Why pouring boiling water over weeds is a waste of time, according to gardening pros — and what to do instead

Pouring boiling water over weeds is a bad idea. Here is a close-up shot of a backyard meadow with two white dandelion weeds, yellow flowers, and grass around it.

Pouring boiling water over weeds — does it actually work? You've probably read about this weed-killing hack or heard from someone that it's a good way to tackle weeds when you don't want to resort to store-bought weed killers. 

But is this an effective way to get rid of weeds in your garden? We've asked gardening experts to explain whether this is the case, as well as finding out other solutions.