21 Home Remedies to Kill Weeds Naturally

You can remove weeds with simple natural methods if they are taking over your garden, lawn, or pathways.

Weeds can be a hassle in flower beds, sprout between patio stones, or compete with vegetables for water, light, and nutrients.

Some weed-control methods can also harm grass, garden plants, or soil. Therefore, choose a method that is suitable for the area you need to treat.

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Weeds in Your Garden, Lawn, and Driveway

Here are some natural ways to control weeds and prevent them from returning.

1. Spray Vinegar

White vinegar can work as a contact weed killer. The acetic acid causes the parts of the weed it touches to dry out [1].

Household vinegar usually contains about 5% acetic acid. It works best on small, young annual weeds. Older weeds may grow back from their roots.

If you use household vinegar, spray it carefully on the weed leaves. Keep it away from grass, garden plants, and bare soil.

Vinegar sold for garden use may contain 20% acetic acid or more. These strong products can burn your skin and seriously injure your eyes. Choose a product labeled for weed control and follow all label directions.

Vinegar is best used as a careful spot treatment. It is not suitable for spraying large lawns or garden beds.

2. Use a Garden Hoe

A garden hoe can remove young weeds before they become established.

Move the blade just below the soil surface to cut or uproot the weeds. Hoeing works best when weeds are small and the soil is fairly dry.

Be careful when hoeing around crops and flowers. A deep cut could damage their roots.

3. Pour Boiling Water

Pouring boiling water directly on small weeds can damage their leaves and roots.

This method works best on weeds growing in cracks, driveways, walkways, and garden paths. Established weeds may need more than one treatment.

Use a kettle with a spout so you can control the flow. Keep the hot water away from grass, garden plants, people, and pets.

Do not pour boiling water near wanted plants. The heat can damage their roots.

4. Pull Weeds by Hand

Hand-pulling is one of the simplest and most effective ways to remove weeds from small areas.

Pull weeds when the soil is moist. The roots will usually come out more easily after rain or after you water the ground.

Hold the weed near its base and pull slowly. Try to remove as much of the root as possible.

Hand-pulling is also one of the safest ways to remove weeds from a lawn without killing the grass.

5. Apply Mulch

Mulch helps block sunlight from reaching weed seeds. This reduces the number of seeds that sprout.

Organic materials such as wood chips, straw, shredded leaves, and bark can work well in flower and garden beds.

Remove large weeds before applying mulch. Then spread a layer thick enough to cover the soil. Keep mulch a few inches away from plant stems and tree trunks.

Mulch will not stop every weed, so pull any weeds that grow through it before they make seeds.

6. Grow Cover Crops

Planting cover crops can help reduce weeds by covering bare soil.

Cover crops create thick growth that blocks light and leaves less room for weeds [2]. Some suitable choices include clover, buckwheat, rye, and oats.

Choose a cover crop suited to your climate and growing season. Cut it down at the right time so it does not become difficult to manage.

7. Mow Weeds Regularly

Regular mowing can stop many lawn weeds from growing tall and producing seeds.

Do not cut the grass too short. Healthy grass that is allowed to grow at the recommended height shades the soil. This makes it harder for some weed seeds to sprout.

Mowing will not always kill weeds with established roots. However, it can slow their spread while you work on removing them.

Clean the mower after cutting weeds with seeds so you don’t carry seeds to another area.

8. Solarize the Soil

Soil solarization uses clear plastic and the sun’s heat to kill weeds and some weed seeds.

Water the empty area first. Stretch clear plastic tightly over the soil, and bury or weigh down the edges.

Leave the plastic in place for about four to six weeks during hot, sunny weather. It may take longer in cooler areas. The results depend on the climate, weather, and strength of the sunlight.

Use this method only in an empty bed or an area you are clearing. The heat can damage the roots of nearby plants.

9. Use a Propane Torch

A propane weed torch heats young weeds and damages their cells. You only need to heat the leaves. You do not need to set the weeds on fire.

Flame weeding works best on young annual weeds. Grasses and perennial weeds may grow back from their roots.

Check local fire rules before using a weed torch. Never use one during dry or windy weather or near dry grass, mulch, fences, buildings, irrigation tubing, fuel, or other materials that can burn.

Keep water or a fire extinguisher nearby. Follow all safety directions that come with the torch.

10. Plant Ground Covers

Low-growing plants such as creeping thyme and creeping phlox can help suppress weeds.

These plants cover open soil and block some of the sunlight that weed seeds need. However, they will not stop every weed.

Choose a ground cover that suits your climate, soil, and amount of sunlight. Make sure the plant is not invasive where you live.

11. Water Only Your Plants

Watering the plants you want instead of the entire garden can reduce the water available to weeds.

Drip irrigation and soaker hoses deliver water close to the roots of crops and flowers. However, weeds growing beside those plants may still receive some water.

Check the watered areas often and remove weeds while they are small.

12. Use a Weed-Pulling Tool

A hand weeder or dandelion fork can help remove weeds with long or deep roots.

Push the tool into the soil beside the weed. Loosen the soil and lift out as much of the root as possible.

This method works well for dandelions and other deep-rooted weeds in lawns or garden beds.

Fill any large hole with soil. If needed, plant the same type of grass during the best seeding season for your area.

13. Use a Labeled Clove-Oil Herbicide

Some commercial weed killers contain clove oil or other plant-based oils [3].

These products damage the green parts of young weeds that they touch. Established weeds may grow back and need another treatment.

Do not mix drops of essential oil with plain water. Oil does not mix evenly with water, and an untested mixture may harm nearby plants.

Instead, buy a product labeled for weed control and follow its directions. Keep the spray away from wanted plants.

Clove-oil herbicides can also irritate the skin and eyes. Wear the protective equipment listed on the label.

14. Use Newspaper or Brown Cardboard

Newspaper and brown cardboard can cover weeds and block the light they need to grow.

Cut or flatten tall weeds first. Overlap plain cardboard or several sheets of newspaper so there are no open spaces. Wet the material and cover it with mulch to hold it in place.

Remove tape, labels, and staples from cardboard. Do not use glossy, waxed, or heavily coated pieces.

Tough perennial weeds may grow through the covering. Remove them as soon as you see them.

15. Grow Plants Close Together

Follow the recommended spacing for each crop or flower. Once the plants grow, their leaves can shade the soil and help reduce weed growth.

Do not place plants closer together than recommended. Crowded plants may have poor airflow, more disease, and weaker growth.

Mulch the open spaces while young plants are still small.

16. Remove Flowers and Seed Heads

If you cannot remove a weed right away, cut off its flowers and seed heads.

This will not kill the weed. However, it can prevent many new seeds from spreading around your lawn or garden.

Place mature seed heads in the trash. Do not put them in a home compost pile because some seeds may survive.

Return later to dig out the plant and its roots.

17. Eat the Edible Weeds

Some weeds, including dandelion and purslane, are edible.

However, never eat a wild plant unless you are completely sure of its identity. Some poisonous plants look similar to edible ones.

Do not collect weeds that have been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. Also avoid plants growing beside busy roads or in places where the soil or water may be polluted.

Eating a few edible weeds can be enjoyable, but it may not control a large weed problem.

18. Use Goats

Goats can reduce tall weeds, vines, and brush on large properties.

However, they usually do not remove weed roots or buried seeds. Some plants may grow back.

Goats may also eat garden plants, young trees, and shrubs. Use secure fencing, supervise them, and protect them from poisonous plants.

Check local rules before keeping or renting goats.

19. Seal Cracks in Paved Areas

Weeds often grow where soil and seeds collect in cracks in driveways, patios, and walkways.

Pull out the weeds and remove as much soil as possible from each crack. Once the area is clean and dry, fill it with a suitable paving sealant.

Sealing the opening makes it harder for new soil and weed seeds to collect there.

Follow the product directions. Keep the sealant away from garden soil, drains, and waterways.

20. Use Landscape Fabric Carefully

Landscape fabric may provide short-term weed control in pathways and some ornamental beds.

Cover the fabric with mulch and prevent soil from building up on top. Weed seeds can land in the mulch and grow even when fabric is underneath.

Plant roots may also grow into the fabric, making it difficult to remove later. Cardboard covered with organic mulch may be a better choice for vegetable and flower beds.

Avoid using landscape fabric where you plan to dig or change plants often.

21. Try Organic Commercial Products

If you do not want to make your own weed treatments, you can try a store-bought organic herbicide.

Natural and organic products can still irritate the skin, damage plants, or harm animals if used incorrectly. Choose a product labeled for the weeds and location you need to treat. Always follow the current label.

Avenger AG Optima

Avenger AG Optima contains d-limonene, which comes from citrus.

It is a contact herbicide that damages the green parts of weeds it touches. Established weeds may grow back from their roots.

Keep it away from wanted plants and follow all label directions.

AXXE Broad-Spectrum Herbicide

AXXE is a non-selective contact herbicide.

This means it can damage grass, flowers, vegetables, and other green plants it touches. Apply it only to the weeds listed on the label and keep the spray away from wanted plants.

Gluten-8 Liquid Corn Gluten

Gluten-8 is a liquid corn gluten product sold to help prevent certain weed seeds from becoming established.

It will not kill weeds that are already growing. Results may vary depending on the weed, timing, weather, and application.

It may also affect wanted seeds. Do not apply it where you recently planted or plan to plant grass, flowers, or vegetables from seed.

Follow the product label for approved locations, timing, and application directions.

Can You Use Bleach?

Bleach may kill grass and damage weeds, but it can also harm soil life, nearby plants, pets, and waterways.

Do not use bleach as a garden weed killer. Pulling, mulching, boiling water, or another suitable method is safer.

FAQ

What kills weeds without harming grass?

Hand-pulling and using a weed-removal tool are two of the safest choices.

Healthy lawn care can also help. Mow at the recommended height, fill bare patches, and avoid watering more than the grass needs.

Does mulch stop weeds completely?

No. Mulch can greatly reduce weed growth by blocking sunlight, but some weeds may still grow through it.

Pull these weeds while they are small.

Are natural weed killers safer than synthetic ones?

Not always. Natural products can still burn skin, injure eyes, damage plants, or harm the soil.

Safety depends on the product, its strength, and how it is used. Read and follow the label on every commercial weed killer.

What kills weeds in one hour?

Boiling water may cause weeds to wilt quickly. Some contact herbicides may also damage leaves quickly.

However, a wilted weed is not always dead. The roots may survive and grow again.

What kills weeds down to the root overnight?

Nothing reliably kills weeds down to the root overnight.

Deep-rooted and perennial weeds often need to be dug out or treated more than once.

What kills weeds permanently and naturally?

No instant natural method permanently stops all weeds.

Long-term control comes from removing roots, stopping weeds from making seeds, covering bare soil, applying mulch, and keeping lawns and garden plants healthy.

Takeaway

Natural weed control works best when you combine several methods.

Pull weeds before they produce seeds, cover bare soil with mulch, and use cardboard when clearing garden beds. Boiling water may help control weeds in pavement cracks, while solarization can clear an empty bed during hot weather.

Even homemade and natural products can harm people, soil, grass, and garden plants. Choose the safest method for each area and follow the label when using a commercial weed killer.