I was using white vinegar to clean the fridges and my dad used the bucket of water I was using to rinse on the weeds, as he hates to waste water. To his amazement it killed the weeds and went around spraying all the weeds with white vinegar. It is cheaper and also better for those with allergies to chemicals as my mother is. My dad is now a convert and like white vinegar for multiple uses.
To be fair - much as it is not my intention to “ rain on the parade “ as such - but - although it is true that vinegar is a natural herbicide and it is something that has been used by organic gardeners and farmers for decades and it does to some degree work - it is not 5% household white vinegar dilated with water that is used - as although that may - if you are lucky burn the tops of some young non established weeds - especially if the sun is shining on them - they will be back in next to no time - simply because that solution - its just not strong enough to kill even the weakest of weeds. However - the good news is - that if wishing to use vinegar to kill weeds - it would be way better and much more cost effective - not to use the vinegar you put on your chips or salad - but use the much stronger solution that organic gardeners generally use - which is a gallon of undiluted 20% horticultural grade vinegar, mixed with 1-2 ozs of horticultural grade orange oil and a squirt of dish-washing detergent which when applied in full sunlight on a hot day - will burn back some weed species quite quickly with one application - but for more resistant and more established weeds - repeated applications will be needed in order to get the weeds to fully die back. I would also just add - that although vinegar is generally thought of as natural and quite safe - as vinegar contains acetic acid - which is a chemical - yes a chemical - with well-known herbicidal properties - it should be treated and handled in just the same way as any other chemical - meaning - always store in a safe place, wear gloves and goggles when applying - as well as - keep pets, young children and those with respiratory problems - well away from any areas that have been treated - until all residue on foliage has fully dried.
White vinegar makes a great weedkiller. I'm always surprised that more people don't know about it. Yes, there are some weeds which will require more than one application and you do need to use a stronger vinegar - none of this balsamic stuff! Far cheaper than using Roundup.
Just what I needed to know to kill weeds that pop up in your backyard. We have an open backyard with red bricks for our backyard at the apt. we live in. The weeds can get away from you so I've got to keep up with removing weeds all the time. I'll use the white vinegar to kill weeds. Thanks for the tip to kill weeds!
@Krissttina Isobe Don't you find that yard weeds are the most stubborn of all! I don't know how they manage to thrive in those small cracks in the concrete or between the bricks but somehow they do!
I have seen a guy on YouTube use vinegar as a weedkiller. The type of vingar we usually buy is %5 acidity. The type of vingar the guy in the video was using was 20%. I don't think you could get something that strong in a regular store. I also noticed that of the guy stepped in the vinegar, he would make a trail of vinegar foot steps in his regular grass and you could see dead grass in the form of his shoe prints so please be careful.
Wow, will the uses for white vinegar never end? I once wrote an article about 50 ways to use vinegar and I was amazed of some of the uses. Some people even conditioner their hair with it. This is a very versatile and inexpensive product that is used by many people to great effect. I just think the effects of white vinegar are amazing. It is a great cleaner and is very versatile.
