The Best Non-Toxic, Safe Weed Killer Solutions: How to Avoid Traditional Toxic Weed Killer

/ Home / By

Do you have stubborn weeds you’re dying to get rid of but don’t want to use an unsafe weed killer?

Do the toxic chemicals in conventional weed killers (ex. Round Up) worry you?

Luckily, there’s a lot of other ways to kill weeds without having to compromise your health, the health of animals or the environment! 

There’s so many safe, non-toxic weed killer products out there that are just as effective and the same price as the toxic weed killer products! Why not vote with your dollar on a product that isn’t harmful?

Here we will discuss why it’s important to avoid toxic weed killer, what ways to kill weeds are more safe, and what products do the job well! 

Table of Contents

  1. What Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Weed Killer
  2. Non-Toxic Weed Killer Products
  3. DIY Ways To Kill Weeds Naturally 

What Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Weed Killer 

Two Most Common Toxic Ingredients: 

2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) 

  • Suspected to be linked to non-hodgkin’s lymphoma and cause cancer in humans by the the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
  • However, it is not yet classified as carcinogenic by the U.S Environmental Agency because they claim to not have enough data at this time. 

Glyphosate 

  • Most common ingredient in herbicides (weed killer) these days and it uses widely on conventional farm land/crops.
  • There have been many lawsuits against products that use Glyphosate and it’s correlation with developing cancer or other health problems. 
  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer claims it is very likely that glyphosate causes cancer in humans, as demonstrated in studies with animals, yet there’s not enough data to support it at this time. 
  • According to the National Library of Medicine, exposure to glyphosate causes several neurotoxic effects and shows evidence of behavioral and motor disorders.

Other toxic ingredients to look for, but aren’t as commonly seen anymore:

  • Paraquat 
  • Atrazine 
  • Dioxin

Recommended Non-Toxic Weed Killer Products

SUNDAY Weed Warrior

  • OMRI-listed organic herbicidal soap, meaning that it is approved for organic gardening.
  • Eco friendly & sustainable.
  • Offered in two forms:
    • Read-to-go spray bottle covering about 50 sq. ft. Shop here!
    • Concentrate bottle with reusable pouch and wand sprayer, covering about 200 sq. ft. Get your starter pack here. 

GREEN GOBBLER 20% Vinegar Grass & Weed Killer

  • OMRI-Listed and approved for organic gardening.
  • 20% vinegar derived from corn.
  • With a high amount of vinegar, the weeds will start to die within 24 hours.

Shop Green Gobbler here.

AVENGER Organic Weed Killer

  • OMRI-listed for organic gardening.
  • Formulated with 17.5% d-Limonene (citrus oil) which naturally dries up and kills the weeds.
  • Biodegradable, eco-friendly and non-toxic to humans or animals.
  • Claims to have quicker results than products that contain vinegar or glyphosate. 

Shop Avenger here. 

EARTH’S ALLY Weed & Grass Killer 

  • Made from salt, vinegar and soap.
  • Safe for people, pets, bee’s and environmental friendly.
  • Proven to kill weeds at the root.

Shop Earth Ally here.

DIY Ways To Kill Weeds Naturally 

Boil Water

Boil water in a tea kettle so it’s at least 200 degrees. Carefully pour the water over the weeds. You could also add in ingredients from your home, like vinegar, salt and dish soap. 

Burn the Weeds 

With caution, you could burn the weeds with a flame weeder. It is a wand that is connected to a propane tank and allows you to target weeds that are above ground. Pick up a flame weeder here. 

Dig Up Weeds 

Using gardening tools, get to the roots and dig up the weeds themselves. This will require more work on your end, but doesn’t require any herbicide products. 

Follow The 80/20 Rule!

I’m a firm believer in the 80/20 rule when it comes to your health.

80% of the time, make healthy choices. 20% of the time, it’s okay to relax a bit.

Not everything has to be perfect! All you have to do is try your best and intentionally make choices that make sense for your life. Try to use the most safe and healthy products to your knowledge.

It’s never too late to make changes and try out something new! 

I’m here to help and support you. Let’s create a healthy, less toxic community and take our power back! 

References: 

(2023, April 4). 8 Best Organic & Non-Toxic Weed Killers That Are Safe For Your Family. The Filtery. https://www.thefiltery.com/best-organic-non-toxic-weed-killer/

How To Kill Weeds in Your Lawn Naturally. Home Depot. https://www.homedepot.com/c/ai/how-to-kill-weeds-in-lawn/9ba683603be9fa5395fab901d751b5d

Costas-Ferreira, C; Duran, R; and Faro, L.  (2022, May 23). Toxic Effects of Glyphosate and The Nervous System: A Systematic Review. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9101768/

(2020, July 23). ToxFAQ for 2,4-d. ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=1501&toxid=288

(2020, August 10). ToxFAQs for Glyphosate. ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=1489&toxid=29