How to Make Non Toxic Weed Killer for a Lawn

Overview

The long-term effects of many weed killers is not known. Because of this and concerns about groundwater pollutants, many homeowners caring for their lawn are swearing off commercial weed killers in favor of their own home remedies. Weed killers made with the ingredients from your pantry are quick to make, simple to dispose of and less toxic than store-bought weed killers.

Step 1

Fill a stock pot full of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Carry the boiling pot of water outdoors and pour it over weeds to boil them to death.

Step 2

Bring one gallon of white vinegar to a boil. Add one cup of salt to the vinegar, and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from the heat and mix in one tbsp. of dish soap. When the solution has cooled, pour it into a spray bottle. Spray it directly on weeds to kill them, but avoid soil. The sodium in this recipe is too diluted to harm the soil, but over time it can build up. Sodium build-up can prevent plants from growing in the soil and can harm microbes.

Step 3

Cover weeds with a pad of 10 sheets of newspaper. Water the paper to weigh it down. The paper will block light and air from reaching the weeds and will smother them.