Going to your local garden center and seeing the walls and walls of herbicides can be daunting. But one user is taking to Instagram to show their followers how to get rid of pesky weeds — without any chemicals needed.
The scoop
Instagram user Carolina McCauley (@carolina.mccauley) shared a hack video with her impressive 3 million followers.
"Ditch the chemicals: boiling water's got this!" She explains in the caption as she films herself pouring boiling water onto weeds popping up in her gravel space. The before-and-after component shows how the weeds shriveled up and died after she doused them with the water.
How it's helping
The primary benefit of this hack is that it reduces the need to purchase chemicals, which can save homeowners money, as well as reduce the environmental impact on soil and water. Herbicides can also kill species you don't intend on removing, as well as pose a threat to pets or children who handle the treated soil.
Other users suggested different nontoxic alternatives to killing these plants, including untreated sawdust or mulching down a garden before planting. Both of these solutions are relatively inexpensive.
What everyone's saying
Users were quick to point out the efficacy of McCauley's hack. "It works very well. I have been doing this for years," one user replied.
Other users noted that McCauley's method isn't foolproof. "Boiling water will act as a contact herbicide … killing only the portion of the plant it comes in contact with as here the leaves. Only removing the root will it remove [this] weed. Always check qualified sources before repeating what you see online," another user wrote.
Many others came to the defense of the "weeds," as well as any insects that may have been boiled alive in the process. "Am I the only one that likes the looks of weeds? Seeing nature mix in with my house is just so beautiful and soothing for me personally. I don't get the hype for the removal of weeds," one explained.
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