A homemade weed killer can damage weeds, but the claim “no poison (dries everything in 2 hours)” is misleading. Even natural ingredients can be harmful to plants, soil, or wildlife, and quick wilting doesn’t necessarily mean the weed is dead.
A common homemade recipe is:
Ingredients
- 1 gallon (3.8 L) white vinegar (5% acetic acid)
- 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
Directions
- Mix the vinegar and dish soap.
- Spray directly onto weed leaves on a warm, dry, sunny day.
- Avoid spraying plants you want to keep, as this mixture is non-selective and can damage almost any plant it touches.
About adding salt:
Many recipes include salt, but it’s generally not recommended. Salt can remain in the soil and make it difficult for desirable plants to grow for a long time.
What to expect
- Weeds may wilt within hours, especially in sunny weather.
- Deep-rooted or perennial weeds often regrow because the roots survive, so repeated treatment or physical removal may be needed.
For long-term weed control, mulching, hand-pulling, hoeing, or targeted commercial herbicides (used according to the label) are often more effective, depending on where the weeds are growing.
