The Best Weed Killers to Clean Up Your Yard

Not everyone is lucky enough to own a yard. Or an outdoor garden. Or a lawn. And while having that beautiful outdoor space is like the ultimate adult flex, they also come with a bit of trouble: weeds. Weeds, the invasive plants and not, you know, weed, are a troublesome group of vegetation that includes varieties such as crabgrass, dandelions and ragweed, among many others. Not only are they an eyesore among your well-planned garden or envy-inducing lawn, but they can horde nutrients, overrun the plants you want and even be harmful to you.

You can definitely pluck out weeds on your own — though gloves are a must since some weeds are toxic and can cause a rash — but for those with acres of property or those who are just averse to manual labor, weed killers are the way to go.

Weed killers entered the national discussion back in 2020 when Roundup maker Bayer agreed to pay over $10 billion in settlements from cases claiming that glyphosate, the foundation of Roundup’s weed killers, caused non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The link between whether or not glyphosate is connected to cancer is unknown. The World Health Organization deemed glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen,” while the Environmental Protection Agency said it’s “not likely” to cause cancer. To stay on the safe side, we narrowed down our list of the best weed killers to those that don’t contain glyphosate and found the following products to be the best weed killers to buy.

How to Protect Against Weeds

If you’re looking to prevent getting weeds in the first place, you’ll need to come up with a plan for taking care of your lawn or garden the right way. To get the skinny, we spoke to Teri Valenzuela, Natural Science Manager at lawn care brand Sunday. For lawns, Valenzuela says, “Investing in a premium grass seed that has a weed-free guarantee, a high rate of germination and is cultivated to better withstand plant stressors like drought will build a dense, thick lawn that’s able to outcompete weeds.”

For gardens, she recommends the right set of tools to set yourself up for success. Namely, a “planting tool that doubles as a weed-remover,” like a hori hori knife, and fertilizer that “offers targeted nutrients for a variety of plants,” like Sunday’s own WonderFert.

What to Look for in a Weed Killer

Targeted Weed Killing vs. Non-Selective Killing

Some weed killers are meant to kill just one type, or many types, of weeds upon contact, and Valenzuela says it’s important to figure out who your enemy is before you just go out and buy any weed killer. Targeted weed killing is good for those who know exactly what type of weed is terrorizing their property, and it makes it safe to use in the presence of plants, grass and other desirable vegetation. Non-selective weed killers do just what it sounds like — kill whatever greenery they come in contact with.

Ready-to-Use vs. Concentrate

Spray weed killers generally come in two forms: ready-to-use and concentrate. You can think of this like you would antifreeze. One type is ready to go right out of the bottle, while the concentrate needs to be mixed with water prior to use. Ready-to-use sprays offer more convenience, while concentrates can help stretch the product’s lifespan and also allow for tailoring weed-killing strength.

Quality Ingredients

Unless you want to wreck your lawn — or even potentially put your family in danger — you want to look for ingredients that are both safe and effective. “Better ingredients is key. Avoid pre-emergents that blanket lawns and gardens in pesticides, and never use harmful post-emergents like glyphosate,” says Valenzuela. “Dandelion Doom is a biopesticide with one active ingredient — iron! Weed Warrior is an OMRI-listed weed control approved for organic gardening.”

Always Read the Safety Labels

Safety labels are there for a reason. Whether or not a weed killer has chemicals in it, it’s always important to make sure you’re using the weed killer properly. Not all are safe to use in the presence of pets and children, and you should be aware of how long you should wait after applying weed killer before it’s completely safe to be in the vicinity again. “Always read the label first — safety is key!” says Valenzuela.

How to Get Rid of Weeds

If weeds do show up, there’s more you need to do to get rid of them than just buy a bottle of weed killer and call it a day. After you’ve figured out what kind of weed killer you need and have read your safety label, it’s time to get your hands dirty — literally. “Handpull larger weeds first. This practice uses less product and avoids wasteful applications,” Valenzuela tells us. “Next, remove or mow flowering heads off of weeds before applying any pesticides or weed killers to undesirable plants.”

After you’ve taken those preliminary manual steps, it’s time to bust out the weed killer. “Apply target spot treatment applications to weeds that are in patches or smaller than 5 inches in height. Reapply as needed,” says Valenzuela. But you’re not done just yet. After killing your weeds, you need to re-seed in order to win the war against weeds. “Always follow weed control with seeding. This builds a healthy lawn able to outcompete weeds.”

Sunday

Best Overall Weed Killer

Sunday Weed Warrior

• $32.00 at getsunday.com

Sunday is a lawn care brand that eschews chemicals and harmful ingredients, instead opting to use nature to attack nature (well, weeds, the bad part of nature). Its certified-organic herbicidal soap is as easy to use as an at-home multipurpose cleaner: aim and spray. The weed killer is safe to use around kids and pets, and with results happening in as little as 20 minutes, it’s a must-have for those dealing with an invasion of weeds.

Amazon

Best Natural Weed Killer

Green Gobbler 20% Vinegar Weed & Grass Killer

• $30.00 at Amazon

There’s no denying what Green Gobbler is made of once you smell it. Made from a solution that is four times stronger than regular table vinegar, Green Gobbler is completely natural without and certified for organic use. The hefty gallon jar comes with a spray nozzle that makes dispensing the weed killer easy and clean. Be advised that Green Gobbler kills everything in contact. So while you will see instant results (in around 24 hours), be careful to apply only to what you want to kill because it can be harmful to your good plants.

Walmart

Best Fast-Acting Weed Killer

Ortho Groundclear Weed & Grass Killer

• $21.00 at Walmart

Ortho’s Groundclear is a fast-acting weed killer that’s good for patios, plant beds and vegetable gardens. The included spray nozzle is battery-powered and lets you adjust the spray setting to easily control where you’re aiming. Groundclear becomes rainproof 15 minutes after application, so no need to schedule your weed killing with the Mother Nature. Be careful with where you spray, because the weed killer will kill whatever plant it comes in contact with.

Amazon

Best Weed Root Killer

Natria Grass & Weed Control

• $37.00 at Amazon

Kill the weeds right down to the root. Natria’s Grass & Weed Control does just that, and it does so without harmful, toxic ingredients. Spray down weeds using the attached nozzle, and watch as the weeds die within 24 hours. The spray becomes waterproof after three hours. The killer It has a slight ammonia smell, which may or may not bother you depending on your sensitivity to the odor.

Amazon

Best Weed Killer for Large Areas

Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer

• $27.00 at Amazon
  $43.00 (38% off)

If you’ve got a large area that you’re looking to keep plant-free — say a back patio, a walkway or along a fence — then this weed and grass killer is your new best friend. Just seven ounces of this concentrate mixed with a gallon of water is enough to clear out basically any living plant in a 300 sq-ft area, and it does so lightning-fast too. The stuff is rainproof within 15 minutes, and you’ll start to see plants struggling in about 3 hours. Within a day, you’re good to go.

Amazon

Best Weed Killer for Poison Ivy

BioAdvanced Brush Killer Plus

• $17.00 at Amazon
  $22.00 (27% off)

Few weeds are less welcome on your property than poison ivy and its pals, poison oak and poison sumac, as brushing up against these can give you a nasty rash. So if you’ve got these itchy annoyances popping up where they don’t belong — along with 91 other types of weeds and brush — give ’em the old heave-ho with this concentrate. Its active ingredient is triclopyr, which is poison ivy’s worst nightmare but can also cause damage to certain grasses such as bermudagrass, so make sure you’re using this in a targeted manner.

Sunday

Best Weed Killer for Lawns

Sunday Dandelion Doom

• $32.00 at getsunday.com

Unless you’re really into dandelion soup for some reason, you probably don’t want these ubiquitous fake flowers in your yard. Sunday’s aptly-named Dandelion Doom targets the yellow menace, along with other broadleaf weeds like bull thistle, creeping buttercup, moss and more. It’s safe to use on lawns, so it won’t kill your grass, and its iron-powered formula provides visible results within hours.

Amazon

Best Weed Burner

Flame King Propane Torch Weed Burner

• $49.00 at Amazon

No chemicals, no pesticides, no herbicides, the Flame King weed burner is exactly that: a weed burner. The 100,000 BTU propane torch is quite literally hot as hell and will send weeds straight to hell, too. The torch hooks up to propane tanks from five pounds to 100 pounds, and setting up is easy and safe if you properly follow the instructions. The 10-foot-hose helps you get into hard-to-reach places, and it may seem dangerous, but as long as you keep the flame controllable, you’ll be good.

Garrett Wade

Best Manual Weed Killer

Grampa’s Weeder

• $40.00 at garrettwade.com

Forego the sprays — and fire — for a manual weed puller. The 39-inch weed puller from Grampa’s Weed lets you yank pesky weeds without having to get down on your knees. Since 1913, gardeners have relied on Grampa’s Weeder to cleanly and effectively clear their garden without having to employ the big guns. It gets weeds right at the root so you’re not just killing them at the surface.

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