How to get rid of the pesky weeds growing in our rocks and patio is a question the plagues me every summer. 
But I think I’ve finally got an answer. Use Weed-Be-Gone, a safe & easy homemade weedkiller!
We avoid using any chemical weed killers or herbicides on our property because we’re concerned about the health issues they may contribute to.
In addition, we use organic products for raising our chickens, goats, honey bees, and garden produce. So, although chemical weedkillers tend to work well, I just avoid using them (everyone’s now learning about the issues with Roundup [glysophate] right?).
Weed-Be-Gone is a combination of three common household products that are considered safe and that can quickly be mixed to produce a weedkiller. The mixture can be sprayed on pesky weeds in the morning and by evening they should be gone. Warning: This mixture will kill whatever greenery you spray it on, so only use it on weeds that you want to eliminate. Don’t use it on your lawn, ornamentals, etc.
Weed-Be-Gone Ingredients: Distilled Vinegar, Epsom Salts, Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
Weed-Be-Gone takes only three common household ingredients: distilled white vinegar, Dawn dishwashing liquid, and Epsom salts.
Weed-Be-Gone
Equipment
- Garden Sprayer
Ingredients
- 1 gallon Distilled White Vinegar
- 2 cups Epsom Salt
- 1/4 cup Dawn Dishwashing Soap (the blue original)
Instructions
- Mix the three ingredients in the sprayer making sure the salt has dissolved.
- Spray it on weeds in the morning of a sunny day after the dew has evaporated. Walk away.
- Go back after dinner and the weeds will be shriveled or gone altogether.
Notes
Weed-Be-Gone Results
The photograph below is of an area of river rocks that are along our driveway. This area tends to get lots of weeds that are difficult to remove. But it certainly doesn’t look very attractive with all the weeds!
These are the same rocks along the driveway after applying the weed-be-gone in the morning of a sunny day and then going back in the evening to see the results. Much better! Not every weed is completely gone but I’d let some of these weeks get pretty large. Another easy application of weed-be-gone and it should look great.
Here is a photograph of the patio area around our firepit. The weeds tend to grow in the cracks between the pavers and are a pain to remove manually.
Here’s the same firepit after allowing the weed-be-gone to work for a day. A lot easier and faster than pulling them out manually!
I need to sweep/hose the area off to get rid of the dead vegetation and another application would clean things up completely, but you get the idea.
It’s important to apply it on a sunny day after the dew has evaporated and you may need more than one application for larger, more established weeds. But, it’s so fast and easy I don’t mind doing a couple of applications at all.
So there, a safe, fast, and easy weedkiller that you can use at home! Another benefit, it’s very economical! Here’s another easy homemade glass cleaner recipe.
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J K Lyster says
I was spraying tall weeds and sprayed one low branch on a 6 ft aspen AND felt it’s a tree no problem, BUT the Aspen died…..so I’m a-lot more watchful for where I now spray…. I was amazed at how well this works Even better than Roundup… MUCH SAFER
Lesa says
So glad to hear it’s working well!
Carrie T says
This will kill everything including the weeds – you may want to update your post to warn people that it isn’t to be sprayed on lawns or plants or gardens, etc.
Also, in your post, you say spray-on “weeks”…. I think you meant weeds! 🙂
I just subscribed as your blog looks like something I would enjoy, thanks!
Carrie
Lesa says
Hi Carrie, Thanks for the suggestions on updating the post – much needed! And for subscribing!
Debbie says
How soon after spraying can you plant
Lesa says
I think it works by basically dessicating the plant leaves that you’ve sprayed, so if you plant something new after spraying and don’t get it on the new plants they should be ok. I’d wait a day or two.
Charlie says
Has anyone used rock salt vs Epsom.
Judy Carter-franklin says
Will it kill poison oak, poison ivy?
Lesa says
I haven’t tried it on poison ivy or poison oak; however, I think it should work on anything. Give it a try and let us know!
Alyse Munishamaiah says
I have a massive jug of Palmolive (the original green kind) from Costco. Will that work in place of Dawn?
Lesa says
Hi Alyse,
I haven’t tried Palmolive, but the concept should be the same. Give it a try and let us know whether it works!
Clare Zens says
From what you say, and what I’ve been told, your Weed Be Gone will kill grass – so you can’t use it on a lawn. Maybe just on rocky areas.
Lesa says
HI Clare,
Yes, I wouldn’t use it on a lawn, I think it would kill the lawn!
Kristen says
Hi, if I don’t have enough white distilled vinegar, could I/ substitute with apple cider vinegar
Henri says
Hi Lesa,
Thanks for the post!
Thinking about using it under trees and shrubs:
Is this mix affecting just the plants you spray it on or go into the soil underneath them as well, so all other plants with roots in that area will die?
How long did it take before any new weeds grew back on your treated areas?
Lesa says
Hi Henri,
The idea is to spray it on the foliage and then it kills the foliage, I don’t think it really goes into the plant itself and travel through it to the roots. If you spray it on the soil rather than the foliage then it might go into the roots. And, I didn’t pay attention to how long before the weeds grew back.
Tonia says
This is safe for the garden as well?
Lesa says
Hi Tonia, I’m not sure what you mean by “safe for the garden as well”, it’s going to try to kill any growing thing you spray it on.
Jenny says
I love your recipe but my sprayer gets clogged terribly! I even made the mixture in 2 gallons in a large bucket. I made sure the salts were dissolved. Still my sprayer got clogged and wouldn’t work. Do you have any ideas?
Lesa says
Hi Jenny, if the salts are dissolved then it shouln’t get clogged in your sprayer. I’ve never had any problems with that. I would try a different sprayer.
Holly J says
I found that heating the epsom salt with some vinegar on the stove until dissolved will solve the problem of the sprayer clogging. Once the epsom salt is cooled proceed with mixing solution as recipe states. It works much better than trying to get the epsom salt to break down in the sprayer. Best of luck to all on your weed warrior journey.
Lesa says
Hi Holly, thanks for the advice. I’ll add it to the instructions in case others are having issues with their sprayers clogging!
Heidi Derksen says
Does it work on prickers
Lesa says
Hello Heidi,
As far as I know, it works on anything growing, but I haven’t tried it on prickers. If they’re tough, you might have to spray them a couple of times, but it should work.
Samantha says
Is it safe around dogs and cats?
Lesa says
Hi Samantha,
Yes, it should be safe around dogs and cats – you spray it on the weeds and it soaks into the foliage. I wouldn’t let a dog or cat eat the weeds after they’ve been sprayed, but I can’t imagine they’d want to do that 🙂
Pat says
Does this kill flowers or anything else around the weeds? I want something that kills weeds in a flower bed but not the flowers
Lesa says
Hi Pat, I think this will kill the flowers just as readily as it will kill the weeds. So, unless you can apply this only to the weeds and not the flowers, I don’t think this will really work for you.