Banish dandelions on your lawn by pouring this free liquid on it — no chemicals needed

Summer is almost here, and the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather.

And if you take pride in your pristine green lawn, there’s nothing more unsightly than dandelions.

Not only do these weeds quickly take over your lawn, ruining your lush grass, but are notoriously tricky to remove due to its large central taproot. What’s more, any nearby plants or flower beds will be at risk of smothering, and will struggle to survive.

And while it may be tempting to get out the commercial weed killers, these harsh chemicals can often damage or kill your grass — which is the last thing you need.

Luckily, there is one top tip to banish weeds from your lawn that won't harm the grass. What’s more, it’s natural, doesn't require strong chemicals, and completely free!

So what is this ‘miracle’ dandelion killer?

Kill dandelions with this one liquid

It’s so simple. Gardening experts at The Spruce suggest pouring boiling water on weeds to prevent them from growing. Essentially, this will send the plant into thermal shock that will stunt its growth, and eventually kill invasive dandelions.

Ideally, you should apply boiling water only to the dandelions that you wish to remove, and avoid any new plantings nearby.

It's recommended to reapply boiling water every seven to 10 days to ensure the taproot is killed — and there is no risk of new growth.

More importantly, always use a kettle with a spout to avoid burning yourself when pouring the water.

Alternatively, you could use gardening trowels or specific dandelion weeding tools to dig out the taproot. Handy weeding tools like this Grampa’s Weeder are designed with a claw design, to easily get rid of weeds without the back-breaking, manual labor.

Grampa's Weeder The Original Stand Up Weed Puller Tool: $39 at Amazon

This weeding tool isn't cheap, but it saves you from having to bend down to dig up weeds from your yard. And it worked very well in my testing, saving me from unnecessary back pain. The 4-claw design can get rid of weeds easily on soft soil.

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What are dandelions?

Essentially, dandelions are weeds that grow rapidly in unwanted places. Weeds compete with plants and other crops for nutrients in soil, water and sunlight, and can also provide a safe place for garden pests to thrive.

There are three main types of weeds: annual, perennial and tough weeds. Annuals are usually spread around the yard through seeds, but have weaker roots — making them easier to remove. Perennials are more difficult to get rid of as they spread through their roots as well as by seed, while tough weeds are extremely aggressive and invasive, such as Japanese Knotweed, Brambles and Ivy.

More from Tom's Guide

• 3 weeds you should never compost, according to experts
• Here’s 7 ways to prevent weeds from invading your yard
• 7 plants that prevent weeds in your yard