“Vinegar and salt will dry out weeds and grass, whereas the dish soap helps the vinegar and salt to cling to the leaves rather than absorbing the mixture. If utilised correctly, they can be an effective herbicide as the weeds will dry up and die in a few hours.”
Glyphosate is systemic, will kill grass and pretty much every other plant it touches. Used to kill annuals, perennials, woody perennials and tree stumps - it is effective against ALL weeds. Glyphosate is used with 85% of GM crops grown globally.
To kill all vegetation in walkways, driveways and other areas where you don't want any living thing to grow again, mix two cups ordinary table salt with one gallon of white vinegar. Do this in a container that is larger than one-gallon capacity so you have room for the salt.
Vinegar kills weeds quickly—usually within 24 hours—but does not discriminate between the weeds you want to kill and the plants you want to grow, so apply the vinegar carefully and in the right conditions. Vinegar's efficacy depends on the weather and the solution's concentration.
Glyphosate, the ingredient in Roundup and other products, is translocated from the leaves to the roots of a weed. Vinegar is not translocated. It is true that 5% vinegar (acetic acid) will kill young, tender weeds but it does little damage to established weeds.
Grab an herbicide.
Plant-killing chemicals, or herbicides, are one of the best weapons against brushy weeds, because they can kill leaves, stems and roots when applied properly. They're especially helpful when you're faced with a large weedy area.
To kill weeds, some amateur gardeners recommend combining Epsom salt and Dawn dish soap. Together, these household items create a potent mixture, so only use it in places you wish to eliminate weeds, such as a patio or sidewalk permanently.
Rock salt is actually a super-effective and totally natural weed killer that is ace at clearing a gravel driveway. Simply sprinkle some rock salt on the ground surrounding any weeds you can see and then sit back and watch as the salt kills the weeds in just a matter of days. It's almost unbelievable.
What natural weed-killers kill weeds down to the roots? Boiling water and flaming will kill the roots of weeds. Vinegar kills roots, but it may take a few days for the roots to die off after the vinegar solution is applied.
Undiluted bleach can zap weeds growing through the cracks in your walkway or driveway. Spray undiluted bleach on the weeds and let stand. The solution will kill existing weeds and help prevent new ones from sprouting. Bleach will kill grass, flowers, and other vegetation as well, so take care where you aim!
Is Bleach a Better Weed Killer Than Roundup? While bleach has some weed-killing properties, it falls short when compared to Roundup, a widely used herbicide. Roundup, also known by its active ingredient glyphosate, is designed specifically for effective weed control.
Start by using a broad-spectrum herbicide such as glyphosate to kill all the vegetation. If you are trying to kill a lawn, one or two applications of herbicide may be enough to kill the grass. Herbicide applications should be 2 to 3 weeks apart. If the site is weedy or wild, you may have to spray many more times.
The best way to kill the existing lawn and weeds is to apply a nonselective herbicide, such as glyphosate, over the entire area. Glyphosate is a postemergence translocated herbicide that effectively kills turf and grassy and broadleaf weeds. Glyphosate is translocated rapidly in all actively growing plants.
Natural Roundup alternatives use soaps, oil or acid to kill weeds, but some other options use salt, vinegar or boiling water. These safe alternatives to Roundup can be effective if used properly.
If your weeds are extreme, put down a layer of moist newspaper and cover that with at least two inches of mulch. This will destroy the weeds, prevent them from growing, and eventually leave you with a plantable garden.
The Takeaway. To eradicate weeds effectively, the roots need to be killed, not just the top growth, which synthetic weed killers do successfully. The bottom line is that mixing vinegar with Epsom salts or table salt and liquid dish soap does not make a safe, effective weed killer.
Mix the Herbicide
Combine four parts vinegar to one part water. Add about an ounce of dish soap to a gallon of the mixture. Mix well in a spray bottle or other container (if you are not spraying the mix).
White vinegar with an acetic acid content of at least 5% will be required to kill most weeds effectively. Apple cider vinegar with the same acid content will also work, though, for tough perennial weeds, you may need a specialised horticultural vinegar with 20% acetic acid.
Kitchen-strength vinegar may work on a few types of young weeds. Research on varying concentrations of acetic acid show that stronger is almost always better when it comes to weed control, so 20 percent acetic acid is more effective than a 5 percent or 10 percent concentration.
If you don't have one, make your own with a glass bottle and spray nozzle. Standard vinegar usually has 5% acidity and works best for weeds that have appeared in the last 2 weeks. Use horticultural vinegar with 30–45% acidity to get rid of more established weeds.
Mixing vinegar and bleach together releases a poisonous chlorine gas, which can be fatal if inhaled at high enough concentrations.
Grass won't grow back if the area was spilled with Clorox bleach. The unwanted weeds permanently vanish from the area where the chlorine bleach was spilled. Clorox will break down into water and salt particles once it's spilled on the soil.