Using a natural weed killer recipe has a few key advantages over chemical-laden commercial weed killers. If you have pets or small children who play in your garden, a synthetic weed killer could cause skin, nose, or eye irritation and other health problems.

Synthetic herbicides can also harm beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, earthworms, and lacewings. These insects naturally keep your plants and soil healthy, even keeping predators at bay in some cases.

Making your own natural herbicide is also budget-friendly. As you’ll see in the simple recipe below, you can make an effective eco-friendly weed killer from household products you likely already have on hand.