Does Bleach Kill Grass & Weeds?

Weeds can be an unsightly annoyance in your yard or garden. If you are trying to replace your lawn with a patio, grass is unwelcome. You can use household bleach to rid your yard of unwanted weeds and grass.

Household bleach is a disinfectant that kills germs such as staph, salmonella and e. coli bacteria; viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus; and fungus. Bleach is made up of 1 percent sodium hypochlorite, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and sodium polyacrylate. These heavy salts are what kills weeds and grass.

Bleach breaks down into oxygen, salts and water when used. Because most (95 to 98 percent) of bleach breaks down naturally, the environment is not impacted significantly. However, organic halides (or salts), when released in water can be toxic to smaller water organisms. A small amount will not harm the environment, but larger amounts can build up and cause a potential toxin to ground water. Bleach is a chemical and because it is so good at killing natural organisms, it may harm the rest of your garden's natural growth if overused.

Simply pour undiluted bleach directly on the grass or weeds you wish to kill. By the next day, they should be dead and you will be able to pull them out of the ground. If you want to kill a larger area, put the bleach in a spray bottle or a sprayer attachment to your hose and spray the area.