Weed Killer DIY Dish Soap and Vinegar

We do not like weeds! It kills our plants, and it is not pleasing to
the eyes. There have been many products that we can use as weed killer.
However, herbicides are costly and contain chemicals that are harmful to the
environment. You might be shocked that an active agent that can fight off weeds is just sitting in your kitchen. 

Vinegar has, undeniably, many uses. It’s not just a condiment for
your food; it is also a cleaning agent for your countertops, windows, or
toilet. Additionally, vinegar can also be used as a fighting agent for those
pesky weeds on your lawn or backyard! You read that right. Vinegar is a popular product to use to kill those weeds. Alongside with vinegar is dish soap, which can also be found in your kitchen sink. Combine these two up, and you can make an effective weed killer!

Read More:

How to Control Weed Growth in Your Lawn and flower beds

Vinegar as
Weed Killer

As mentioned, vinegar is an effective killer. A regular vinegar that
you can buy in grocery stores contains 5% acetic acid and 95% water. The acetic
acid from the vinegar can draw out moisture from weeds, making it dry and
dehydrated. The higher the acetic acid, the deadlier the weeds can be. Vinegar is also eco-friendly and will not harm people, pets, or the environment. 

While vinegar is a great product to kill weeds, it also has its
limitations. Vinegar is non-selective. If it damages weeds, it would also
damage your blooming flowers. It does not even have residual action, which
means new weeds can grow again. 

Dish Soap as Weed Control

Vinegar can have no residual action, but the dish soap can help. It
acts as a surfactant, which can reduce surface tension and stick to weeds
rather than sliding off the weed’s surface. Dish soap can also help break the
waxy surface present on its leaves and make the weed susceptible to vinegar.

Materials to Use as Weed Killer

You will need:

1-gallon vinegar (5% acetic acid)

1 oz. dish soap

Sprayer- you can try: Collier
Mfg 30SS Sprayer, 1-Gallon

Mix soap and vinegar, pour it in a plastic spray bottle and spray
onto weeds. 

Important Notes for Weed Killer

Before spraying your concoction, remember that this mixture has
various effects on different weeds. It will not kill all types of weed, so
experimenting on your own is encouraged. It is best to apply it on a sunny daywith no wind. In this case, the vinegar will dry out the weeds immediately. It is also better that it’s not a windy day, so the mixture will not spray inadvertently to the other plants. Remember that the vinegar and soap mixture is not an instant weed killer. It is preferred to reapply it often to make the mixture stick to the weed.

Moreover, the mixture can not kill the root of the weed. However, you can pour it around the root zone to kill the more enormous weeds. Since this combination can also harm those plants that are close to weeds, it is encouraged to use it on weeds that sprout on driveways or pathways. 

So the next time you see those growing, just look around your
countertop or kitchen sink and make yourself your homemade herbicide!