Kill weeds on driveways and paths with just water – ‘works better’ than weedkiller

Bunnings show how to remove weeds and moss from your lawn

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Spring has arrived, and gardens across the UK are beginning to bloom. However, the combination of drizzly April showers and warmer days can also encourage the growth of weeds.

Though you may expect this on your lawn, paved areas such as paths and driveways can also fall victim to some unexpected greenery.

One might instantly reach for a chemical-based weedkiller, but for those who want to avoid using potentially toxic substances in their garden, there is another rather simple option.

In a Reddit forum dedicated to weed killing hacks, an anonymous user claimed boiling water works well on its own to banish unwanted weeds.

They explained: “Don’t use toxic [substances] to kill your weeds. Just use boiling water. It works better and instantly kills the weeds.”

They explained: “You can’t use it in the middle of your lawn, but along your walkway, in cracks, your driveway, or wherever you want to kill vegetation.”

Although it may sound too good to be true, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest boiling water is more than enough to get rid of pesky weeds.

According to experts from Gardening Know How, the boiling water hack works “effectively” by “scalding” weeds to the point that they can not grow back.

However, if there are other plants in the vicinity, gardeners should be careful to target only the weed they are hoping to get rid of.

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If not, the boiling water may also scald other plants nearby and kill them off too.

The experts state: “A tea kettle with a spout and a heatproof handle can be an invaluable asset when using this method to kill weeds.

“The spout allows us to direct the flow of water right on the weeds, while the kettle retains most of the heat.

“Pour slowly, especially if there is grass nearby or ornamental plants that might be damaged. Pour generously, but don’t waste it.

“There are likely many more weeds to kill off.”

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Hot water works better on broad-leaf weeds than it does on perennials, woody plants or grass weeds, according to experts from the University of California Integrated Pest Management Online.

For plants, such as dandelions, it may take more water to reach the root and kill off the plant.

Other weeds with a fibrous root system near the top of the soil don’t need as much to be taken out permanently.

For the most effective results, Gardening Know How recommends pruning off most of the foliage at the top of the weed, before applying hot water to tackle the root.

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