With the extra early spring and mild winter we are seeing some very unwelcome guests in our yards: weeds. The mild winter means that not only did they arrive early, but that many weeds did not die off fully during the few cold spells we had. Weeds are going to be stronger than ever this year!

But before you reach out for a chemical to kill the weeds, a natural solution may already be sitting in your pantry: Vinegar. Plain white vinegar is an excellent weed killer! It is very simple to use and will biodegrade unlike other commercial sprays. Plus, a large bottle of white vinegar costs about 1/3 of what commercial weed sprays do. It is good for the environment, simple to use and costs less: win-win-win!

To use, simply add white vinegar to any sprayer, and spray on offending weeds. Be careful to hit the weed itself and not any surrounding plants: like most weed killers it is not selective in what it kills. The acidity will kill grass and other plants it lands on. If you want to make a super-effective weed killer, here’s a few extra steps you can take:

• Add 1/4 cup of salt to your vinegar and shake. The salt adds a little oomph to your killing power.
• Add 2 tablespoons of dish detergent to the vinegar. It helps it stick to plant leaves.
• boil your vinegar then pour it on the offending plants. The concentrated acidity along with the heat will blast those weeds right out of your yard! Let sit for a day or two–you will see a reaction pretty quickly.

Any of these methods work well on their own, or you can mix them all together to have a super weed killer. The best part is they all are likely already in your pantry and are safe for the environment.