So you landed on this website because you typed into google or pinterest “DIY weed killer” or “how to naturally get rid of weeds” or “homemade weed killer.” No? Damn…
…Anyway, unless you’re one of my loyal readers (thanks guys!) you probably don’t know much about me. But if you are, you’d know I am all about chemical free living, holistic health, plant based eating and everything DIY. So when Mr. Stone Head suggested we get round up to take care of the weed problem in our driveway a red flag sored HIGH above my head.
And besides, I love incorporating healthy living into my DIY projects every chance I get – (check out this DIY ant killer recipe using three common household ingredients- and guess what? It actually works.)
So hell no… I am not using roundup ever again after the research I’ve done into it! I go over more details about that on my Health and Wellness blog over at Stone Head Health but the bottom line is that round up is not good for our bodies, plants & animals or the environment – and I care about all of those things.
With that being said though, I’m a big stickler for weeds and grass that grow in cracks of driveways and sidewalks. It just drives me absolutely nuts. Not to mention, that if left untouched the roots can start to do some real damage, especially if the concrete is already compromised.
And since I’m slightly addicted to Pinterest, I remembered seeing a pin about all natural weed killer using a mixture of vinegar, salt, and a little dish soap. I was even more curious after I read the warning “don’t use this anywhere you want anything to grow!” It must work I thought! (Spoiler alert: IT WORKED AMAZINGLY!)
And it WORKED guys… check out the results of my DIY Weed Killer!!!
I think the results below speak for themselves. I DID NOT use the weed killer in the actual flower bed which is why I circled an area for you to focus on. This weed killer should only be used on areas that you want NOTHING to grow, like a driveway or walkway. And on a side side note: doesn’t the flower bed look great?!
I was amazed out how fast the weed killer started to work. I sprayed the grass and weeds in the driveway and when I came out three hours later, things were already starting to turn green! It was crazy! I couldn’t help but ask myself why the heck I ever used chemical laden products like Roundup before.
So here’s the recipe I used
Ingredients
- 1 quart vinegar
(4 cups)
- 1/4 cup regular/table salt
- 2 tsp. dish soap
That’s it!
Instructions:
Do you really need instructions? Mix everything up in a spray bottle and get to spraying!
Why this DIY Weed Killer Works
I love to know why things work so here’s a short explanation as to why this weed killer works and what each ingredient is for. The vinegar works at actually killing the weed because of it’s acidity. Most vinegar in the stores is 5% acidity (and that’s what I used in the recipe) but you can get vinegar with up to 30% (here’s a link to the 20%
The addition of salt speeds up the process of drying the plant out and is absorbed into the ground. The ground absorption is what helps keep the weeds and grass away longer term – it’s essentially making the soil barren.
The dish soap is really just used to help keep the spray on the plant. The first time I made this recipe I didn’t use dish soap and it worked out the same!
There you have it! My DIY Weed Killer Recipe! If you try it and it works, let me know in the comments. And don’t forget to connect with me on Instagram or Facebook!
