Will Household Bleach Kill Grass?

Household bleach is a versatile tool. You can use it to clean, disinfect and to kill mold and mildew inside your home. Household bleach can kill also kill plants, including grass.

Bleach and Grass

Household bleach will kill grass if enough is poured onto the grass. In small exposures, bleach will cause grass to yellow and the blades to curl. In greater quantities, bleach penetrates grass, destroying its tissue inside and out, killing it.

Dangers

Using household bleach to kill grass can also kill other nearby plants. If the bleach penetrates the soil, you will not grow anything else in that area until the bleach is washed away. Bleach in the soil and on grass can be a hazard for children and pets that play in the yard.

Considerations

Instead of using bleach on lawn pests like algae or mold like powdery mildew, use algaecides and fungicides. These products are designed to target the problematic organisms, rather than damaging everything with which they come in contact.

Kill Grass With Bleach

You don't need to spend money on herbicides to kill your grass. According to the Weekend Gardener, all you need to do is look in your laundry closet for some bleach. The household cleaner will kill any unwanted grass. Gently swirl the contents in the bucket to mix them. According to This Garden is Illegal, fill the bottle three-quarters of the way to the top to avoid leakage. Screw the sprayer on tightly. Turn the spray bottle nozzle to a mist and coat the grass you want to kill with the bleach mixture. Watch the progress of the grass that was sprayed.