Not vinegar or bleach – weeds die instantly when using 2 kitchen items

If weeds are becoming a problem in your garden, these two common kitchen items could help kill them.

Weeds are a nightmare for any gardener to deal with. They have tough biological adaptations that make them difficult to kill, including having deep roots, massive seed banks, and waxy leaves that repel weed killers. All of these factors mean that the internet is awash with various tips and tricks on how to kill them effectively to ensure they never come back.

Many of the most popular hacks on social media involve using products like vinegar, bleach, and commercial weed killer. However, one trick recently shared online uses two common kitchen ingredients that almost everyone will have access to.

In a video shared on Instagram by a woman named Neal, she claimed that you can eliminate your weed problem using nothing but table salt and boiling water – two things that most households have in abundance.

Neal, who shared several home hacks in her video, began her clip by stating that “salt and hot water kills weeds”, and claimed that she poured the mixture on the weeds in her patio just a few days ago, and they were already dried out and dead.

Her video showed the weeds between the slate tiles in her garden before she poured the mixture on, as well as the dried-up brown remains that were left a few days after the salt and boiling water had taken hold.

All you need to do for the mixture to work is mix roughly one to two parts salt to three parts boiling water from your kettle, and then carefully pour it over the foliage and the base of the weeds.

The mixture works because the hot water shocks and cooks the plant tissue, while the salt permanently dehydrates the weed so that it cannot suck up any water. For the best results, this method should be done on a sunny day with no chance of rain, as rainwater could wash away the salt before it has had a chance to work correctly.

You also must never use this method on weeds that are growing in flowerbeds or pots, and should only ever use it on weeds growing between paving slabs, gravel, and other areas where there are no plants. This is because the mixture will kill any plants growing in the soil you pour it on – including ones you want to keep.

Make sure you wear closed-toe shoes, trousers, and potentially even gloves when using this DIY weed killer, as this will reduce the risk of scalding your own skin through hot water splashing back up at you.