What You'll Need

If you've got kids or pets running around the yard, I get not wanting to spray glyphosate everywhere. The good news is you can kill weeds and grass with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen. Here's how to mix up a batch of natural weed killer that actually works.

  • 1 gallon of distilled white vinegar (get the big jug if you can)
  • 1 cup of table salt
  • A squirt of Dawn dish soap (about half a tablespoon)
  • A pump sprayer (ironically, I used a Roundup-branded one)
  • Gloves and long sleeves (it's just vinegar and salt, but you should still protect your skin)

Step-by-Step

1. Mix the vinegar and salt Step 1

Pour one gallon of vinegar into your sprayer. Add one cup of table salt. If you're making a smaller batch, just keep the ratio the same — one cup of salt per gallon of vinegar.

2. Add the dish soap Step 2

Squirt in about half a tablespoon of Dawn. Don't go overboard — too much will just make suds and you don't want that. The soap acts as a surfactant, which just means it helps the mixture stick to the leaves so it kills the weeds faster and more effectively.

3. Shake it up Step 3

Put the lid on and give it a good shake to dissolve the salt.

4. Protect your good grass Step 4

This stuff will kill any plant it touches, including your lawn. Use a piece of cardboard or plastic to create a barrier between your flower beds and the grass you want to keep. I used a scrap piece of plastic sheeting.

5. Spray on a hot, sunny day Step 5

Heat is your friend here. The hotter it is, the faster this works. I sprayed mine at 94 degrees and saw results in hours. If you're spraying in cooler weather, it'll just take longer.

What to Expect

I checked mine at 8 hours and most of the grass and weeds were already dead or dying. At 24 hours, everything was crispy and brown. The one thing that didn't die was nutsedge — that stuff is tough. If you've got tall weeds, cut them down with a weed eater first, then spray the regrowth. Makes a big difference.

Where to Use It

  • Mulch beds
  • Sidewalk cracks
  • Gravel driveways
  • Patio joints

Just don't spray it on your lawn unless you want big brown spots.

This article is based on content from YouTube. View original source →

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