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If you’re like us, you wait all winter for the first buds of spring. And while every year we swoon over the trees and flowers bursting into bloom and all the color and beauty they provide, our enthusiasm is short-lived once the weeds take hold. Trying to keep weeds in check can feel daunting, but you don’t have to reach for a toxic pesticide to use as a weed killer. Instead, you can mix up a batch of homemade weed killer with L’AVANT Collective eco-friendly dish soap. With a little commitment and this natural homemade weed killer, you can be on your way to enjoying your weed-free surroundings in no time.
Why should I use a natural weed killer?
Conventional weed killers or herbicides like Roundup contain powerful chemicals like glyphosate that may be highly effective at killing weeds, but they can also kill things you didn’t intend to, like other plants, pollinators, and other wildlife.
What’s more, according to a sierraclub.com article from 2008, “Only recently have scientists started to unlock how this widespread use of glyphosate affects not only pollinators and wildlife, but also human health. Researchers have shown that glyphosate also impacts gut microbiome in rats, while a study published last year in the Journal of American Medical Association revealed a 1,000 percent spike of glyphosate levels in the human bloodstream over the last two decades, with untold consequences.” Since this article was published 15 years ago, the University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health published its findings about glyphosate just last month. “New research from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health shows that childhood exposure to the world’s most widely used weed killer, glyphosate, is linked to liver inflammation and metabolic disorder in early adulthood, which could lead to liver cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease later in life.”
As all of this weren’t enough to reach for a natural weed killer option made with clean dish soap, conventional weed killers can also end up in groundwater, which can end up tainting wells and public water supplies.
How does homemade weed killer work?
Unlike glyphosate and other harsh chemicals found in conventional weed killers, homemade natural weed killer relies on items you probably already have on hand in your pantry: vinegar, salt, and natural dish soap. According to HGTV, “Acetic acid in the vinegar and the salt are both very good at drawing moisture from weeds. Dish soap acts as a surfactant, which is an agent that will reduce the surface tension that can cause the weed-killing concoction to bead on the leaves instead of being absorbed by the plant.”
When paired with sunshine, these ingredients can quickly and effectively begin killing your weeds. In fact, on a very bright sunny day, you may see the leaves on your weeds begin to brown and wither in a matter of hours.
While this natural weed killer made with L’AVANT’s eco-luxe dish soap is safer for people, animals, and the environment, it is still powerful–so you want to avoid spraying your whole yard or garden with it, as it may inadvertently dry up plants you actually want around. And while it can be highly effective at treating weeds, it doesn’t treat weed roots–so you’ll need to treat your weeds with this solution regularly to keep them from growing. Still, making a natural weed killer with ingredients from your pantry does have sizable benefits–ones that have us reaching for our bottle of non toxic dish soap at the first sight of weeds.
What you’ll need to make weed killer with natural dish soap:
To make natural weed killer, you’ll need the following ingredients:
1 TBSP L’AVANT Collective High Performing Dish Soap
1 gallon white vinegar
1 C. salt
Add these ingredients to a large spray bottle and shake well to combine.
How do I use natural weed killer?
Once you’ve combined your L’AVANT luxury dish soap with the vinegar and salt in the spray bottle, it’s time to apply it to the weeds.
Keep in mind that although this is a natural weedkiller, it is still powerful. Be sure to target the weeds you want to rid your garden of and NOT the plants you love. Spray your homemade weed killer on the weeds and let them dry in the sunshine, which will speed up the process and enhance the efficacy of the solution.
Repeat daily until the weeds are dead. Sustained applications, combined with pulling weeds out by their roots whenever possible, can help you keep them at bay–all while caring for the planet and your health. What’s better than that?
