Do Homemade Weed Killers Work?  

You can’t go anywhere online right now without stumbling across a blog, article or post about using natural weed killers in your lawn or garden. These natural remedies swear you can use what’s already in your kitchen cupboard to kill the toughest weeds in your yard – dandelions, ground ivy, nettles, etc. So, do they work? No, not really. 

Stay with us here, we understand we are a company that sells chemical herbicides and insecticides, but that’s also why you should listen to our opinion. We’ve spent the last three decades developing formulas to effectively treat hundreds (yes, hundreds) of varieties of weeds, both woody and broadleaf. And, if all you needed was a gallon of white vinegar to kill the toughest weeds, and keep them from returning, we wouldn’t have invested so much time and energy developing our products.  

What about using vinegar, borax and/or salt? 

Vinegar contains acetic acid, so spraying it on weeds will kill them. But, it’s not effective on weeds with intricate root systems. According to the University of Illinois Extension, vinegar only treats the part of the plant it comes into contact with; this means perennial weeds return. Also, the vinegar in your cupboard isn’t strong enough – you’d need to pour gallons on the weed or purchase a herbicidal vinegar, which isn’t labeled for use in all states. Pouring boiling water over weeds has the same issue – boiling water will never reach deep enough into the root structure to fully kill the weed. 

It’s also important to know that these homemade weed killers may do more harm than good. Using salt and borax over long periods of time can also seriously damage your soil. Boron does not break down like conventional weed killers and repeated applications can cause barren soil, according to the extension. Salt also destroys the soil’s delicate structure and is mobile – meaning it can move to other areas of your lawn or garden, damaging the plants you want to keep. Vinegar is in the same boat; it damages the soil because as an acid, it lowers the pH.  

What’s the advantage of using a Ragan & Massey herbicide? 

Our herbicides, like RM18 and Compare-N-Save Quick Acting Weed & Grass Killer, start killing weeds from first contact and travels down to the root, keeping weeds from returning for anywhere from six months to a year. These herbicides kill unwanted brush, broadleaf plants and grass – far superior to any homemade solution. And you don’t need gallons to do it. For example, just six fluid ounces of RM18 treats 300 square feet. 

RM18 and Compare-N-Save Quick Acting Weed & Grass Killer also become inert once they touch the soil. You’ll never have to worry about damaging the fertile soil you’ve worked so hard to cultivate. In fact, you can plant just three days after spraying with RM18 or Quick Acting Weed & Grass Killer. 

And, with products like our Compare-N-Save Weed Killer for Lawns, you won’t have to worry about damaging the grass you’ve worked so hard to keep lush, green and thick. This product only targets weeds, leaving the rest of your lawn alone. You can’t do that with a jug a vinegar!  

So, do homemade weed killers work? Not the way you want them to and not in a way that won’t damage your soil. We’ve worked hard to make our products the best and we guarantee they’ll work. Save yourself time, energy and future problems and find Where To Buy them on our website.