Most home gardeners are aware that many herbicidal garden products are toxic and dangerous to pets and children. That leaves the question of what else we can use to kill our weeds. One of the best, chemical-free options is a steam weed killer.
By harnessing the power of steam and hot water, gardeners have realized that we can kill weeds without any bleach or chemicals whatsoever. While steam weed killer may have some disadvantages, there are certainly lots of reasons that you might be interested in trying this healthy approach.
How to Use Steam Weed Killer
Steaming weeds is a simple and effective way to kill them by using heat. Weeds can’t tolerate high heat. If you’re able to expose a weed to heat for a long enough period, it’s going to die.
Some people prefer to use fire to kill their weeds. While fire is certainly effective, it’s not always the most practical method to kill weeds. Plus, fire can create all sorts of other hazards that nobody wants to deal with.
Water, on the other hand, is a great heat conductor and completely eliminates the risk of fire. Whether you’re using steam or actual hot water, you’re going to be able to blast your weeds with so much heat that they’re not going to be able to survive.
Steam Weed Killer Products
There are lots of steam weed killer products, most of which are just sprayers that use hot water. There are also roll-on steam cleaners, many of which have long wands that allow you to spray steam directly onto invasive weeds.
Each method is a little bit different.
- Hot water weed sprayers shoot a stream of hot water atop your weed. This basically cooks the weed from the top down. Usually, you just need to spray the crown of the weed.
- Steam rollers and sprayers are often used for multiple purposes. For example, some steam sprayers can be useful for killing weeds, steaming your floor, cleaning surfaces, or heating certain areas.
Whatever the case, you’re bound to be successful in treating your weeds with steam.
DIY Steam Weed Killer
You can also make your own steam weed killer quite easily. All you need is a kettle, some water, and a heatproof bowl or pot (and, of course, any gear that you think might protect you from getting burned!)
First, boil some water. Then, take the boiling kettle and pour the boiling water directly onto the weeds. Put the pot or bowl overtop the boiled weed so that it traps the steam. This will steam the weed.
You probably only need to leave the pot on there for a minute or so, since steam kills weeds pretty quickly. Make sure that you don’t boil any plants that you want to keep.
Conclusion
Steam weed killer is a fantastic option for people who don’t want to damage their yard with toxic products. Steam is an all-natural approach that allows you to get rid of weeds without wrecking the ecosystems in your yard.
