Weeds can hijack your garden beds and lawns if you don’t take proper steps to eliminate them and prevent regrowth. However, some popular weed killers are toxic and can be dangerous to your family, pets, and other plants. Natural weed killers are frequently as potent but are safer and more eco-friendly than their synthetic alternatives. Read our guide for more information on natural weed killers, how to get rid of weeds, and natural ways to keep your lawn lush.

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Types of Natural Weed Killers

Homeowners can purchase organic and child-safe weed treatments in home improvement stores, mix DIY weed killers themselves, or hire lawn care services that commit to 100% natural herbicides.

Add these effective ingredients to your shopping list if you want to create your own weed-killing concoction:

• Baking soda: Baking soda has a lot of salt, which can kill weeds, but it won’t linger in the soil to damage plants or flower beds. 
• Boiling water: Hot water can scald most plants, and boiling water can immediately kill weeds. The boiling water must reach and thoroughly saturate the weeds’ roots to kill weeds effectively and permanently. 
• Dish soap: Dish soaps, such as Dawn, chemically break down weeds’ cell walls. Weeds will dehydrate and die.
• Salt: Table salt breaks down weeds in two ways: It can burn the leaves off the weeds, and it can kill weeds more thoroughly when added to the soil. Apply salt precisely to avoid harming nearby plants.
• White vinegar: White vinegar is five percent acetic acid, which acts as a desiccant to extract moisture from weed leaves and weaken the plant. 

Make sure any recipe you use includes at least one of these ingredients. If you don’t want to use any chemicals, consider pulling up weeds by hand, which is a slow but effective method of removal.

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Homemade Weed Killer Recipes

Below are recipes for weed killer that include ingredients you may already have in your pantry.

How to Apply Natural Weed Killers

Once you mix your solution and pour it into a spray bottle, you can spot-treat weeds by spraying the stem, base, and leaves of the weeds. Natural weed killers don’t have toxic chemicals, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally killing other plants.

Most natural weed killers take a few hours to start working and can completely kill weeds within a couple of days. Reapply once a day until you achieve your desired results.

Try these additional tips to get the best results:

• Be careful with salt solutions. Aim precisely for the weed, and avoid nearby plants. 
• If you use boiling water, carefully pour it on the base of the weed. It needs to reach the weed’s roots to be as effective as possible.
• Vinegar solutions work best on warm, sunny days. Choose vinegar-based solutions for plants that get a lot of sun, and consider salt-based solutions for plants that are in the shade.

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Natural Pre-Emergent Weed Control

You don’t have to wait until you see weeds to begin protecting your landscape. Pre-emergent weed-killing treatments can stop weeds from ever taking shape. 

One of the most popular natural materials for pre-emergent weed control is corn gluten meal, which is a byproduct of cornmeal processing and has multiple benefits for gardeners. The material is 10% slow-releasing nitrogen, which fertilizes the soil and stops weeds such as crabgrass and dandelions from emerging. 

Corn gluten meal doesn’t treat existing weed infestations. Use a combination of natural weed control and natural pre-emergent treatments to keep weeds away from your home.

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Ineffective Natural Weed Killers

Not all natural weed killers work for all weeds. Household vinegar might not have a strong enough acid content to kill perennial weeds with deep roots, for example. Dish soap can be ineffective if the solution doesn’t reach the weeds’ roots.

There is no single magic formula that can kill all weeds while safely preserving surrounding plants and keeping toxic chemicals out of your landscape. Try to identify the specific weeds in your garden and find a natural recipe that works on that species.

Some weeds are more resistant to natural weed killers than others. Consider using chemical weed killers to drive back stubborn weeds or weeds that grow every year.

Also, consider how chemicals interact when making a weed-killing recipe. While both baking soda and vinegar are popular options, combining them will neutralize the formula and make it fizz.

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Natural vs. Chemical Weed Killers

Both natural and chemical weed killers are effective tools for killing weeds and protecting your plants, but neither is perfect. Consider the factors below when deciding which type to use. 

• Availability: You can get both natural and chemical weed killers online or in stores. 
• Cost: Natural weed killers are more affordable. You can use ingredients that you likely already have in your home, and you don’t have to buy additional safety equipment or special storage containers.
• Effectiveness: Chemical weed killers are more effective than natural weed killers, require fewer applications, and work longer. 
• Environmental impact: Chemical weed killers have a negative impact on the environment, can kill plants near the weeds, and can contaminate your soil. Glyphosate, a popular chemical ingredient in weed killers, can even linger in plant cells, and childhood exposure is linked to cancer.
• Safety: Natural weed killers are safer for vegetable gardens, as the ingredients are generally nontoxic. Natural recipes are also safer for children and pets.

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Our Recommendation

Natural weed killers are effective and safe, and they don’t harm the environment the way harsh chemicals do. We recommend using natural weed-killing remedies that consist of ingredients you may already have at home. Spot-treating your weeds and applying a natural pre-emergent can keep your lawn and landscape weed-free every season.

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Natural Weed Killer FAQ