If you love to cook up classic penne alla vodka, but aren’t a huge fan of the alcohol itself, you might wonder what to do with that big bottle on your hands. Housekeeping is a common theme among unconventional uses for vodka, and this spirit is even an everyday kitchen item can be repurposed in your garden. Combine the liquor with two other ingredients, and it becomes an effective DIY weed killer that helps you avoid spreading harsh chemicals around your yard.
To try it, shake up an ounce of vodka with 2 cups of water and a touch of dish soap in a spray bottle. You can also use equal parts vodka and water for a stronger formula, but try the watered-down version and see if it works before using more alcohol than may be necessary. Spritz the solution all over the weeds on a sunny day. They’ll soon wither and die, making them easier to yank out and reducing their chances of spreading all over your garden.
This trick works best on broadleaf weeds, including ground ivy, dandelions, oxalis, and common pokeweed. These leafy plants have more surface area for you to apply the alcohol, compared to thinner grassy weeds. Just make sure to avoid spritzing your weeds on a windy day, or droplets could scatter onto your carefully-preened petunias and tomato plants.
How vodka weed killer works, and why you should try it
You probably know that alcohol has a dehydrating effect when consumed in a nice cocktail or two. Heat, which can dry up moisture in of itself, exacerbates this effect. In a way, hot days also make vodka more effective at killing weeds. When sprayed on the plants generously, the liquor-and-dish soap mixture robs them of a protective layer, and sunlight desiccates them. So you can say goodbye to those stragglers.
In addition to being effective, this hack helps you avoid using glyphosate, a common (and controversial) ingredient in commercial weed killers. Inhaling glyphosate or getting it on your person can cause health problems from eye and skin irritation to digestive issues and liver or kidney damage. While using weed killers carefully and wearing protective gear can reduce these risks, alternatives like vodka let you avoid the mess entirely.
All that being said, keep a few tips in mind when using your vodka spray. Avoid watering the weed-filled area before or after application, since added moisture will help the plants resist drying out. You can also replace vodka with another high-proof, relatively neutral spirit like gin, or even 100% rubbing alcohol. However, most vodkas range from 35% to 46% alcohol (via Alcohol.org), so if you want to make the latter swap, dilute the mixture with more water, or you’ll have an excessively harsh solution that could really wreck your flowers if spread around.
