Will Bleach Kill Unwanted Grass?

Bleach

• Household bleach will kill unwanted grass. If you pour a little over the grass, the blade will turn yellow and curl up. If you pour more, the bleach will kill all exposed grass. The surfactants found in bleach allow it to deeply penetrate grass and destroy it on both the surface and deeper inside.

Issues

• Lawn care professionals do not recommend using bleach to kill grass . Bleach will kill any other plant or grass that it contacts. The bleach lingers in the soil. This makes it difficult to grow any other plants in the area, as well as creates a hazard for any children or animals that dig in the contaminated dirt.

Alternatives

• If you want to kill grass, other household items can help and are much less risky. Vinegar poured near the roots of grass will kill it. You can also cover a patch of unwanted grass with a piece of thick plastic, like a pond liner. After 10 days, the grass beneath the plastic will die without the need for any chemicals.