Standard white vinegar can be a very useful substance that can help you with many household problems. You can use it to clean, disinfect, and even get rid of some pesky inhabitants of your home and your yard.
But another use for vinegar is getting rid of unwanted weeds. Or at least, that’s what an old wive’s tale insinuates. But is it safe? Does it also kill grass? When is it okay to use it? We answer all of this and more!
Will Vinegar Kill Grass?
The short answer is that, yes, vinegar kills grass. This is a good thing in some cases and a bad thing in other cases. It really depends on if you want the grass killed or are simply just trying to get rid of something else.
Vinegar is often used in the grass to get rid of bugs. But when you use it, there’s a good chance it will also destroy your plants and anything green in its way. Luckily, it is safe for humans and pets, as well as the water supply.
Does Vinegar Kill Weeds?
Yes, the good news is that vinegar does kill weeds. You can use it as a weed killer in problem areas. While it may not kill the roots, those can be pulled up easily after the weed is taken care of at the top.
But like we mentioned earlier, vinegar may also kill your grass. So try to avoid using it in areas that you want the grass to stay unless you plan on seeding more grass in the future in that same area.
Why Does Vinegar Kill Plants?
This is a question we get from the inquisitive types using vinegar to kill plants. The reason is that vinegar has acetic acid. This acid in the vinegar dissolves the cell membranes which draws the moisture out of the cells, leaving the plant helpless.
Plants need moisture to live and since the vinegar takes this away, the plants die away shortly after. In fact, most plants end up dying within 24-hours of being sprayed with a vinegar mixture, some even begin dying within minutes.
DIY Weed Killer
- 1 gallon of white vinegar
- 1 cup of salt
- 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap
This simple mixture will do a great job of killing weeds at the surface. You can use a large spray bottle. The larger the better as you can keep the mixture on the shelves for future use without any problems.
In general, you will use one gallon of vinegar per cup of salt and a tablespoon of dish soap. Try not to bubble the soap and instead stir it rather than shaking it. This will give you the next texture to work with.
Other Uses For Vinegar
Vinegar is a magic substance with many uses. We’ve brushed up on these uses before but haven’t gone in-depth with them. That is, until today. Here are some of the most common uses for vinegar around the house.
General Cleaning
Vinegar can be used for cleaning in most cases. You can clean wood floors, appliances, and so much more. There are few times when it is a bad idea to use vinegar because it rarely causes a problem in cleaning.
Showerhead Cleaner
Of course! Vinegar can work just like CLR to remove built-up gunk on your shower head. Secure a bag of vinegar over the showerhead and let it soak for few hours. You can also simply take the showerhead off and soak it.
Soak The Sink Or Tub
If you are having trouble with soap scum, you can run a sink or tub of water and add vinegar. Whenever you drain it after a few hours, you can scrub the soap scum right off with a brush. This is such a useful trick!
Remove Hair Oils
This treatment shouldn’t be used unless used lightly and with apple cider vinegar rather than straight white vinegar. But you can use it in between shampooing and condition and hair treatment to remove oils.
Clear The Garbage Disposal
While garbage disposals aren’t for everyone, those who use them need to keep garbage disposal tips and tricks on hand. A good one is using iced vinegar to clean the garbage disposal! Just use it as usual!
Clean Wax
You can get rid of wax by letting the vinegar peel it up. There are many other ways to remove wax from carpet, furniture, or hardwood, but vinegar is one of the best choices. Just make sure to wash the floor after.
Clean The Microwave
This trick is also smelly but it can work wonders for a stubborn microwave. Just microwave a little diluted vinegar in a glass container and then you should be able to wipe away any leftover dirt and grime.
Flea Remover
Yep, you can spray your dogs with vinegar to keep fleas away. Just avoid their eyes and you should be good. Vinegar may be a strong smell but even fleas don’t like it, so this can play to your advantage.
Purify The Humidifier
It’s a good idea to run vinegar through the humidifier every once in a while. It can clean the humidifier and make it work even better. You’ll be surprised what it can do after just one run through the humidifier.
Remove A Sticker Mess
Ever had a toddler who got out of hand with the stickers? You can let the area with the stickers soak with vinegar for an hour or so. Then come back and peel them right up with a scraper or simply use a brush.
Clean The Coffeepot
This may smell quite strong, but it does work wonders. Clean the coffee pot by allowing the vinegar to pass through for a cycle or two. When you’re done, let water pass through to clean the pot and then you’re ready for a standard cup.
Other Substances That Kill Grass
There are many substances that can kill the grass. Learning what they are can be a good thing whether you want to kill the grass or not. Because if you are aware, you can choose whether or not to use them!
Boiling Water
This sounds silly but boiling water can kill the grass. It’s very gentle and won’t discolor the grass either. So it can be a good option but it’s important to be very careful with the water as it is very dangerous.
If you don’t want to kill grass then keep boiling water away from it. This isn’t a problem that comes up often but notifying the family that this could happen is a good idea in case you are that one in a thousand.
Oil
Motor oil, cooking oil, and practically any other type of oil can kill the grass. It is not recommended to use oil in any case, even to purposely kill grass. It can actually harm the area and become a bigger problem.
It also discolors the area. Motor oil especially can cause ugly black marks on the grass that simply will not go away unless you till the entire area and replant new grass. So avoid using oil at all on your grass.
Chemicals
This isn’t just chemicals like weed killer but also chemicals in general. Bleach, Lysol, Clorox. There are many substances that kill grass almost instantly. So try not to use chemicals unless it is a weed killer.
Even then, it’s a better idea to use the vinegar mixture as it is gentle and much safer to be around. Even pets and children can play on vinegar grass whereas weed killer is dangerous for both of them.
Sheet Composting
If you want to keep grass from growing you can use a method known as sheet composting. This involved adding a layer of mulch that consists of cardboard, bark, and other mulch. This can keep grass from growing.
Unless you garden, you may wonder why in the world someone would want to keep grass from growing. But there are certain types of gardens where the grass is just a hassle and gets in the way. It can also hide snakes!
Is Vinegar Ever A Bad Idea?
Vinegar is generally a safe substance to use but there are always a few concerns, especially coming from parents. Vinegar can discolor wood if it is left on for an extremely long time, so limit it and keep an eye on soaking items.
This substance can also peel up paint if left for too long, but if you watch it closely, this is unlikely to happen. So the key here is to keep an eye on vinegar and possibly test it out on a small unseen area first.
Now, the only real problem with vinegar in terms of your health is when consuming it. While it is generally harmless, you shouldn’t drink it straight without asking your doctor if it is a good idea. So keep it out of reach of children.
Aside from that, vinegar shouldn’t cause you any problems! Vinegar allergies are quite rare too and don’t cause long-term effects. Instead, they act more like a dust allergy, causing few mild symptoms until the vinegar is gone.
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