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DIY for Homeowners

We Tried 30% Natural Vinegar to Kill Weeds

10/9/2019

20 Comments

 
text by Vicki     Sign up here to join our weekly email newsletter! ​
Steph's backyard is basically nothing but pea gravel and pavers, with absolutely no grass. It was this way when she moved in. Because it is so shady back there, grass is really not an option. What does grow back there are weeds and lots of them!

It's been a particularly healthy growing season for weeds this summer. It would be impossible to pull all of them so we started to look for a chemical way to kill them.

We wanted to steer clear of treatments such as Round-Up, due to the potential danger to Mac, Steph's dog, should she eat one of the poisoned weeds. We investigated natural methods and came across a method using vinegar. 

Caution: To be clear, we do not know if this method is safe for animals. We do know from research that using the vinegar and salt formula will leave the dirt on which it is used sterile. That is, nothing is going to grow there in the future. So, for example, you wouldn't use it to clear out weeds in a garden and then go back and plant vegetables and expect them to grow. 
Thirty percent vinegar can be purchased online.
We are trying out two different strengths of vinegar. The one on the left is 5% which can be purchased at the grocery store and the one on the right is 30%, which we could not find locally, so we purchased it online.
Materials:
  • 30% Vinegar - Amazon
  • 1 cup salt
  • Tablespoon of dawn
  • Ryobi Battery Sprayer - Home Depot
Mix in half a cup of table salt to make a DIY weedkiller.
I mixed everything in a 1/2 gallon pitcher. In goes one cup of table salt followed by half of the vinegar. (Note the video specifies 1/2 cup of salt but the formula uses one cup salt to one gallon vinegar with a squeeze (one tablespoon) of Dawn dishwashing liquid.)
Mix in a squeeze of Dawn dishwashing liquid.
I mixed up the vinegar and salt, added in the remaining vinegar and then added a squirt of Dawn dishwashing liquid and mixed it until the salt dissolved. Note: all the salt did not dissolved into the vinegar.
Spraying the homemade vinegar salt weedkiller.
We have a one gallon battery powered garden sprayer, but a hand pump sprayer would work. It's important to keep the mixture off anything that you don't want to kill.
After using the Ryobi battery powered sprayer, be sure to clean inside and the tip especially.
A note about using this sprayer. It is important when using caustic solutions in this sprayer to be sure to clean it out after use. We did that BUT, I forgot to clean the brass tip which ended up corroding due to the vinegar on it. Remember to clean that part as well!
The DIY 30% vinegar weed killer was superior to the 5% solution.
This is after going back and spot spraying with the 30% vinegar solution. The 5% solution took care of the tender, baby weeds, but didn't touch the grasses, vines and other more hardy weeds.
Here's a before picture of applying the homemade weedkiller.
Here's a BEFORE...
The vinegar salt solution killed the weeds.
Here's the AFTER. Again, we spot sprayed with the 30% solution to finish up what the 5% solution did not kill.
Within an hour of spraying with the 30% solutions, the weeds were already wilting and browning.
After using the 5% solution, we went back and mixed up a batch using the 30% vinegar. We put it into a spray bottle to have a little more control when applying it. Within an hour of spraying with the 30% solution, the weeds were already wilting and browning.
Spraying the grass with the 30% solution.
This patch of grass was particularly tough. There are rocks under all of that. FYI: this 30% is very strong. I suggest using a respiratory style nose/mouth mask when using it. Stay downwind from the spray.
Within an hour, this patch was wilting and browning!
Within an hour, this patch was wilting and browning!
This is how it looked once we pulled up the dead grass.
This is how it looked once we pulled up the dead grass.
We put the 30% weed killer into a home depot spray bottle.
BEFORE: More spot spraying of this tough, vine like weed.
Does the 30% vinegar weed killer work. Yes!
After! We pulled up many of the dead weeds, but many we left because they blend in with all the rocks in Steph's yard.
This certainly was an interesting experiment! Some things to remember:
  1. The 5% household vinegar works, but only on tender, new weeds. It didn't touch the more hardy grasses and vines.
  2. The 30% vinegar was impossible to find locally so we had to order online. It worked extremely well, but it's important to remember to be safe around it and use appropriate safety gear--mask, eye protection.
  3. Work on a sunny day with NO chance of rain. Otherwise, you will have wasted all your efforts.
  4. Consider the soil to be unusable after applying this treatment. 
  5. What about those epson salt formulas you see on Pinterest? Everything I've read from experts say this does not work. 

Let us know about your experience if you use this method. There are certainly a lot of appropriate places to use it like driveways and sidewalks and backyards with lots of rocks! 

​Please note: This is not a sponsored post.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don't claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!

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20 Comments
Cheri
10/18/2019 09:28:11 am

Wow! What an amazing recipe and instructional video! I like how thorough you two were showing mixing of solution, use and results. I am going on a hunt for the 30 percent vinegar today. Can hardly wait to try for myself! The only questions I have are:
# 1 - where did you get the 30 % vinegar?
# 2 - can you give me an approximate amount of Dawn?
Thank you oh so much!

Reply
Shirley Barnett
10/18/2019 12:46:09 pm

She said to use tablespoon of Dawn and she said she got the 30% on Amazon..

Reply
Cynthia Russell
9/5/2024 01:33:05 pm

My Home Depot carries it.. I bought it there..

Reply
Michael Forry
10/23/2019 08:12:29 am

Great videos!

I was wondering if you have any idea what would happen using this solution in a garden to destroy the weeds either before planting or during growing. I usually throw some Preen on to keep the weeds from coming up but I can't use it where I plant seeds (Guess it stops all germination) so this would be a great alternative to harsh chemicals if it wont soak in the soil and kill my garden plants...

Thank You again for the great videos and keep it up!
Mike

P.S. Greatest thing about the video...you got your mom to do all the work LOL Think you could talk with my wife.... ;)

Reply
Vicki
10/23/2019 12:35:57 pm

According to everything I've read, it will kill everything and leave the soil infertile. So, I would not use this in a garden. Actually, I'd rather do the work than have to be responsible for taking the video! That's Steph's job. :) ~Vicki

Reply
Michael Forry
10/24/2019 05:58:15 am

LOL. Thank You!

Thomas Milliken
2/29/2020 11:37:11 am

I noticed that you sprayed near plants you wanted to keep. Did the salt end up harming those plants?

Reply
Steph
3/3/2020 08:19:40 am

I have not noticed any issues with those plants.

Reply
Caren
5/31/2020 11:44:50 pm

You didn't say how much of the 30% vinegar to use. I got mine at hardware store. Thought you could use as is, didn't know you needed to add salt and dishwashing liquid.

Reply
Dean R. Chijimatsu
11/3/2021 08:20:55 pm

What Do We Do With The Leftover Weed Killer? Can’t Discard It In Your Drain? Or Can You? Nah! E.P.A. Fine?
How Long Will It Last In Sprayer OrSpray Bottle?

Reply
Steph
11/4/2021 07:27:06 am

We use it all. I would not store it.

Reply
Sheila
6/1/2022 09:38:33 am

EXCELLENT YouTube video, well edited, very useful.
I need a battery sprayer…why did you pick that sprayer? Would you consider the 2 gallon Ryobi? What about a backpack one? Thank you so much!

Reply
Steph
6/2/2022 08:53:00 pm

Thanks! We like ryobi products, that's why we tried it. Yes, it's a great one. Easy to use, lightweight. We have used the 2 gallon too, it is also great. Have not used the backpack, but probably good. We have used the Milwaukee backpack sprayer and it's great, but too heavy to wear as a backpack. We use a wheel cart to carry it.

Reply
Sheila
6/9/2022 05:03:47 pm

Thank you so much!

Ellen
10/23/2022 03:40:36 am

Wearing flip flops -as pictured- while applying this solution doesn’t seem like the safest idea.. I would wear rubber boots or other protective footwear.

Reply
Nancy Spak
8/13/2023 06:32:36 pm

I found the 30% vinegar at Home Depot!

Reply
mIKES
8/29/2023 03:03:32 pm

And it is very effective. I could not resist trying some 47% from Tractor Supply. I'm hoping that with that level of concentration, I can cut the solution with a bit of water to get more for my money and trips to the store.

Reply
JT
5/29/2024 02:44:24 pm

You can find it in the cleaning products' aisle at Home Depot.

Reply
mIKES
8/29/2023 03:01:41 pm

Two things.
If using your sprayer exclusively, just mix in the sprayer container. I personally avoid those spray bottles as they have a very high failure rate when delivering caustic solutions. You can do pinpoint delivery with the electric just as good.

Second, after using my expensive electric sprayer, I always run 2 to 3 gallons of clear water to get all traces of that solution out of the sprayer mechanism. I worry that this solution may have a similar corrosive effect on the sprayer innards.

All the best - =m

Reply
Al
2/16/2024 12:07:13 pm

You can get 30% vinegar at Home Depot.

Reply



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