White Vinegar

[Mal]

2 questions:

- The normal white vinegar - 5% acetic acid - has anyone used it as a weedkiller? Did it work?

- (depending on the answer to the above): is there somewhere to buy this cheaply? Have trouble finding it online.

Thankyouverymuch

[Rosendula]

I sprayed some on some dandelions. It burned the leaves but didn't kill the plant. I reckon you'd need to pour a load on to get it down to the roots. It might work on wussy annual weeds, but the ones you really want rid of are far too tough

[Carltonian Man]

Yes, have used it occasionally but only on paved paths as it stays in the soil. That said it only takes a tiny squirt. It kills the foliage quickly but not always the root so as Rosie says isn't much use for dandelions. I bought it from the supermarket, normal malt vinegar is also 5% acetic so would maybe work just as well and be lots cheaper.

[seasidegirl]

I got some really cheap from a local chinese food (ingredients) shop.

Never tried killing weeds with it.

[the.fee.fairy]

That might be a different type of white vinegar :)

Chinese white vinegar is distilled rice vinegar, whereas the white vinegar we usually use in the UK is distilled malt vinegar.

Try it and let me know if it works though!

[piglet]

I've bought vinegar in bulk from http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/ - paid £1.99 for 5 litres last time. They're also quite cheap for bicarb for cleaning etc. Not tried vinegar on weeds though, usually use hot salty water on ones on paths which seems to work fairly well.

[Thomzo]

I get vinegar for cleaning from the local cash and carry, although Morrisons do malt vinegar in 5l containers as well.

For patios and paths, I pour boiling water on weeds. Usually by emptying the kettle after a cup of tea - if I just put one mug of water into my kettle, it doesn't come up to the minimum line so I always have to boil a little bit too much.

Like the vinegar, it doesn't kill the roots but kill the leaves often enough and the roots wont get enough nutrients to survive.

Zoe

[wolfhazel]

I get white vinegar for cleaning the house with and it's really cheap about 80p for a little bottle in most supermarkets. I imagine it would make a good weed killer, it's great at everything else.

I think I heard somewhere it's good for loosening it up... also salt apparently makes it easier to pull them out.

[British Red]

Why not just grab a huge container of pure acetic acid and dilute with water 19:1 ? Should get the price down to sub 20p a litre and will give exactly the same efect in cleaning etc.

[Thomzo]

That's interesting, where do you get the acetic acid from?

Zoe

[greenorelse]

If you know someone with a wholesaler's card (publican, shopkkeeper etc) you can ask them to get 5 litre catering containers of vinegar for you.

Make sure it is 5% though - there are two brands in a local shop here, the cheaper one is 4%.

[sususanan]

I'd like to know why white vinegar is more expensive than brown/malt vinegar

[Odsox]

Probably because white vinegar is distilled like whiskey and brown malt vinegar is brewed like beer.
Same reason a bottle of whiskey is more expensive than a bottle of beer.

[sususanan]

Would brown vinegar cause problems in the wash. Morrisons have a non-specific brown vinegar for 21p/568ml and T***o have a 568ml bottle of white distilled vinegar for 39p.

[sususanan]

Did I make a boo boo - I wrote the T word in full