Get rid of weeds cheaply and effectively using common household products

Gardening tips: Four homemade hacks to kill garden weeds

Weeds can be incredibly stubborn and the are bane of every gardener. But, there is a cheap and effective way to get rid of weeds using only household products.

Weeds can pop at in every nook and cranny of a garden, robbing nearby plants of water, sunlight, and nutrients. This can be especially problematic during the hot summer months when plants or flowers are struggling to stay hydrated. It can also be a major problem during the colder seasons when garden plants are trying to stave off frost. 

If left unattended, weeds will make garden plants weak, discourage pollinating insects like bees, and can provide hiding spots for diseases and pests to flourish.  Luckily, there is a simple and cost-efficient way to get rid of weeds using products that can be found around the house such as vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and bleach. 

Jeff Seton, a lawn care expert, tried out these weed killers and explained how to efficiently use them to keep weeds at bay. However, Jeff warned that these household products should never be used in the garden when it is windy.

Jeff warned: “The wind can blow it onto plants and grass that you don’t want to eliminate. Keep in mind that these are non-selective and will wipe out anything they will come into contact with…you don’t want the wind to blow those products onto your skin or cause it to become airborne and breathe those products in.”

READ MORE: Gardener shares ‘best weeding method ever’ they’ve ‘tested out’ that’s natural

Household products that kill weeds

Rubbing alcohol 

Rubbing alcohol can kill weeds by removing moisture from the weed’s foliage, causing them to weaken and eventually die. 

In order to make this solution, get an empty spray bottle and use three parts water, one part rubbing alcohol, and some dish soap. 

While using this homemade solution, Jeff said: “When spraying these weeds I want them completely saturated, I want to the point that water is running off the leaves and I want to hit every blade of grass here and leave nothing to chance.

“After 10 minutes, I’m going to spray them again to make sure I really get them very well saturated.” 

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Vinegar

Jeff used a cleaning vinegar which is 22 percent acidic acid as a weed killer. He used the vinegar with no water and a little bit of dish soap as a disinfectant.

Acidic acid is able to take all the water out of the weed which will make it dry up quickly while the ish water breaks down the outer part of the plant, which helps the vinegar peternate it. However, this method is best used on pavements and stone driveways, as it will kill nearby plants and grass. 

Jeff said: “Just like with the rubbing alcohol, wait 10 minutes and then put another application.”  

Bleach

Bleach is the strongest weed killer and will completely remove weeds from an area, but will also kill all nearby vegetation and organic matter. 

Jeff said: “I’m going to mix it as a ratio of one part bleach to one part water, and I use my chemical sprayer and put in one teaspoon of dishwashing per gallon of water.”

However, while it is the most effective it is also the most dangerous and should be handled very carefully. Bleach should be kept away from pets, children, and sunlight plus the proper safety gear should be worn when handling bleach. It is also recommended to use a chemical spray instead of a regular spray bottle in order to keep it away from you when applying. 

Jeff added: “Understand that belch is a very different product than the other two. I’m going to wear protective equipment such as gloves and keep sunglasses on and I strongly recommend you wear protective eyewear and even a mask when operating a spray bottle which has bleach in it.”

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