Easy Homemade Weed Killer Recipe

I’ve got an easy homemade weed killer recipe for you today, to help you tackle persistent weeds gently.

My garden is tiny but we’re doing our best to make it wildlife-friendly and a pleasant place to be.

One of the things I don’t use in my garden is conventional weed killer. This is because of its strong links to the decline in bee populations and the linkages between cancer and glyphosate, the main ingredient in most commercial weed killers.

We’ve planted a range of native bee-friendly plants. We’ve got bug hotels, alongside watering stations for birds and bees. And as weeds are useful for wildlife, we have left an untended area where the weeds can grow free.

We’ve also got a little slabbed patio that’s just for us to sit on, and my kids to play on. Weeds often poke up here in the gaps between the slabs. I don’t want that area to be unkempt, so I’ve been trying to find sustainable and non-toxic ways to deal with the weeds that appear here.

Instead, I’ve recently devised my own eco-friendly homemade weed killer. This effectively helps to tackle the persistent weeds that pop up through the cracks in our paving slabs and blight our yard but is gentle on the wildlife that frequents it (like this little guy). Here’s how to make it!

Homemade Weed Killer Recipe

This wildlife-friendly and non-toxic weed killer contains just three common household ingredients that you’ll probably have to hand. You just need some white vinegar, salt, and washing-up liquid. That’s all there is to it.

You can see just how well it worked in my photo above! Those dandelion leaves have shrivelled down to nothing!

The reason it works is that the acidic vinegar and the salt help to dry out the weeds. Meanwhile, the washing-up liquid ensures the salty vinegar solution sticks to the leaves of the weeds. This means the solution can get to work without running off the leaves.

You Will Need

• 1 litre of white vinegar (here’s where I buy vinegar in bulk)
• 3 large tablespoons of salt
• 3 teaspoons of washing-up liquid/dish soap. I’d recommend a more environmentally friendly brand that is not antibacterial – I used Bio-D and it did the job.
• A spray bottle (here’s where I buy my spray bottles for all my green cleaning needs)

Method

• Add your salt to your vinegar and stir until dissolved.
• Once the salt is dissolved add your washing-up liquid, and stir well.
• Decant the solution into a spray bottle.

How To Use Your Homemade Weed Killer

Using your solution to remove weeds is really easy:

• Before you start, shake or blow on the weeds to remove any insects on the plant to avoid harming them.
• For small weeds and younger dandelions spray the solution directly onto the leaves.
• For larger, more well-established weeds spray the leaves and also pour a good glug of the solution onto the plant. It’s very effective – you should notice the weeds beginning to wilt within an hour.

Usage Tips

I’ve been using this recipe for years now, and over that time I’ve gathered tons of useful tips so that you can get the best results.

My main tip is that this homemade weed killer recipe works best on a dry sunny day. I’d suggest applying it at midday, or just before, when the sun is at its peak. It really helps to dry out the weeds.

Secondly, the weed killer works indiscriminately on all plant life and can turn your soil acidic. For this reason, it’s best used to kill weeds that have appeared in the gaps between paving slabs or monobloc, rather than to tackle the weeds in your lawn, flower bed, or wider areas.

This homemade weed killer recipe probably won’t kill dandelion roots, as they can go down incredibly deep. However, it is a quick, easy, and non-toxic way to deal with dandelions and other weeds as soon as they appear.

Safety Considerations

As with any form of weed killer – commercial or homemade – you do have to exercise common sense when using it. Despite being made from non-toxic ingredients, it can still be harmful to pets and wildlife.

If you have pets, then keep them off the treated area, at least until the solution is dry. Vinegar and salt could be harmful to their paws or if ingested.

If your pets are prone to eating plants, then, if you can, keep them off the area for at least a few hours whilst you treat the weeds. Then rinse the treated area with plenty of water before letting your pets back in the part of the garden you have treated. In full sun, this weed killer doesn’t take long to get to work on weeds – just an hour or so – so you won’t have to keep them away from the area for too long.

If you can’t keep your pets off your slabs or paving, then do give this recipe a miss. Instead, use the eco-friendliest method there is – pulling up the weeds by hand. After all, dandelions are edible – check out my dandelion recipes if you are looking for some recipe inspiration!

Another key point is that you may also want to rinse off the homemade weed killer solution with water before night falls. This is in case any local wildlife walks over your slabs or paving – such as hedgehogs, foxes, or badgers. Salt and vinegar could be caustic to their paws or cause sickness if ingested. Again, rinsing off the solution prevents this from being an issue.

More Green Gardening Tips

If you’re looking for more ways to be sustainable in the garden, I’ve got tons of tips:

• My top sustainable gardening tips
• Plastic-free ways to start seeds
• Guide to natural slug repellent
• How to get rid of fruit flies naturally. 

And found this post useful? You can pin it on Pinterest for later: