TheRoundup is reader supported. We may earn a small commission when you make a purchase via links on this site, at no cost to you.
All products are personally reviewed and tested in accordance with our Review Methodology.
Recently, I decided to audit my stash of yard supplies and was ashamed to see how many toxic chemicals had crept under the radar. It fired me up to go on a mission to find the best organic lawn weed killer to help me win the war against weeds...without turning my back on my eco-credentials.
Have you ever wondered: how green is your weed killer?
It turns out that most lawn weed killers may help keep your grass looking lush, but some of the toxic chemicals and other ingredients used are anything but green. They can harm your soil, pollute your local waterways, and can be hazardous to children, pets, and wildlife.
Natural organic weed killer is non-toxic, so it effectively kills unwanted weeds without leaving harmful chemicals in the soil.
In this article, I'll show you a selection of:
Let's start with the ready-made weedkiller options that promise a green garden in every sense of the word.
They Say: Natural Armor Weed & Grass Killer is made with No Glyphosate or any Chemicals or Poisons. Simply the best non-toxic weed and grass killer product available. The concentrated formula kills 250+ types of weeds and grasses dead in their tracks. Weeds and grass will look like you took a torch to them. Easy to use. Just spray and go. No Messy Mixing.
We Say: This is a potent weed and grass killer that is also 100% natural and safe to use around children and pets.
The weedy patch of garden I tested this product on started to change color within a few hours and was brown and dead within 24 hours.
Natural Armor solution comes ready-mixed, and the addition of the spray nozzle is incredibly convenient.
For more generic jobs around the yard and home, I also love Natural Armor 30% Vinegar. It’s six times stronger than regular vinegar and works great as a cleaner, sanitizer, and all-around weed killer.
✔ Natural Ingredients
✔ Fast Acting
✔ Family-Run Business
They Say: A natural weed killer Made from ocean salt water, commercial strength food grade vinegar and soap. Our non selective ready to spray Natural Weed & Grass Killer is not normally used on the lawn. Featuring our new ECO-Pour jug using less plastic and No-Glug spout. No Mixing, No Glyphosate and No Hormone Disrupting Chemicals.
We Say: This liquid weedkiller is fantastic at keeping those pesky invasive weeds from growing between pavers and driveway joints.
Fast-acting and long-lasting, Doctor Kirchner organic weed killer works quickly and has a long shelf life. Perfect for those of you who like to bulk buy and stash - and also reduces waste as there is no need to throw away any excess.
The all-natural ingredients are non-toxic and safe for your plants and local waterways.
✔ Fast Acting
✔ No Toxic Chemicals
✔ Ready Mixed Solution
They Say: Eliminate any type of weed in just a matter of hours. Expect full desiccation in less than 24 hours. Green Gobbler contains 20% acetic acid. Use on crabgrass, dandelions, clover weeds, white clover, moss, etc. No potentially cancer-causing chemicals. Glyphosate-free. 20% formula is four times stronger than traditional table vinegar. Made strictly from ethanol distilled from corn grain.
We Say: Green Gobbler has zero toxic chemicals. It uses concentrated acetic acid (vinegar) to kill weeds without harming the soil or the surrounding environment.
This is another ready-mixed organic weed killer with the added convenience of a spray nozzle.
Made from ethanol distilled from corn grain, Green Gobbler kills weeds without leaving a trace of anything toxic in the soil.
A truly green product you can trust to kill weeds sustainably and effectively.
✔ Safe for Kids, Pets & Wildlife
✔ Natural Ingredients
✔ Residential or Agricultural Use
They Say: Formulated to kill weeds and grass fast! Our proprietary formula will deliver results within 24 hours! Perfect for all residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural use - including: driveways, sidewalks, concrete, mulch beds, pavement, flowers beds, parking lots, and farm lands.
We Say: ECO Garden PRO natural weed killer solution is safe for bees, soil, groundwater, fish, livestock, pets, and people.
It’s so natural that I even felt safe using it on weeds around the edge of my garden flower beds and vegetable patch.
It’s gentle on the planet...but brutal on weeds. I noticed results in less than 24 hours, with no retreating required.
✔ Value for Money
✔ Fast & Effective
✔ Waterproof Once Dry
They Say: BurnOut weed control is for use on non-selective herbaceous broadleaf and grassy weeds. Read the label for specific annual broadleaf weeds, perennial broadleaf weeds, annual grasses, and perennial grasses to be treated. Our weed killing formula can provide results in just hours! Additionally, once this product dries after application it becomes waterproof!
We Say: This stuff does exactly what it says on the bottle. Within 24 hours of application, the weeds I tested it on looked totally burnt-out.
BurnOut is also excellent value for money. The 1 gallon of concentrate makes 4 gallons of usable product. That’s enough to last me a good few years.
On the downside, it means you have to mix it yourself and need another bottle.
Not a significant issue, though. I simply mix up a batch in my pump sprayer as and when I need it.
Pre-emergent weed killers are used before the weed seeds have had a chance to sprout. Once a pre-emergent weed killer is in the ground, it will kill everything (weeds, flowers, plants, grass, etc.), so caution is needed.
Post-emergent herbicide is used directly on established weeds.
Selective weed killers will only kill specific types of weeds. For example, chemical herbicides developed for lawns target broadleaf weeds, such as chickweed and clover, but leave grasses unharmed.
Nonselective weed killers will kill all plants and vegetation that they come into contact with. So your weeds will die, but so will everything else.
Many of the best organic weed killers are nonselective, so avoid using them on flower beds, vegetable gardens, or lawns.
Most organic weed control products are pretty basic when it comes to their ingredients. They’re simply a combination of saltwater, vinegar, eugenol (from raw clove oil), and soap.
Surfactants are found in post-emergent weed killers. Their job is to help break down the waxy counting of weed foliage to allow the herbicides to kill the weeds more quickly.
In chemical herbicides, the surfactant can be a range of different chemicals.
In natural and organic products, soap is often used as a surfactant.
Some of the ingredients found in chemical weed killers are known to harm human health and damage the environment.
The main one you should avoid is Glyphosate. Glyphosate is the most widely used broad-spectrum systemic herbicide in the world. Exposure to high levels of Glyphosate has been linked to certain types of cancer.
There are different types of weed killers available for different applications.
Due to the corrosive nature of some of the natural ingredients (vinegar and saltwater, for example) used in natural weed killers, the only viable container option is plastic.
If you buy organic weed killer in plastic bottles, please ensure that you either reuse them or recycle fully.
If the plastic is a deal-breaker for you, then maybe consider one of these DIY alternatives.
Salt is probably one of the best natural weed killers currently sitting in your kitchen cupboard.
It can be sprinkled on areas where you want nothing to grow, applied directly to weed foliage, or mixed with water and used as a spray.
Organic dish soap mixed with water in a spray bottle makes an effective, cheap, and natural herbicide.
Vinegar contains acetic acid and is excellent at killing weeds. Most off-the-shelf organic weed killers have vinegar as a key ingredient.
However, it’s worth noting that the standard household vinegar in your kitchen cupboards probably contains around 5% acetic acid. In contrast, off-the-shelf organic weed killers can contain between 20-30% acetic acid.
Your kitchen vinegar will eventually kill weeds, but it might need a few applications.
Organic corn gluten meal is an effective pre-emergent homemade weed killer.
It’s also high in nitrogen and makes an excellent fertilizer.
Burning the foliage of weeds will cause them to wither and die. Repeated burning will also eventually destroy the roots.
Treat fire with complete respect and always have a hose close by...just in case!
I found the best result came from using a propane weed torch. It felt safe to use and focused the flame directly on the weed without damaging neighboring plants and shrubs.
One of the top ways to kill weeds organically is to pour boiling water directly on them.
Add a few teaspoons of salt for a cheap and effective organic weed killer.
Most weed control fabric is made from plastic (usually polypropylene) and so can’t be considered eco-friendly or sustainable.
A nice hack to try is to cover the area of lawn or weeds you want to kill with newspaper (or any old paper you have around the house) and then hose it down with water.
The damp paper starves the grass/weed of sunlight, and it eventually dies off.
I tried this DIY weed control technique on an area of the front lawn I needed to gravel for car parking. It worked pretty well but did take a long time.
Adding organic citrus peels to your DIY organic weed killer mixes can boost their killing power significantly.
The essential oils in citrus peels contain d-limonene and citric acid, which act as surfactants and help your organic DIY herbicides to reach the ‘heart’ of the weed quicker.
Even though organic and homemade weed killers are eco-friendly, they should still only be used when needed. If you buy ready-made organic herbicides, always read the label and use them as sparingly as possible.
Salt-based organic weed killers will potentially leave soil unusable for planting for many years. If this is a concern, go for vinegar-based weed killers instead.
Despite the similarities in our name, TheRoundup.org has no connection whatsoever to any chemical weedkiller brand! In fact, our opinions regarding the use of toxic chemicals could not be more different.
According to Healthline, “Roundup has been linked to many diseases, but is still considered a safe herbicide by many organizations. It contains a lot of other ingredients that may be more toxic than glyphosate alone”.
Personally, I do not recommend this product and would advise you to steer well clear. Just to be on the safe side.
I’ve researched and tested the products in this article and am happy that they’re safe. However, always read the label and use as directed.
As a keen amateur gardener, I try to keep things as natural/organic as possible, especially around our family vegetable patch.
I know that there is no such thing as one all-powerful best organic weed killer for all my lawn care and garden needs.
However, by using a variety of the organic weed prevention and control techniques and products mentioned in this article, I’ve managed to stem the tide for several years now...100% chemical-free!
Killing weeds does not have to mean killing your eco-credentials too!
Where do you buy your eco-friendly weedkiller? Have I missed your favorite organic brand? Do you have a kick-ass green finger DIY hack you would like to share? Drop me a line and let me know.
Our core values mean we always prioritize sustainability over profit. We carefully evaluate and personally test every product to ensure they meet our high standards. All products recommended in this article were tested in accordance with our Review Methodology.
TheRoundup.org - As Seen On
