Natural Weed Killers That Won’t Harm Your Dog

It’s summer, which means weeds and grass are sprouting up in unwanted areas everywhere. I’m always amazed where weeds will pop up and grow. I’m from the South and I’ve personally witnessed weeds growing out of water gutters hanging from the rooftops many times. Not only do weeds pop up everywhere, but they’re also next to impossible to remove permanently. You think you’ve killed the weeds, but you see their return the following week.

So it makes sense that people grab the cheapest and most effective weed killer possible. No one wants to fight weeds every day. However, are chemical weed killers safe? We all know the answer, and they’re not. What’s an alternative to fight pesky weeds on your lawn? Pet-safe weed killers. While natural weed killers weren’t very effective in the past, they’ve come a long way, baby!

Chemical Weed Killers Are Dangerous

Many years ago, I pledged to never use chemical weed killers again. Not only are synthetic chemicals extremely harmful to our water supply, but they also expose our precious dogs to toxic chemicals every time our pets play or potty on treated lawns. Several studies have shown that dogs will excrete synthetic lawn treatment chemicals in their urine even when pet owners have followed chemical product instructions carefully. In addition, several studies have linked weed-killing chemicals to cancer in dogs.

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Now, let’s think about this for a minute. Weeds are harmless to humans, yet we pour chemicals on them. Weeds don’t sting or bite us; we kill them because they’re growing in and around our lawns, gardens and flower beds. I understand weeds can and will take over an area and smother other plants, and they can also be unsightly, but should we really increase our risk of cancer just because weeds are pests? Maybe we need to rethink a few things.

Natural Weed Killers That Are Pet-Safe

Thankfully, there are several natural weed killers on the market that won’t harm our dogs or our earth, yet still kill weeds. Yes, there’s a bit of a drawback using non-toxic weed killers. For example, you must spray or pour natural weed killers more often than chemical versions and only during specific times of the day. However, I think it’s worth it to reduce potential poisoning and cancer risks in pets and their owners.

10%-20% Vinegar

Over the years, I’ve tried a ton of natural weed killers and I’ve found good strong vinegar works the best. Spraying vinegar directly onto weeds works best on warm and dry sunny days, so I spray it around noon. Some gardeners swear adding dishwashing liquid, salt and citrus oils will boost the effectiveness of vinegar’s weed-killing power. I didn’t notice a difference when I tried it, but I’m sure it’s still worth a try.

Regular grocery store vinegar doesn’t work. You need the strong stuff. Head to your nearest lawn supply store, Lowe’s or Home Depot for the good stuff. You’ll need 10%-20% vinegar (don’t dilute it). Ask a sales associate to recommend a specific sprayer based on the area expanse you’re needing to treat.

It may take a day or two before you notice weeds welting, so it’s best to spray vinegar when rain chances are low. Keep your dogs away from the area until the vinegar dries and please wear protective eyewear. Vinegar is an acid and will blow back into your face on windy days. Oh, and be prepared for the smell. 🙂

BurnOut Weed Killer

If you’re having issues finding strong vinegar in your area, you can purchase it online or buy other non-toxic weed killing products. BurnOut Weed Killer is made of strong vinegar and clove oil, which many lawn experts claim boosts the effectiveness of vinegar. Clove oil also masks the vinegar’s unpleasant smell. 🙂 Just remember to follow this product’s directions carefully and understand it may take a bit longer to work its magic than chemical weed killers.

The Old-Fashioned Way

Pulling weeds out by hand, then covering the area with several layers of plastic or newspaper gets rid of weeds too. Now, this method will take more time than simply spraying weed killers, but it works just as effectively.

Many years ago, we had a large shaded area that only grew weeds. I fought this weed-infested area for an entire year. I even poured salt on the weeds since many articles promised that nothing would ever grow in the area again once I “salted the earth.” Well, we had weeds within a week. Finally, I caved in and pulled all the weeds out by hand. Then, I layered newspaper and landscaping plastic material over the area and covered the paper and plastic with gravel. Guess what? No weeds and the area finally looked neat and tidy. For small clusters of weeds, I use strong vinegar. 🙂

Enjoy summer, but keep poisons out of your yard. Your dog will thank you!

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