How To Permanently Get Rid Of Weeds In Your Driveway

Weeds that grow through the cracks in your driveway give your property an untidy and uncared-for look.

Fortunately, they’re not difficult to remove. And several methods can help you do the job.

While you can’t use the usual gardening tools, such as a hoe or a spade, there are advantages when weeding the cracks on hard surfaces.

Because there’s less worry about other plants, it’s easier to use herbicides and long-lasting natural remedies.

So in this article, we take a look at how to permanently get rid of weeds in your driveway.

Let’s dive in.

Use A Commercial Herbicide

One of the best ways to permanently get rid of weeds in your driveway is to use a chemical herbicide.

Chemical herbicides come in two different types, contact herbicides, and systemic herbicides.

As the name suggests, contact herbicides start working when they contact the plant. And they affect the areas of the plant that you spray.

Contact herbicides are useful for killing weeds growing in your driveway. But because they don’t kill the roots, the weed will still regrow, and you’ll need to apply the treatment again.

A better alternative is to use a systemic herbicide to kill weeds to the route and prevent them from regrowing. It takes longer for a systemic herbicide to work than a contact herbicide. You can expect it to take two or three weeks for the weeds to die.

It’s a good idea to use a weed killer that has residual activity. This prevents any vegetation from growing in the treated area. Sometimes for a year or more.

You need to be careful when spraying weed killer around the edge of your driveway if you have a grass lawn or desirable plants nearby. The weed killer will harm them as well.

You can use a piece of cardboard to shield plants while you spray. And you can quickly wash the herbicide off the grass or plants if you accidentally spray them.

My recommended weed killer:

Ortho GroundClear Year Long Vegetation Killer (Amazon)

Kill Weeds With Vinegar

Did you know you can also kill weeds with vinegar?

But not table vinegar. It usually isn’t strong enough. Instead, buy a high-strength vinegar of around 20% acetic acid concentration.

Vinegar burns weeds on contact. And if the weeds are well soaked, they quickly die and disintegrate. Also, pour the vinegar into the cracks where the weeds are growing. Because ideally, you want the vinegar to affect the roots as well. If the roots remain unaffected, then sometimes the weed will regrow. Then you’ll need to repeat the treatment.

The main drawback of using vinegar to kill weeds in your driveway is that you have to be very careful and precise when using it. It can damage bricks and pavers. And you’ll need to wear protective gear while using high-strength vinegar because it can burn you as well.

Pull Weeds By Hand

It’s the traditional way to remove weeds naturally, and it’s still one of the most effective.

One of the advantages of pulling weeds by hand is root system removal, preventing the weeds from growing back.

Annual weeds with shallow roots are often easy to pull up. But perennial weeds with deep root systems can be hard to pull out of the ground. And if any pieces break off and remain in the soil, the weeds will regrow.

Weeds growing through the cracks in hard surfaces can be awkward to pull. It’s rough on your fingers. So remember to wear a good pair of gardening gloves.

To pull weeds by hand more effectively, you might need the help of a weeding tool.

Use A Weeding Tool

To get rid of weeds between paving cracks and interlocking bricks it’s helpful to use a suitable weeding tool. Tools for removing weeds from cracks have a narrow edge with a hooked end to help you dig the weeds out.

Examples of good tools for getting rid of weeds in driveway cracks include cape cod weeders and v-notch weeders. You can also use a patio knife.

Using a weeding tool is more comfortable than using your fingers. And it also makes it easier to dig out the roots so that the weeds won’t regrow.

Douse Weeds With Boiling Water

Another natural way of killing weeds is to douse them with boiling water. Similar to high-strength vinegar, boiling water kills weeds on contact. But it will also kill desirable plants, so take care when using it.

Boiling water is easy to use. You can pour it into the cracks on your driveway. Remember to wear protective clothing when using boiling water.

A Dose Of Salt

One way to permanently get rid of weeds in your driveway is to make sure that nothing can grow there.

You have to be careful when using salt for weed control because of its long-lasting effects on the soil. And the fact that it can leach into adjacent garden areas, affecting desirable plants. So it’s best not to use it around the edges of your driveway if next to garden areas.

But if you’re precise about using it in driveway cracks, then it makes a cheap and effective homemade weed killer.

You can sprinkle the salt into the cracks. Or dissolve the salt in water first. Try mixing one cup of salt with 3 cups of water.

Tips For Removing Weeds From Gravel Driveways

Some people recommend using weed barrier fabric underneath gravel driveways. This stops light from reaching the ground and can help to prevent weed growth.

But, results are inconsistent with this method. Weeds sometimes poke through the fabric, making it harder to remove them. The weed barrier also disintegrates over time.

To stop weeds growing through your gravel, the following are effective:

Tips For Removing Weeds From Brick Pavers

Weeds grow between brick paver cracks, occasionally forcing  the gaps to widen. To effectively remove the weeds from between pavers try the following:

Tips For Removing Weeds From Concrete & Asphalt Driveways

If weeds are growing through your concrete or asphalt driveway, it’s because there are cracks.

To deal with the problem, try the following: