Even if you’re not a savvy environmentalist, you probably know that contaminating your yard with nasty chemicals isn’t a good idea, especially if you have kids, pets, or an edible garden nearby. This easy-to-make weed killer won’t hurt the earth, but it will stop the weeds from growing in your garden. All the ingredients can be easily found for only a few bucks, and you might already have all of them in your home! It only takes a few minutes to make the mixture, so you can get out in your yard and start squirting away as soon as possible!
– Additional reporting by Lauren Harano
Related: This Easy DIY Nectar Recipe Will Make Your Backyard a Haven For Hummingbirds
POPSUGAR Photography / Kelly Ladd
What You’ll Need:
- 1 gallon vinegar
- 1/4 cup Dawn dish soap
- 2 cups Epsom salts
- Large bucket
- Wooden spoon or paint stirrer
- Spray bottle
POPSUGAR Photography / Kelly Ladd
Step 1
Mix together the Dawn dish soap, Epsom salts, and vinegar in a large bucket with the wooden spoon. Vinegar alone will kill weeds, but it’s more effective when combined with the soap and salt. The Epsom salts and the acetic acid in the vinegar dehydrates the plant by pulling out its moisture, while the dish soap breaks down the plant’s outer coat (cuticle).
POPSUGAR Photography / Kelly Ladd
Step 2
Pour the mixture in a spray bottle. If you’re not comfortable pouring the mixture from the bucket into the spray bottle, transfer the liquid using a measuring cup with a spout or a funnel to help with your accuracy.
POPSUGAR Photography / Kelly Ladd
Step 3
Go outside and spray the mixture onto the weeds. Coat all surfaces of the weed with the spray.
POPSUGAR Photography / Kelly Ladd
Voilà!
Be careful that you only spray what you want to kill. The mixture is nonselective, which means it will kill nearby grass or other expensive plants that you purchased at your local nursery. Just like chemical weed killers, you’ll have to reapply the mixture for those stubborn, older weeds. The younger weeds will die easier.
POPSUGAR Photography / Kelly Ladd
