After shelling out hours edging the lawn, tending to flower beds or walkways, the very last thing you want is pesky weeds popping up and producing your freshly pristine landscape unsightly. The occasional weed can certainly be pulled out by hand but with several weeds plucking them one by one can promptly become a time-consuming chore building weed killers a popular decision simply because they can kill a lot of weeds, quickly.

With so many options for weed killers on the sector, it can be hard to choose the best 1 for your personal requirements. That’s where the Good Housekeeping Institute comes in. Every year the Health, Beauty, and Environmental Sciences and Cleaning Products Labs evaluate hundreds of beauty and cleaning formulas for efficacy and completeness of label directions, safety warnings based on ingredients, and how easy each product is to use.

We rounded up well-known weed killers and those that are highly rated and reviewed. We then teamed up with sustainability expert, Dr. Michael Brown, Ph.D., of Brown and Wilmanns Environmental, to review the ingredients in each weed killer and eliminate chemicals that could potentially be harmful to humans or the environment, such as possible carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, respiratory toxins or chemicals that may cause skin sensitization. (Some examples of chemicals we avoided are glyphosate and 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid). To assess these potential hazards, safety data sheets were evaluated for each ingredient as well as performing additional research for anything that might not be listed around the safety data sheet. Immediately after narrowing the list down based on these criteria, below are our top picks for best weed killers:

. Best Overall Weed Killer: Green Gobbler Vinegar Weed Killer

. Best Weed Killer for Lawns: Walensee Weed Puller

. Best Weed Killer for Flower Beds: Ortho GroundClear Weed and Grass Killer

. Best Natural Weed Killer: Eco Garden Pro Weed and Grass Killer

. Best Weed Killer for Gravel and Rocks: Biosafe Systems Weed and Grass Killer

. Best Weed Killer for Large Areas: Doctor Kirchner Natural Weed & Grass Killer

. Best Chemical-Free Weed Killer: Red Dragon Weed Torch Kit

. Best Weed Killer for Landscapes: ECOGardener Landscape Fabric

Vinegar Weed Killer

This weed killer from Green Gobbler has more than 6,600 reviews on Amazon with a 4.2 rating. It kills quite a few types of weeds such as dandelions, clover, chickweed, thistle and more. It comes with a trigger spray for the bottle generating it easy to dispense. It can be used on sidewalks, concrete, mulch beds, and other places where weeds pop up.

Reviewers say that this product killed their weeds and was easy to use. However, it does kill lots of types of vegetation so take care around lawns, flowers or any other plants you would like to keep alive. This is made with a highly concentrated form of vinegar so the smell may be bothersome at first but will fade over time.

Easy to use

Great for use on sidewalks and mulch beds

May get rid of grass and flowers

Stand-Up Weeder and Root Removal Tool

Many weed killers that made it through our vetting process can not be used on lawns simply because they are non-selective which means they will eliminate all types of vegetation, including the lawn. With this weeder, you can specifically pluck out the weed without having to worry about ruining the rest of your garden. It has a long handle so there's no kneeling or bending over to help prevent a sore back or knees.

Customers highly recommend this product giving it a 4.0 rating from over 700 reviews saying it's easy to use and a single reviewer suggests waiting for it to rain and the ground to make the job even easier.

Removes weeds without having to spray liquids

Grass- and flower-friendly

May leave a divot in lawn

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GroundClear Weed and Grass Killer
Ortho Ground Clear kills all types of grasses, weeds and even moss and with visible results in as a little as 15 minutes. Upon drying in about two hours it’s rainproof so you won’t have to worry about it washing away from the rain after application. It has a spray applicator with a long handle, so it could possibly be targeted at the specific weeds you want to eliminate.

Take note though, this is a non-selective spray meaning it will get rid of all types of plants so be sure not to get it on anything you don’t want to destroy. It’s one particular of the highest-rated weed killers on Amazon with over 2,000 reviews and a 4.3-star rating. Shoppers love that the trigger wand sprays exactly where you need it and does not get everywhere for targeted weed killing.

Trigger wand allows for targeted weed killing

Easy to apply

May get rid of other vegetation if not careful when spraying

Weed and Grass Killer
This formula is ready to use straight out of the bottle and delivers weed-killing results in 24 hours. It’s a single of the most well-liked weed killers on Amazon with over 1,000 reviews and a 4.1 rating. It’s effective on clover, moss, poison ivy, dandelions, chickweed, thistle, dollar weed and general weeds and grasses.

According to Eco Garden it’s also safe for use around pets and kids and reviewers say this weed killer is effective. It does have a stronger vinegar-like scent at first but users of this product say it goes away soon after a few hrs.

Effective on many different kinds of weeds

Pet- and kid-safe

Smell may be bothersome

Weed and Grass Killer
Get rid of those pesky weeds sprouting up on your walkway or rock bed with this liquid formula. It’s made to eliminate broadleaf and a variety of grass weeds. It works promptly and results may be seen within 24 several hours.

You’ll need to be careful where you spray this weed killer since it is nonselective and will destroy all types of greenery, however it does not leach through the soil so you won’t have to worry about the liquid seeping into other areas where you don't want it. Because this solution is concentrated, be sure to follow the mixing ratio according to the instructions to get the desired results.

Works quickly

Formula won't leach into soil

Requires extra step of diluting formula

Weed and Grass Killer
You can buy this weed killer in a 5-gallon size which is enough to cover a large area. It’s highly rated on Amazon with nearly 850 reviews and a 4.3 rating. Shoppers say that this works just as well as Round-up weed killers, but you will need to use more to get the same results. One particular reviewer commented they used this on their entire backyard full of weeds and saw results in 24 hours.

Weed Torch Kit
If you would rather not use any liquid weed killers, this torch is a good option to rid of weeds. Shoppers gave this nearly 1,100 reviews and a 4.2 rating. This torch will kill weeds with a quick burst of fire, though it does need to be hooked up to a propane tank that will need to be bought separately.

Many reviewers raved that this killed weeds effectively and preferred to use this over a chemical sprayer. Mainly because this is a torch, it’s best to take precautions such as prewetting surrounding areas and not using this around anything flammable.

Easy to use

Requires a separate propane tank

Need to take precaution around flammable objects

Landscape Fabric
One of the best ways to keep weeds in check is to prevent them from growing in the first place. This landscape fabric creates a barrier so weeds can not grow through and eliminates the light that weeds need to grow while still letting air and water through to keep the soil underneath healthy.

It’s easy to use: simply unroll the fabric and cut to the size needed to cover your landscape. It has over 3,600 reviews and a 4.6 rating with customers saying that this is more durable than what they normally buy at the hardware store.

Easy to use

Durable fabric

How do weed killers work? ?

• Emergent weed killers destroy weeds at specific growth stages. Pre-emergent weed killers help prevent weeds from showing up by targeting the sprouting weed underground before it reaches the soil surface. Post-emergent weed killers focus on getting rid of the weed once it has emerged from the soil.

• Selectivity refers to particular weeds the weed killer will target. Selective weed killers will destroy specific vegetation and not others, so check product labels to ensure it's targeting the correct weeds without harming other plants. Non-selective weed killers will get rid of weeds and any other greenery around that it's applied on, so you'll want to take care around plants you desire to keep alive.

• Translocated weed killers absorb into the plant's system causing it to slowly die from within. These types of herbicides take longer to produce results, from several days to weeks, but often destroy the entire plant making them a good option for weeds with deep roots. This is different from contact weed killers, which only destroy the part of the plant where it is applied and results can be seen from several minutes to a few days.

• Persistence refers to how long the weed killer stays in the soil once it's applied. Some weed killers deteriorate right after several days where others final a few months to possibly a year. If you will be planting in the area where the product is being applied in the near future consider a weed killer that doesn't past as long, however, if that is not an issue a longer-lasting product may be beneficial so it won't need to be reapplied often.

How to find the best weed killer for you

• Check what types of weeds and plants the weed killer is intended to be used on. Some weed killers will destroy all types of vegetation that you may not want killed including lawns, flowers, and vegetables.

• Ready to use vs. diluted. Ready to use formulas are convenient as they are ready to go, but concentrated formulas will be able to cover a lot of ground and last a long time since you’ll only use a small amount of product.

• Check the labels for safety warnings and wear protective gear such as googles or gloves as recommended by the manufacturer. Although a product may be labeled “all-natural” or “organic” it does not necessarily mean it’s safe on contact or around kids and pets.