Discover effective and eco-friendly solutions with Homemade and Natural Weed Killer Recipes for a pristine garden.
In search of a homemade weed killer? Look no further! Explore these Natural Weed Killer Recipes for a healthier garden without harmful chemicals and herbicides.
Here are 22 Potent Homemade Weed Killer Ideas
Homemade and Natural Weed Killer Recipes
1. Vinegar
An effective homemade weed killer, Vinegar is rich in acetic acid, which acts to kill the foliage and raise the pH of the soil, making it difficult for the growth of unwanted plants.
However, weeds with a waxy or hairy cuticle layer are found to be a little resistant to the effects of vinegar, so it’s best that you add some soap or salt to the Vinegar weed killer to enhance its potency. Learn more about it here!
Here are the Best Recipes for Vinegar to Kill Weeds
2. Borax
Did you know Borax can be used as a weed killer? Add 10 ounces of powdered borax to 2.5 gallons of water, mix thoroughly, and use a sprayer to coat the leaves of unwanted weeds in your yard.
Note: Don’t spray the plants you want to keep, avoid saturating the soil with the solution, and avoid contact with bare skin.
See more Borax Uses in Garden here
3. Epsom Salt Weed Killer
Create a powerful weed killer by mixing Epsom salt with vinegar and dawn dish soap. Epsom salt disrupts weed cell structure, causing them to wither and die. Follow this recipe for killing weeds in your garden.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon vinegar
- 1/4 cup Dawn dish soap
- 2 cups Epsom salts
What you need
- Large bucket
- Wooden spoon or paint stirrer
- Spray bottle
Steps
- Mix 1 gallon vinegar, 1/4 cup Dawn dish soap, and 2 cups Epsom salts in a large bucket. Stir the mixture well to combine the ingredients.
- Transfer the mixture into a spray bottle using a measuring cup or funnel for accuracy.
- Go outside and spray the mixture directly onto the weeds, making sure to coat all surfaces of the weed.
For best results, repeat the spraying as needed since it’s a natural weed killer and may require multiple applications. Here’s the DIY.
Check out these 8 Amazing Uses of Epsom Salt for Tomatoes
4. Citrus Oil
Citrus oil may elevate your mood and liven you up, but it has the exact opposite effect on plants when you combine these few other ingredients to make this homemade weed killer. It works like a charm and kills the targeted plants. Plus, it leaves a lovely, lingering aroma behind.
Here are 8 Awesome Citrus Peel Uses In Garden
5. Dishwasher Soap Weed Killer
Soap serves to reduce the surface tension on the target plant, allowing the weed killer to coat the foliage rather than getting washed away or dripping into the soil below.
When used in combination with salt and vinegar, the results become obvious in a few hours. Learn more about this homemade weed-killer recipe here!
Here are 15 Top Dawn Dish Soap Uses in the Garden
6. Coconut Oil
Looking for the best weed killer? Believe it or not, the first step to eliminating those troublesome weeds is opening up a can of coconut oil. Coconut oil works as a contact herbicide to break down the outer waxy covering of the target plants.
It prevents the retention of moisture and causes them to wither and die. Click here to learn how to use this natural weed killer!
Learn about Using Coconut Oil for Plants here
7. Table Salt/ Rock Salt
The herbicidal property of salt has been exploited for hundreds of years, and there is no reason why you can’t test it for yourself. Salt immediately disrupts the optimal pH of the soil and kills the plants by depriving them of their moisture content and causing severe dehydration.
The only downside is that the salt dilutes quickly in water and loses its efficacy with the next few rain showers. Check out the recipe here!
8. Orange Oil and Vinegar
Utilize the natural oils in orange peels to create an eco-friendly weed killer that is safe for the environment.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon of 10% or 20% white vinegar
- 2 ounces of orange oil or cleanser containing d-limonene
- 2 ounces of liquid dishwashing detergent
Steps
- Pour 1 gallon of 10% or 20% white vinegar into a bucket.
- Add 2 ounces of orange oil or d-limonene-containing cleanser and 2 ounces of liquid dishwashing detergent.
- Stir well with a long-handled spoon to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
- Funnel the mixture into a plastic spray bottle, shaking well before use to prevent separation.
- Drench all surfaces of the weed with the solution on a sunny day. Repeat the application after two days or following rainfall, and drench the roots of stubborn weeds after the tops begin to die.
For perennial weeds, apply the weed killer in spring before they set seeds and in the fall to utilize their life cycle effectively. Check out the detailed DIY here.
Here’s How Vinegar Improves Seed Germination (Proven by Science)
9. Boiling Water
The best use of leftover hot water is to take it outside and pour it over the weeds. Scalding hot water kills the plants it touches. It’s simple, cheap, and is particularly effective as a weed killer for lawns.
However, you can also use it to control perennial weeds with small taproots. Learn more at the Garden Web.
10. Bleach
Bleach is not just a wonderful cleaner; it’s also a lethal herbicide that you can use in place of costlier, store-bought versions. It is best used for killing mature weeds along the cracks and crevices of your driveway or lawn.
Note: Bleach can harm the soil, so refrain from spraying it on your garden beds; instead, apply it directly on the invasive plants.
11. Sugar
As a dirt-cheap substitute to pricey chemical herbicides, sugar acts as a natural weed killer by creating a low-nitrogen environment for weed plants that ultimately end up wilting and perishing. Visit Gardening Know How to learn more.
Put a Tablespoon of Sugar in Your Planting Hole & See This Happen
12. Gin
Besides keeping you warm and cozy in the winter, Gin has another lesser-known use — as a roundup weed killer. The high level of alcohol in Gin allows it to draw out the moisture content from the plants, thereby leading them to the final resting place.
Use it in the sun for best results, and take care not to spray some on your garden plants around. Here’s the DIY!
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13. Corn Meal
Corn meal is not really a weed killer, but it definitely works wonders to keep the weeds from establishing and rooting in your garden soil. It is a pre-emergent, or in other words, a seed birth-control substance. And it’s non-selective, so if you scatter it around an area, no plant or grass will be able to grow on it. Read the article in detail on Gardening Know How.
Note: It’s more of a preventive measure rather than a curative solution, but it’s always a good option for any space and a substitute for weed killer spray.
14. Weed Killer Rubbing Alcohol Solution
Alcohol is well-known for its dehydrating effect. When sprayed on the leaves, it extracts water and causes the plants to shrivel and perish. So, with alcohol, you are sucking the life out of your weeds, making it the best weed killer for lawns.
If the weeds seem to be too resilient and have waxy coverings, consider increasing the amount of alcohol or substituting it with vodka. More of it here!
Note: As easy as it sounds, alcohol weed killer treatment is non-selective. In other words, this means it will kill any plant or grass it comes in contact with. Therefore, you should be careful when using it to kill weeds.
Check out rubbing alcohol uses for plants here
15. Clove Oil
Clove oil is yet another effective homemade weed killer for combating excessive weed growth. It’s non-toxic and doesn’t disturb the natural pH of the soil in any way. Plus, it serves a dual purpose of weed control as well as pest repulsion.
According to a study carried out by the USDA, clove oil treatment works better on Midsummer weeds as opposed to Winter ones. Use it in combination with vinegar and a pinch of salt, and watch those pesky plants wither away and die in a jiffy!
16. Lemon Juice
When it comes to weed control, lemon juice works fine to prevent an outrageous growth of weeds. The citric acid in lemon juice has a burning effect on plants that end up dying within a few minutes of application. Furthermore, the acetic acid in it eats away the protective waxy covering and eventually dries out the plants.
Experts recommend using a combination of vinegar, boiling water, and lemon juice to create the best weed killer for persistent weeds.
Use Lemon Juice for Orchids & These 7 Miracles will Happen
17. Weed Killer with Hydrogen Peroxide
Spray Hydrogen Peroxide weed killer to release oxygen and destroy the weed cells, leading to their demise.
Ingredients
- 3% hydrogen peroxide (almost 1 cup)
- Warm water (almost 1 cup)
- Salt (a handful)
What you need
- Spraying bottle
- Protective mask
- Gloves
Steps
- Equip yourself with safety gear, including a protective mask and gloves, before handling the ingredients.
- In a spraying bottle, pour almost a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide directly from the brown bottle.
- Add the same quantity of warm water to the spraying bottle, as warm water enhances the activity of hydrogen peroxide.
- Mix the contents in the spraying bottle thoroughly. While maintaining a safe distance between you and the hydrogen peroxide bottle, directly spray the mixture over the weeds, ensuring thorough coverage.
Here are 17 Unbelievable Hydrogen Peroxide Uses In Garden You Should Know
Allow the hydrogen peroxide mixture to sit over the weed for approximately 15 minutes. You may hear sizzling or bubbling sounds from the plant as the hydrogen peroxide works its magic.
After 15 minutes, rinse off the surrounding plants with water to prevent any potential damage. Check out the detailed instructions here.
18. Baking Soda
This readily available ingredient lying in your pantry is essentially a type of salt and hence qualifies as an expert plant killer. Weeds cannot survive when exposed to a high concentration of salt.
Baking soda, when used in large amounts, increases the salinity of the soil and causes the weeds to shrivel and die. See the how-to for this weed killer here!
Check out some awesome baking soda uses in the garden here
19. Killing Weeds with Coffee Grounds
Don’t throw your coffee grounds out. Look no further than inside your own coffee filter for an inexpensive weed killer. When used as a mulch, spent coffee grounds prevent weeds from spreading through your garden and are packed with nutrients for your plants.
Here are the Best Ways to Use Coffee Grounds to Kill Weeds
20. Vodka
Although a vodka treatment is slightly costlier than vinegar-based weed killer, it is equally beneficial and even more effective in killing broad-leaved weeds such as plantain, mullein, and dandelions.
When used properly, vodka can eliminate all your summer and spring weeds and have your garden looking neat and tip-top. Learn more about this treatment here!
