Do you hate having weeds pop up in your pathways, but also hate using harsh chemicals? Well, worry no more! We have found an easy Homemade Weed Killer that works like a charm and is so simple to make. All you need are 3 simple pantry ingredients!
An Easy Homemade Weed Killer with No Harsh Chemicals
Caring for a yard and garden can be extremely satisfying—but it can also be a lot of work. If you have sidewalks, garden pathways, or other areas that are prone to pesky little weeds, this post is for you! Say goodbye to harsh, smelly, and toxic weed sprays: this one uses ordinary kitchen ingredients and is perfectly safe to use around children and pets. You don’t have to worry about fumes, either, or about polluting the ground or water supply!
The easiest way to use homemade weed killer is to put it in a large spray bottle or even a pump sprayer. From there, you can use it to spritz any annoying weeds that are popping up in the wrong place. However, keep in mind that it’s non-selective, meaning that it will kill flowers and veggies as well as weeds! So while it’s great for keeping the grasses out of your gravel walkway, it’s not a good candidate for killing weeds in your flower border, herb garden, or anywhere else with plants you want to keep.
What You’ll Need
This 3-ingredient homemade weed killer is very easy to make and use. The best part is that it truly works! And there are no harsh chemicals or toxic ingredients. All you need are three simple items:
- Vinegar: For one batch of weed killer, you’ll need a gallon container of white vinegar.
- Dish Soap: Any ordinary dish detergent (not dishwasher detergent or tabs) will do.
- Salt: You can use regular table salt, or use Epsom salt. Either one will work!
How to Make Homemade Weed Killer
You can mix this weed killer directly in the spray bottle you plan to use it in, or just in a large glass or plastic container with a lid.
Dissolve the Salt in the Vinegar. First, pour the salt into your container, and add the vinegar. Shake the salt and vinegar together. It’s best to let this mixture sit for an hour or so, to let the salt completely dissolve.
Add the Dish Soap. Next, add the dish soap. Shake again, gently. Once all the ingredients are combined, you are ready to spray your weeds!
Does Natural Weed Killer Really Work?
It really does! Essentially, this homemade weed killer is excellent at drying up the weeds’ foliage. Both vinegar and salt go to work drying up the moisture in the weeds, while the dish soap acts as a surfactant, preventing the plants’ natural barriers from repelling the weed killer.
For best results, make sure to use this natural weed killer on a sunny day. Sun helps dry out the weeds, while a rainy or damp day would decrease the weed killer’s effectiveness.
After you spray the weeds, it may take up to 24 hours for them to completely die. Bigger weeds may need multiple treatments.
Bonus Tip: Cornmeal Gluten for Weed Prevention!
According to Friendly Organics Canada, there appears to be good evidence showing that cornmeal gluten works well as a weed preventer. So while it won’t kill existing weeds, it may be a great, natural way to prevent weeds from sprouting up, without the threat of toxic chemicals!
Homemade Weed Killer
Ingredients
- 1 gallon white vinegar
- 1/4 cup dish soap
- 2 cups Epsom salt or regular salt
Instructions
- Pour salt into your container.
- Add the vinegar.
- Shake the salt and vinegar together. (It is best to let it sit for an hour or so, to let the salt completely dissolve.)
- Add the dish soap.
- Shake again until all the ingredients are combined.
- Pour into a spray bottle.
Last Step:
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52 comments on “How to Make 3-Ingredient Natural Weed Killer”
This is such an easy recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!
OMG!!! Weeds were DEAD in hours! I saw this recipe and lived that i had everything on hand already. I had been thinking about killing weeds on my little DIY patio but didn’t want to go with chemicals. I made it up, luckily i had saved an empty Mrs. Meyers spray bottle…. Sprayed the weeds in the cracks after breakfast. It was a sunny warm day here in Western Washington. I checked on them in the afternoon and couldn’t believe my . DEAD snd dried out. I did a happy dance and then bragged to my hubby!! Sharing it with everyone! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Big hugs and God Bless!
Glad to hear it Sharon!
It has to be applied a couple times to kill the roots if the have a good root system. It amazes me how quickly weeds can return. At least this mixture isn’t going to cause us cancer.
Used this in my back yard. Worked great! Play area is now safe for the kids.
Love this. It works great!
The best weed DIY killer. My son owns his own landscape company with multi million dollar homes & this is what he also uses on his clients homes. It’s the best!!
Does any know if this will kill trrees?
Excellent weed killer
Can i use eucalyptus and spearmint Epson salt??
Tried the weed killer before works great.
Ever since I found this recipe, I can’t stop using it. It does the job till Monson comes in but that’s okay, it still works.Â
It works but be patient. Â It may take more than one or two applications
How soon after weeds die can I put plants in that spot ? Or can I ever make a flower bed in that spot ?
I have used this recipe for several years because of my grandchildren and pets that are outside. It works very well. I’ve seen post saying it doesn’t work, that’s never been the Case for me. I sometimes have only sprayed twice in a whole summer and the weeds will be gone until almost early summer the following yr. Do that tomorrow I live on a small farm and I have a lot of weeds
Will it kill shrubs
Excited to try this, thanks.
use this recipe every year works great for killing weeds. will try the cornmeal in the flower bed this year.
Has to be used in direct sunlight about 80
Do you mean it needs to be 80 degrees out? Â How low can the temps be for this to work? Â Can I spray now when temps get very low at night?
I have all these gradients and some grass along the fence I need to kill without killing the neighbors dog thank you very much
More than 3.00
Will this kill the grass too! Â I would like it too.
Yes it will kill everything you spray it on.
How well does it store? I mixed it up but now am not able to spray.Â
Does it kill the weeds’ roots also? Or will they return?
Is the Dawn used as a wetting agent. Would it be better to use some other natural wetting agent. Is epsom salt better than NaCl?
soap is adhesive
How safe is it to spray around trees?
Will this damage brick? My patio is full of weeds in between the bricks.Â
This is great information!Thank you so much.I am going to pass this on to other people I kmow.Wow,keep up the good work.God blesd you!
I buy 2.5 gal of Ever Kill for 45.00. Works out to about to 00.8 cents per gal.
Then can you plant seeds in that area?
Will it kill sego palms
How long do you have to wait after the weeds have died to sow grass seed??
This works, BUT: it depends what you want to do+. Are you trying to knock down a stand of weeds or grass so that you can q+prepare a raised bed over it? Then, yes, Epsom salt is ok, because magnesium is a stimulant for root growth – and that’s what Epsom salt is, primarily. If, however er, you want to insure that nothing grows in that location ever again, use table salt. Salt blocks soil from holding moisture. Vinegar is adequate all by itself if you plan to plant something else in that location eventually. However, agricultural vinegar, or at least a 10% solution ( agricultural vinegar at 50% ) is more effective then kitchen vinegar.
Will it kill dandelions?
You don’t want to kill dandelions as bees need them to survive.
Yes, please do not kill dandelions! They are among the first “flowers” of the season for bees and other polliators and make a huge differnce in keeping bees alive. Dandelions don’t last that long. Bees/Honey Bees however are so necessary to humans surviving!
Will this work on Sumac, poison ivy and poison oak too?
Yes it does. But the vines still contain Urushiol and need removed. It works good. I see no new growth and can tell the vines are dead. But sadly still poison ivy rash from not being careful because I thought I was ok after dozens of exposures. Lesson learned. Use trash bags and gloves. Make sure to layer up and pitch clothes you wear or bleach.Â
Can this mixture be used on/or around bricks, without eating up the bricks?
If this is sprayed in a vegetatable garden area, will plants grow in that garden? What would the time frame be for planting in a sprayed area?
Can you replant where you have sprayed? I worry about 5he salt residue killing new plants.
Ordered these a month ago and havent showed up and know way to contact company..im a little pissed off
What did you order? It’s a recipe for weed killer.Â
used this last year and it worked
This does not work unless you are using agricultural grade vinegar. It is however an awesome cleaner for tubs and tile.
Yes, you are correct. I ordered the stronger vinegar on line and used it.
I used the distelled white vinegar bought from the grocery store and it work Great!
I also used the white vinegar from store and it killed all my weeds.
Even with regular vinegar it will kill grass really good but the weeds need the agricultural grade vinegar to work best. I do this all the time and it Always kills the grass.