, might not dissolve large masses of these types of growths. In such cases, scrape off as much of the crud as you can with a broad-bladed putty knife (or wire brush). Then, scrub on the killer mixture.

When trying to eliminate fungus, it's the bleach that does the job, not the elbow grease. Make sure you give the bleach plenty of time to work before scrubbing and rinsing away. If not, fungus spores will remain and can grow back quickly.