It's officially the season to clean, tidy, and revamp your backyard. A smart place to start would be with those pesky weeds that you can never seem to banish, year after year. I've got weeds growing everywhere in my yard — from between the cracks of my pavers to dotted in my decorative rock and even on the corners of my lawn. It's a big problem, and admittedly, I've been ignoring it for way too long.
With a dog and a toddler in tow, using a weed killer solution wasn't even an option. Plus, who doesn't want to save a few pennies in the current climate? So, off I went searching for a homemade weed killer that actually works. Truthfully, AI hates to see me coming at this point, as I mostly use this technology for my gardening woes. Anyway, AI recommended that I first try this 3-ingredient solution. Even better? I already had all of the items I needed underneath my kitchen sink.
I also tried another suggestion, side by side, so that I could compare which one works the fastest. Here's what happened — and which of these methods I'll be using to de-weed the rest of my yard in time for spring.
Method 1: 3-ingredient weed killer
The homemade weed killer I'd been convinced to try by AI comprised equal parts water and white vinegar, with a few drops of dish soap. Easy peasy. I mixed this up in a spray bottle, gave it a shake, and then went outside, armed and ready to banish my weeds.
You'll need to do this during a dry spell, says AI, and when there's no rain predicted for a few days.
I sprayed this "killer" on my patio liberally, focusing on large weeds that had sprouted underneath my French doors, which lead from my living room to my yard.
I left it for 3 days. I mean, I did check on day 2, but to be totally honest, nothing had changed. I thought I was perhaps being a bit impatient. But, day 3 rolled around, and I noticed a slight change in the appearance of my weeds. Nothing to really shout home about.
Was I disappointed? Yes, especially since I'd made up quite a lot of the solution, but the good news is that this can be used to clean several places inside my home while spring cleaning.
Method 2: Boiling water
You heard it here first: good old boiling water, straight from your kettle, is said to work faster and better than any weed killer formula out there. AI also told me to try this method, so I thought I'd give it a go. I literally had nothing to lose (other than two kettles full of water).
I poured this onto weeds underneath my French Doors, and some weeds that had popped through the cracks of my pavers. After just 2 days, these weeds were dead and ready to be pulled from the ground. It's also worth noting that when I did remove them, I didn't even need to put any real force behind it — they came away without a fight.
As for the weeds under my yard doors? These were transformed: I truly couldn't believe how well it banished these, especially since they were so wild.
In short: I'll be doing this again every year, as it's non-toxic, safe around pets and kids, and it doesn't require a trip to my local garden center, where I always end up spending more than $100.
The winner
There's no comparison here as the boiling water method far excelled the 3-ingredient solution. You can see it yourself in the photos. I used the DIY weed killer on the left of the photo, underneath my doors, and on the right, I poured the boiling water. The boiling water method also works rain or shine, and it works fast — results can be seen in as little as 24 hours, depending on the strength of your weeds.
Now, to tackle the rest of my yard with my kettle. And to wash away my toddler's chalk drawings...
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