Banish gravel weeds instantly by sprinkling kitchen staple - not baking soda

Nothing will ruin the look of your driveway or faster than wiry poking through the gravel. Luckily, this handy kitchen item can get rid of them fast.

As the days get longer and begin to brighten up, more of us are noticing unsightly patches in our garden. After a long, cold winter, weeds can easily take hold. In particular, common weeds, like chickweed and henbit, thrive in cool, wet . Their roots can dig deep underground, causing damage to the structure of your home. This also makes them a nightmare to pull out.

Of course, while it is tempting to resort to weed killer, you might want to hold back. These mixtures often contain dozens of toxic chemicals, which can harm other plants and wildlife.

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While kitchen staples like vinegar and baking soda are often touted as viable alternative, not everyone finds them effective. According to enthusiasts, there is another handy ingredient that can kill off weeds quickly – and safely.

The trick was shared by members of the group on . This came after one person asked for better alternatives to weed killing than white vinegar and salt.

They wrote: "I've seen lots of posts lately about the use of white vinegar and salt for weed killing. I have a gravel-covered drive and can't seem to keep the weeds in check, even using the recommended weed killer for paths.”

They added: “Would they work on the drive or is there something better? There are no other plants in the vicinity and it's not like I would be planting anything on the drive in future."

Other users were quick to chime in with helpful alternatives. One person wrote: "I used to use salt on my alleyway and it works, but washing powder was better for me."

Another attested to the effectiveness of laundry powder. They added: "I had success with some cheap soap powder and boiling water."

A user also claimed that it worked incredibly quickly. They stated: "Laundry powders are amazing on gravel weeds. You can see the results almost instantly."

Most laundry powders include ingredients like sodium carbonate and sodium silicate. These dehydrate the weed’s tissue, helping to kill them off quickly.

If you tend to use clothes washing liquid, you may not have washing powder lying around at home. Luckily, you can pick up a box for a bargain £3.50 from Iceland.