5+ Effective Ways to Remove Grass from a Gravel Driveway (2024)

Removing grass from a gravel driveway is simple and cost-effective with the right strategy.

Here’s how I can make it happen:

• I use white vinegar and dish soap as a natural herbicide to kill the grass.
• I pull the grass by hand to ensure the roots are also removed, preventing regrowth.
• I pour boiling water on the grassy areas to scald the grass and kill it.
• I apply saltwater to the grass, which effectively dehydrates and kills the weeds.
• I prevent future growth by placing landscaping fabric under the gravel.

To effectively remove grass from a gravel driveway, I start by making a homemade herbicide with white vinegar and a bit of dish soap. I mix these in a garden sprayer and thoroughly coat the grass and weeds. This caused the plants to die without harming the surrounding environment.

For a permanent solution, I opt for hand-pulling the grass. I wear gloves and use a spade to loosen the soil, making sure to remove as much of the root system as possible to prevent the grass from coming back.

Sometimes, I find pouring boiling water on the grass to be extremely effective. The hot water kills the grass quickly, and it’s a cost-efficient method, as I only need water and a pot to boil it in.

If I’ve got a large area to cover, I dissolve a pound of salt in a gallon of hot water, creating a saline solution that degrades the grass and weeds when poured over them. This method does require caution as the salt can harm other plants and soil health.

Lastly, I always advise implementing a prevention strategy by laying down landscaping fabric before placing gravel. This method saves me time and money in the long run by minimizing the potential for weeds and grass to grow back.

Unwanted grass can be a pain to remove, but when it starts to pop up in a gravel driveway, you’ve got to contend with a whole other mess. These unsightly mounds of grass that creep up through the gravel can be difficult to remove but not impossible. We’ll show you how to remove grass from a gravel driveway using some of the most effective methods.

Grass and garden weeds can crop up from just about anywhere. They spread by reseeding, so any area that has loose topsoil is an invitation for it to grow, whether that is in a cracked stone driveway, gravel pathway, parking lot, or in a gravel drive.

Gravel areas are easy targets for grass and weed seeds to take root because there are gaps and openings between the rocks that lead to the soil. “I always advise to regularly disturb the soil between the gravel to prevent seeds from settling,” suggests Julia Hodges, a seasoned authority on plants, gardening, and growing food.

Removing Grass from Rock Drives

There are many natural ways to kill grass and prevent weed growth without using grass killers like Roundup that contain glyphosate and other harmful herbicides. Understanding which method works for your situation is the first step to removing and preventing grass, dandelions, and other weeds from sprouting in your driveway.

To get rid of weeds naturally without killing grass growing where you want it to, consider where the weeds are and what method will work best in your situation. You may even think about using more than one solution to eliminate the problem.

Remove Vegetation from the Yard and Drive

White vinegar contains acetic acid, which kills the cells in weeds and grass. Using dish soap in combination with the vinegar helps the solution adhere to the plant, giving it more time to work. Here is how to remove grass from the yard or driveway and for killing dandelions in lawn with vinegar.

To make this simple yet effective natural quack grass killer, fill a garden sprayer or a spray bottle with white vinegar and add a couple of drops of dish soap. Spray an even layer of herbicide onto the blades of grass and weeds until they are saturated.

Make sure to initiate this method on a day without any wind to prevent spraying nearby desirable plants and vegetation. Ideally, rain should not be present for several days after spraying, too.

Best Way to Remove It Permanently

The best way to remove grass permanently is to pull it by hand. Doing this ensures that both the grass and its roots are gone, which prevents the grass from growing back.

To use one of the best home remedies to kill grass and get rid of it entirely, pierce the tip of the spade down into the ground on the outside edge of the grass clump. Repeat in a new section until you have gone around the perimeter of the grass or weed.

While wearing gloves, grab hold of the weed at the base and pull the grass and roots out of the ground with gentle force. Shake off any gravel that may be imbedded in the roots.

Use the spade to remove all of the roots. Place the weeds, grass, and roots into the bucket and dispose of it. Pack the dirt down and cover with the driveway gravel.

Get Rid of Weeds from Driveways

Remove clumps of grass that have sprouted up in the gravel driveway using boiling water. The hot water will turn the grass blades brown and eventually kill the grassroots. Here’s how to permanently get rid of weeds in the driveway using only water.

Boil a large pan of water and carefully pour the boiling water into a watering can. Carry the can outside before it has a chance to cool down and use it to water all of the grassy areas that you want to eliminate. Repeat once a day until the grass has withered, turned brown, and died.

If you have shady areas of your driveway, you may not only have a problem with grass and weeds but moss, too. Getting rid of moss in yard areas or the driveway is simple with boiling water.

Getting Rid of It in a Long Stretch of Gravel

If you have a long driveway with random patches of grass trying to take over, you can perform a ‘slow kill’ by flame weeding. A few passes of a propane torch not only cause the grass blades to wither, but it destroys the roots, as well.

Torching Grass

Follow the instructions on your propane torch and make a pass from one end of the driveway to the other. Use a slow walk to provide heat to the grass without turning it to ash. If one application of heat doesn’t work, repeat these steps in the following days.

Killing Weeds with Salt

Table salt is a handy tool for killing grass and weeds. Be careful when using salt to eliminate grass because it will also damage any nearby plants and vegetation.

Combine the water and salt in a bucket and stir until the salt dissolves. Table salt and rock salt are both useful for this method.

Pour the salty water into a watering can and pour the solution directly onto the areas of grass and weeds. The grass will begin to wither pretty quickly, but it could take up to ten days for it to die.

While not really a natural weed and grass removal method, you can also take care of your greenery problem by using bleach to kill weeds. However, ensure that any runoff will not affect waterways or other plants you want to preserve.

Preventing Weeds in Gravel

The best thing to do to prevent weeds and grass from growing up through your gravel driveway is to take preventative steps before laying the gravel.

Weed Prevention in Gravel Driveways

Before you place any gravel down in the driveway, remove existing weeds by using one of our other methods. After weeding the area, lay sheets of landscaping fabric along the entire section of the driveway and then cover it with gravel. Place mulch over the top of the landscaping fabric before adding the gravel to strengthen the weed control further.

Small clumps of grass growing here and there in your driveway may seem like no big deal, but after a couple of years, you will end up with a long gravel driveway that no longer resembles a driveway.

Knowing how to permanently get rid of weeds in driveway using the right methods now will prevent the grass from coming back so that you can keep your driveway instead of converting it to a gravelly grass meadow.

We hope you liked learning how to remove grass from a gravel driveway and that you’ll share these grass removal tips with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest.