Ditch white vinegar for £2 hack if you want to kill patio weeds – plus trick to ensure other plants don’t get damaged
IF you’ve spent ages cleaning your patio only for weeds to take over, then fear not, you’ve come to the right place.
There’s nothing more unsightly than unwanted greenery growing all over your patio – but thanks to gardening pros, there’s a super simple way to get rid of the nasty stuff with barely any effort involved.
And if you’re on a budget, don’t worry, you won’t have to break the bank on posh cleaning products or gardening tools with this expert-approved hack.
According to the experts, those on a mission to get their gardens weed-free should ditch white vinegar.
Instead, with this easy trick, you’ll only have to spend £2 – yes, that’s correct.
According to the experts at House Digest, there’s one product that you use on patio weeds that will cause them to weaken and die fast.
The gardening gurus stressed that rubbing alcohol – a very powerful disinfectant which you’ll find from just £2 on Amazon – can serve as an excellent way to get rid of weeds for good.
However, green-fingered gardeners should note that rubbing alcohol should only be used on patio weeds and not around any other plants, for a very important reason.
The experts explained: “The challenge with most weed killers, including rubbing alcohol, is their non-selective nature.
“This means they don’t just target weeds; they can also harm other vegetation, such as your beloved plants and lawn grass.”
So if you want to ensure your other plants don’t get harmed in the process, using it in between your paving stones – where you’ve likely not got any other plants or grass growing – is the best way to go, as there’s less risk of contamination.
According to the experts, rubbing alcohol, which is also known as isopropyl alcohol, is an effective weed killer because it draws moisture out of the plant.
Rubbing alcohol works to dry up weeds, which will make them “weaken and die”.
Not only this, but it’s also an emulsifier, meaning it breaks down the rubbery exterior of weeds, killing them quicker.
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To use this trick to kill weeds in your garden, add two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle filled with water to make your own weed killer.
Then, simply spray your DIY formula wherever you’ve noticed weeds start to pop up.
You can also pour the mixture on a cotton ball and directly rub it on the weeds to prevent it from getting to your plants
House Digest
It’s most effective if you do this on a sunny day, as the sunshine will naturally help the weeds to dry out quicker.
The experts continued: “However, the alcohol solution will have a similar effect on any other plants that it touches, so it’s important to spray it only on the weeds.”
To ensure you prevent any damage to other plants, the experts advised: “You can also pour the mixture on a cotton ball and directly rub it on the weeds to prevent it from getting to your plants.”
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Cheap gardening tips
- Keep weeds away with straw
According to horticulturists and plant professionals, all-natural straw is one of the most effective tools to bring into your garden.
You don’t need to buy a whole bale – you can typically buy smaller bundles at your local farm store for upwards of £1.50.
Some stores even sell pre-portioned bags made for gardens, which can cost closer to £10 but can be found on the shelves or online. - Call your local garden centre
If you are unsure of how to care for your plants, hop on the phone or online and get in touch with your local garden center, rather than resorting to the internet.
Nursery employees will have an up-to-the-minute understanding of your area’s conditions, and any plant care tips that are unique to your climate and soil.
Calling them with a question or stopping in is totally fine – they want your plants to thrive, too. - Wood to keep slugs out
Use a piece of wood to keep the slugs out of your garden.
Experts say that they’ll crawl under it for shade.
Then you can gather them up and get rid of them. - Save your toilet paper tubes.
You can use paper towel tubes and toilet paper tubes in your garden, according to a tip from Family Handyman.
Save the tubes and cut them into two-inch lengths before placing them in a waterproof tray.
Then simply fill the tubes with potting soil and start planting your seeds.
According to the site, when you’re ready to move them into the garden, they can be planted right in the tubes and, because it’s cardboard, they’ll decompose organically.