Bleach Can Kill Even the Most Stubborn Weeds — but Experts Warn About Its Scary Side Effects

Bleach, at its core, is “sodium hypochlorite,” a powerful chemical commonly used for disinfecting, whitening fabrics, and removing stains, per Jenny Chem. Bottles of bleach are staples found in nearly every household cabinet or pantry shelf. As most gardeners believe, it can indeed break down organic material through oxidation and kill any bacteria, mold, or fungi. The chemical utilizes its sodium content to interfere with the ability of the target object to absorb minerals, thereby erasing it from its path. Like a forest wildfire, a dipperful of bleaching chemical can instantly quash the weeds that may have invaded your garden block. But there’s a catch.

It surely does kill weeds, but it won’t do so without killing your soil and plants too. And it would be a lasting damage, not a momentary wound. “I cannot say this strongly enough: You should not use bleach to kill weeds. Keep bleach out of the garden and in the laundry room,” warned Mitchell. He explained that bleach hangs out in the soil longer than you may want it."  Bleach doesn't discriminate when it comes to the plants it kills. It can easily murder your brambly bushes or dandelion patches. Plus, since bleach has a high pH level, it leaches the soil fertility and makes it even more alkaline. Unlike herbicides, bleach is not labelled to be used as a weed killer, Mitchell remarked.

Use boiling water. Splash it in hard-to-reach corners, in crevices and cracks. Spreading out a few sheets from your old newspapers under the garden bed will also work in stopping weed growth. Or simply roll up your sleeves and rip them off with your hands. Once you have pulled them out, cover the soil bed in truckloads of mulch, which could be anything like wood chips, bark, or straw. While this mulch is working to stop the weeds from growing back in your garden bed, make sure your new plants are vigorous enough that they can outgrow the weeds.

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