How to Treat Weeds in Artificial Grass

Co-authored by Ben Barkan

Last Updated: September 11, 2022 References

Hang on, wasn’t part of the reason you got artificial grass in the first place because you wouldn’t have to deal with weeds ever again? Well then, if you’ve noticed some pesky weeds growing through your turf, you may be asking yourself, “What in the world are these doing here?” But don’t worry! Treating weeds in turf is actually really easy to do. Plus, you have multiple options to get rid of them and help keep them from coming back. We'll cover your weed-killing choices from home remedies with boiling water and vinegar to commercial sprays.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Killing Weeds in Your Artificial Grass

1
Dowse the weeds with boiling water for a simple solution. Fill a pot or kettle with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Pour the boiling water directly onto any weeds on in your artificial grass to kill them without damaging or discoloring the grass.^{[1]
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- When the weeds shrivel and die after a few hours, pull them out and throw them away.
- Some weeds that have deeper roots may require multiple treatments to fully kill them so they can be pulled out of the turf.
2
Spray the weeds with vinegar for a non-toxic weed killer. Fill a sprayer with white vinegar. Spray all of the weeds on your artificial grass to kill them without using harsh chemicals. If some weeds don’t die after 1 treatment, spray them again after a few days.^{[2]
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- You can find a sprayer at your local department store or garden supply store. You can also order them online.
- The vinegar is non-toxic and environmentally-friendly, so feel free to saturate the weeds growing in your artificial grass.
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3
Sprinkle table salt to kill the weeds and prevent future growth. Take some ordinary table salt and sprinkle it directly onto weeds growing on your turf to dehydrate and kill them. Keep in mind that the salt will soak into the ground beneath the artificial grass and prevent future growth, so don’t use it if you ever plan to remove the turf.^{[3]
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- Be careful where you apply the salt, which can corrode concrete, bricks, and paving stones.
- Avoid using salt in areas where water runoff could potentially carry it to flowerbeds, real grass, or anywhere else you have plants growing that you don’t want the salt to harm.
4
Apply a mixture of vodka, dish soap, and water for an alternative weed killer. If you’ve got some vodka lying around, you’ve got an effective weed killer! Mix together 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of vodka and 2 cups (470 mL) of water in a spray bottle. Add in a few drops of natural dish soap and give the bottle a good shake. Spray the leaves of the weeds directly so they dehydrate in the sun.^{[4]
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- Vodka won’t damage or discolor your artificial grass either.
5
Use a basic weedkiller for a stronger option. If you’re looking for a convenient and effective solution, choose a commercial weedkiller to zap any weeds growing on your artificial grass and kill them quickly. Spray the weeds directly without the risk of damaging or discoloring your turf.^{[5]
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- Look for weedkillers at your local garden supply store, home improvement store, or hardware store. You can also order them online.
- Be careful not to spray any nearby plants!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Removing and Preventing Weeds

1
Pull weeds from around the edges of the turf by hand. Look for weeds growing around the outer edges of your artificial grass. Grasp them at the base of the plant and pull them straight out of the ground to remove the roots as well.^{[6]
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- Weeds growing around your artificial grass won’t have roots embedded in the material and are easier to remove by hand.
- Keep an eye out for weeds and try to remove them as soon as you see them.
2
Loosen the infill with a flathead screwdriver and pull out weeds. The infill is the material between the blades of grass of your turf. Take a flathead screwdriver and loosen the infill around the roots of weeds growing in your grass. Gently pull the weeds out of the artificial grass as you loosen the infill so the roots come out as well.^{[7]
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- If you pull on the weeds growing in your artificial grass without loosening the infill, the roots may break off and the plant could grow back.
3
Sprinkle cornmeal over areas with weed growth to stop germination. Identify any areas where you suspect weeds will grow in your artificial grass, or take note of problem spots where they seem to keep coming back. Sprinkle some cornmeal over the surface, which will keep the seeds from germinating and prevent the weeds from ever growing.^{[8]
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- Cornmeal is also non-toxic and won’t harm already established plants so you don’t have to worry about damaging nearby plants.
4
Install a weed barrier beneath your artificial grass. A weed barrier is a fabric mesh that goes over the ground beneath your artificial grass to keep weeds from growing through the turf. When your artificial grass is installed, have a weed barrier installed beneath it to save yourself the headache of dealing with weeds.^{[9]
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- Artificial grass needs to be professionally installed, so contact a turf specialist to install your weed barrier.

Warnings

Don’t allow pets or small children on your artificial grass while you apply toxic weedkillers so they don’t breathe in the fumes.

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