How to Boil Weeds in Water & Vinegar

Overgrown weeds in pathways may cause structural damage and injury.

You can kill weeds on walkways, patios and driveways with the combined power of boiling water and vinegar. The vinegar works to kill the leaves of the weeds and make it difficult for them to produce new food. The boiling water seeps into the soil to effectively cook the weeds at the root. The boiling vinegar and water solution must be applied carefully to prevent runoff from killing grass and flowers in the surrounding area.

Things You'll Need

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2-quart tea kettle
• Stove
• Oven mitt

Instructions

1. Wait for a day when rain is not in the forecast for at least 48 hours to apply the water and vinegar solution to the weeds. Treating the weeds before a rainstorm will wash away the vinegar before it has a chance to work.

2. Pour the water and vinegar into a tea kettle and put it on the stove over medium-high heat until it begins to whistle or reaches a full boil. Boiling vinegar gives off a strong odor that some people will find objectionable but is not dangerous.

3. Pour the solution onto the leaves, stems and root area of the weeds. Pour in a thin stream to dose each weed with approximately 2 tablespoons.

4. Wait 48 hours to see the effects. Reapply the boiling solution when weather permits if weeds are still alive.

Tips & Warnings

• It might be smart to use an oven mitt when pouring the solution onto the weeds.

• Do not use boiling water and vinegar to spot-weed a lawn. The solution will kill the growth in the surrounding area and leave a patch of dead grass.

References

• This Garden is Illegal: The 7 Deadly Homemade Weed Killers by Hanna
• Golden Harvest Organics: Weed Wars: Sprays and Direct Controls