Woman's 'tried and tested' weed killer trick clears patios in days without chemicals

This is a tried and tested method [stock image]
-Credit:Getty


Gardeners are forever locked in a fight against pesky weeds, which pop up everywhere from driveways and patios to the lawn. Alison Riddell spilled the beans on her trusty homemade weed annihilator on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, revealing, "I've tried and tested this method. Use a gallon of white vinegar, one cup of salt and two tablespoons of washing up liquid."

She suggests: "Mix it and put on the weeds with a watering can. Within two days the weeds will die and after a week sweep them up."

Alison remarked: "I have tried this and it works so well. It's not harmful to pets because no chemicals, I have a cat."

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Despite new seeds getting blown about by the wind, she says giving the weeds another dose does the trick, concluding: "It's the best natural weed killer I've tried," The Express notes that white vinegar is a powerhouse thanks to its acetic acid, making quick work of clearing driveways and patios.

Gena Lorraine, gardening maestro at Fantastic Services, suggests toning down the white vinegar for better results, offering: "The best possible proportion here is one part vinegar and two parts water. Then just pour it over the cracks, aiming for the middle sections of the weeds."

During the summer months, the sun can help dry out weeds in about an hour, but in winter, it might take a bit longer. Fellow gardeners like Lisa Timson suggest using boiling water as an inexpensive and immediate weed killer, particularly effective for those pesky driveway invaders: "Just use boiling water straight from the kettle, they will be shocked and shrivel up."

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Denise Watson shared her struggle with weeds and the need to avoid shop-bought solutions due to pets.

She found success with a readily available household solution: "However what did work well was free and was boiling water. Pull out the weed and pour boiling water into the cracks, it kills the seeds."

A gardening expert weighed in, endorsing boiling water as a potent method for tackling weeds in tricky spots: "Boiling water is a very aggressive and effective method to get rid of weeds from hard-to-reach places."

They detailed the approach: "This is simply because the hot water can destroy practically every plant, no matter how tough and meaty its leaves are."

However, the expert cautioned: "This is why this solution is never used around regular plants because it would kill them in an instant too."

For safe application, they recommended: "Simply pour the boiling water on the patio cracks, aiming to touch all of the weeds."