Kill patio weeds permanently with gardener's ‘simple’ method - stop using vinegar and salt

September has arrived and many people will be using the milder weather to do chores they put off this summer - and one of the most dreaded gardening jobs is dealing with weeds. 

Weeds are annoying to deal with at any time of the year, but right after summer these pesky plants have spread their seeds and more will be growing on patios and driveways. 

However, you do not have to waste an afternoon pulling weeds up as Courtney, a master gardener and founder of The Kitchen Garten, has discovered an effective way to kill weeds without any effort. 

Courtney tried out many natural solutions such as white vinegar, washing-up liquid and Epsom salt but was hesitant to use these around her garden in case they hurt the soil her plants were growing in. 

Instead, Courtney poured boiling water over weeds, and although straightforward she was amazed by how well it worked. 

Courtney said: “Boiling Water– Say what?? Yes, the claim is as simple as all that. I read up on using boiling water and thought it was too easy not to try, so why not? 

“I used an electric kettle and simply boiled water that I then carried out and poured on the weeds.”

According to Courtney, she initially doubted the boiling water method would work but was willing to test it to see if it could kill weeds without hurting anything else growing in her garden. 

After two days, Courtney went to check on the weeds and was surprised to discover they had completely died out and that boiling water had “knocked out the weeds” with no effort at all. 

How to use boiling water to get rid of weeds

All you need to do is boil a kettle, carefully carry the kettle out into the garden and pour it directly on the weeds. 

Make sure to pour slowly and directly aim for the base of the weeds so that the hot water reaches the roots. 

Be careful not to splash any of the hot water on nearby plants, as while the water will not damage the soil it can still hurt any plant it touches. 

After a few hours, the weeds should begin to dry out, turn yellow and die but keep pouring boiling water on them if there is still any green foilage after one or two days. 

Your patios, driveways and any other garden paths should be completely weed-free in no time at all. 

This is a tried-and-tested way to kill weeds for good by completely cooking their roots, but make sure to only try this out if you own a kettle as it is unsafe to carry boiling water without a lid. 

Courtney said: “Be sure if you choose this option that you have a kettle to carry the water. I don’t think walking outside with a large pot of boiling water would be the safest choice, but a kettle with a lid is perfect and not too cumbersome.”