Essential Steps To Kill Weeds With Vinegar

Step 1: Gather Your Materials and Ingredients

To make this week killer, you only need three ingredients.

• 1 tablespoon of non-toxic liquid dish soap.
• 1 gallon of white vinegar. It should have at least 5%–10% acetic acid. However, according to the Montana State University Extension, 20%–30% acetic acid content is much more effective at killing growing points and young leaves. Younger and smaller weeds are more sensitive to vinegar.
• 1 cup of table salt

Should you be sensitive to the smell of vinegar, you can also add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to the mixture.

• Vinegar and salt work together to kill the plant cells, and dish soap helps the mixture adhere to the surface of plants.
• A clean, large container to mix the ingredients.
• One-gallon garden sprayer or clean spray bottle.
• If necessary, use a funnel to transfer the mixture into the spray bottle or garden sprayer.

Step 2: Wear Protective Clothing and Mix Your Ingredients

When working with chemicals, it is important to wear protective clothing. Make sure to wear gloves to avoid any mild skin irritation from the acid in the vinegar. You may also want to consider wearing goggles and a face mask. Next, mix the dish soap, white vinegar, and salt in your container or spray bottle. Shake or stir with the lid tightly closed.

Step 3: Let the Solution Rest For an Hour

Allow the mixture to sit for an hour before using it. This allows the ingredients to combine fully inside the spray bottle increasing its potency in destroying weeds. Make sure the bottle is closed properly then give it another good shake before applying it to the weeds.

Applying the Vinegar Weed Killer

Now that you have made your vinegar weed killer, let’s take a look at how to apply it correctly. Follow these tips to ensure proper absorption and prevent accidentally killing other plants.

• Choose the best weather: Avoid spraying on windy days; this will prevent the spray from landing on any other plants you want to keep. It is best to use this solution on a warm, sunny day. Furthermore, avoid using the solution on rainy days; this will prevent the mixture from becoming diluted, and it will absorb better into the weeds.
• Aim for the leaves: Weeds absorb moisture through their leaves, so it is best to aim directly at the leaves. The solution will then get absorbed and travel down to the roots.
• Be careful: Make sure to only spray on the weeds you want to kill. Vinegar weed killer can also kill your vegetables, flowers, and grass.
• Be patient: The solution will take a few days to destroy the weeds completely. So give it a bit of time before deciding to spray again.

Safety Precautions and Storing Vinegar Weed Killer

Homemade vinegar weed killer is eco-friendly and can be effective at killing weeds. As mentioned earlier, wear protective gear to avoid the fumes and any skin irritation. Although this weed killer is non-toxic, it should still be stored out of reach of children and pets. If ingested, it could burn the mouth and throat. Furthermore, to avoid the container rupturing, store the vinegar mixture in a temperature-controlled room away from extreme heat or cold conditions.

How to Prevent Weed Regrowth

Weeds killed with vinegar are hopefully gone for good; however, we know that there will soon be more. Consider using these tips to prevent them from taking over. Applying mulch to your garden beds can prevent weed growth by blocking out the sunlight. As a result, the weeds won’t germinate. As soon as you see any new weeds, apply the vinegar weed killer straight away to the new weeds. Use organic fertilizer; most fertilizers contain nitrogen, which is good for healthy grass. But many plants you might think of as weeds don’t do well in soil that’s high in nitrogen.