We Tested Them All. Here’s What Actually Works.
Vinegar, salt, baking soda, boiling water, bleach, dish soap, Jeyes Fluid, WD-40 – we’ve assessed every popular household weed killer. The honest verdict: they all share the same limitation. Here’s our complete ranking.
Household Products That Kill Weeds
Every homemade weed killer shares one fundamental limitation: they’re all contact treatments that can’t reach roots. This means they can damage or kill small annual weeds, but established perennials with root systems simply regrow.
With that caveat understood, here’s how each household product performs.
The Complete Ranking
1. Boiling Water – Best Overall
Effectiveness: Good on small weeds | Safety: Excellent | Cost: Free | Soil impact: None
How it works: Heat destroys plant cells on contact. Instant kill on any tissue it reaches.
Best for: Small weeds in paving cracks. The ideal DIY scenario.
Limitations: Cools before reaching deep roots. Impractical for large areas.
Verdict: The best household option. Free, safe, no residue, genuinely works on small surface weeds. Full guide.
2. Vinegar + Dish Soap – Best Chemical DIY
Effectiveness: Good on seedlings | Safety: Good | Cost: Very low | Soil impact: Minimal
How it works: Acid burns leaves; soap helps it spread and stick to waxy surfaces.
Best for: Annual weed seedlings, path maintenance.
Limitations: Contact-only. Established weeds regrow. Needs repeat applications.
Verdict: Reasonable for very limited use. Full guide.
3. Plain Vinegar – Weak But Safe
Effectiveness: Poor | Safety: Good | Cost: Very low | Soil impact: None
How it works: Acetic acid burns plant tissue on contact.
Best for: Very young seedlings only.
Verdict: Works slightly. Add dish soap for better results. Full guide.
4. Jeyes Fluid – Works on Algae Only
Effectiveness: None on weeds, good on algae | Safety: Moderate | Cost: Moderate | Soil impact: Low
How it works: Disinfectant with tar acids. Designed for surface cleaning, not plant killing.
Best for: Algae and moss on paths and patios – its intended use.
Verdict: Good for algae, useless for weeds. Full guide.
5. Baking Soda – Too Mild
Effectiveness: Very poor | Safety: Excellent | Cost: Low | Soil impact: None
How it works: Mild alkaline that can stress plant cells.
Best for: Preventing weed germination in paving joints (preventative only).
Verdict: Largely ineffective. Safer than salt but barely works. Full guide.
6. Salt + Vinegar + Soap – Damages Soil
Effectiveness: Moderate on small weeds | Safety: Poor | Cost: Low | Soil impact: SEVERE
How it works: Salt dehydrates and poisons; vinegar burns; soap spreads.
Best for: Areas you never want anything to grow.
Verdict: Not recommended. Soil damage outweighs limited weed control. Full guide.
7. Salt Alone – Avoid
Effectiveness: Poor | Safety: Very poor | Cost: Low | Soil impact: SEVERE
How it works: Dehydrates plants and makes soil toxic.
Verdict: Don’t use it. The damage isn’t worth the limited effect. Full guide.
8. Bleach – Avoid
Effectiveness: Poor | Safety: Very poor | Cost: Low | Soil impact: Moderate
How it works: Chemical burn on contact.
Verdict: Genuinely harmful with no benefit over safer options. Full guide.
9. WD-40 – Doesn’t Work At All
Effectiveness: Zero | Safety: Poor | Cost: High | Soil impact: Low
How it works: It doesn’t. WD-40 is a lubricant, not a herbicide.
Verdict: Internet myth. Doesn’t kill weeds at all. Full guide.
10. Baking Soda + Vinegar – Worse Than Either Alone
Effectiveness: Near zero | Safety: Good | Cost: Low | Soil impact: None
How it works: It doesn’t. Acid + base = neutralisation. You’re left with salty water.
Verdict: Chemistry mistake. The fizzing achieves nothing. Full guide.
The Honest Summary
For small weeds in paving: Boiling water is your best bet. Free, safe, and actually works.
For seedlings: Vinegar + dish soap provides reasonable results at minimal cost.
For established weeds: None of these work. You need systemic herbicide.
What Actually Kills Established Weeds
For weeds with root systems – dandelions, bindweed, ground elder, brambles, ivy – you need products designed for the job:
Systemic herbicide: Absorbs through leaves, travels through the plant, kills roots. One application eliminates the entire weed.
Strong weed killer: Formulated for tough, established weeds that household products can’t touch.
Long-lasting weed control: For patios and paths where you want months of protection rather than repeated DIY applications.
The Verdict
Household products have a limited role in weed control – primarily for tiny weeds in paving cracks where boiling water or vinegar can genuinely help. For anything more substantial, they waste your time and money while weeds continue thriving.
Use DIY methods for quick maintenance of small areas. Use proper weedkiller for actual weed problems.
Skip the Experiments, Get Results
Household products work on seedlings. Established weeds need systemic treatment. Save time and get proper weed control.
