Soda is a rediscovered home remedy that you can use to make your own detergents and cleaning products or, for example, to remove ugly limescale from flower pots. It is repeatedly recommended as an environmentally friendly weed killer. But is the white powder also suitable for this purpose and is it even allowed to use washing soda in the garden?
Can soda be used against weeds?
Soda can be used as an environmentally friendly weed killer by dissolving a tablespoon of washing soda in a liter of water and spraying it on the weeds. A minimum distance of ten centimeters from other plants should be maintained.
What is soda?
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is a natural s alt that is closely related to and often confused with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Both substances are s alts derived from carbonic acid.
The difference is in the hydrogen component, recognizable by the syllable “hydro”. The white soda powder forms a strong lye with water. It reacts much more alkaline than baking soda and is therefore ideal as a grease-dissolving household cleaner.
Removing moss and algae with soda
Moss tends to get stuck in the cracks of the paving stones and has to be laboriously removed with a joint scraper. If the surface is cleaned mechanically, you can effectively prevent new growth caused by soda. You can also effectively combat algae deposits with this product.
If the area borders the lawn, the mixing ratio must under no circumstances be too strong. All you need to do is dissolve a level tablespoon of washing soda in a liter of water and spray the area with the solution. Leave the soda water to work for at least five hours and then rinse the product off with the garden hose.
Soda as a weed killer
Soda should only be used carefully in beds or lawns. Washing soda has a very strong effect and you may be able to unintentionally burn desired greenery.
- If you want to specifically destroy weeds, the mixing ratio should under no circumstances be more than one tablespoon of powder to one liter of water.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle and wet the weeds.
- Make sure there is a minimum distance of ten centimeters from other plants.
Precautions for use
Do not inhale the powder and avoid contact with eyes and skin. Washing soda irritates the respiratory tract, eyes and skin and should therefore be used carefully. Wear rubber gloves when working.
Why is soda environmentally friendly and is it allowed to be used in the garden?
When broken down, soda binds acid and water hardness. Limestone and carbon dioxide are formed and thus minerals that can also be found in drinking water. Due to the spontaneous shift in the pH value, soda lye should only be used in the garden to a very small extent.
Tip
When killing weeds with home remedies such as vinegar and s alt, you are moving in a gray area. There may be a fine if you use it. Although there are currently no known cases in which the use of soda was punished with a pen alty, this cannot be ruled out. It is therefore recommended to combat weeds mechanically or to use herbicides from specialist retailers.