Pet-Safe Weed Killer..Anyone know of one? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Junebug · 03-20-2006, 02:19 PM

Hi everyone! I haven't posted for a while, but I know how helpful you all can be.

We just bought a house and, of course, moving to the suburbs from the city, I don't know much about yardwork.

What is a good safe brand for killing weeds that won't harm pets?

Thanks.

goldenray · 03-20-2006, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junebug

Hi everyone! I haven't posted for a while, but I know how helpful you all can be.

We just bought a house and, of course, moving to the suburbs from the city, I don't know much about yardwork.

What is a good safe brand for killing weeds that won't harm pets?

Thanks.

I don't know that anything is entirely safe, but yet know we have to use things. Most tell you to keep the animals off for atleast 24 hours. Since things change year to year, just read carefully whatever product you are thinking about using and then maybe doing a web search to see if you come up with any bad info on it. Good luck.

JeanieK · 03-20-2006, 02:36 PM

Read on the instructions. I believe for the liquid weed killers, they reccommend 24 hours.

livingdustmops · 03-20-2006, 02:36 PM

You have been missing in action - Glad to see you post.

Hopefully someone can come up with something as I bought one the was suppose to be safe to kill the weeds and it was a corn meal blend. Well let me tell you - one bird landed and got on his cellphone and within 20 minutes I had over 300 birds in my backyard eating the expensive weed killer that wouldn't kill my little ones. The only thing I could do was let the gang out to drive away the birds because the birds were pooping on everything. The next year I decided to kill my grass by not watering it (this is my backyard) with a 6 foot stucco fence and guess what the grass died but the weeds continued to grow.....This year I am going to dig off 2 inches of all the top soil and then bring in new sod...if this doesn't work then I will live with green weeds

romeos mommy · 03-20-2006, 02:41 PM

weed killer is toxic to you , your pet and the environment. even if the bottle says it's safe after awhile i still don't trust it. weed killer is poison. my yorkie baby likes to roll and play all over my yard in the suburbs. i pull them by hand. yup. it sounds crazy, but i know my yard is safe. i have over an acre with a ton of beds and i hand weed. it is actually relaxing. please be safe. don't use chemicals in or outside your home.

klogan · 03-20-2006, 02:46 PM

I've been told to wait until it is hot outside, it weed killer will not be toxic within a few days. I'm not sure if that is true or not.

fasteddie · 03-20-2006, 03:14 PM

Sup, my homey Otis! Word up, Yoda says! Mad props for gettin' the rents to getcha yer OWN yard! Yay!

Looks like 48 hours is a good amount of time to let dogs back in the yard after spraying the area for regular weed killer. There's also organic weed killer which says 30 minutes or you can try vinegar or hot water. But of course I'd like double or triple the time they say, just to be safe... Here's some stuff I found.

-----
Q: When is it safe for children, pets, and horses to enter the treated area?

A: If this product is applied to crops listed on the label on farms or sod farms and in forests, the restricted-entry interval is 48 hours. See the Agricultural Use Requirements on the container label for specific requirements regarding early entry into treated areas. For livestock re-entry, hold animals out until the spray has dried. For lawn and turfgrass applications, hold people and pets out of the treated areas until the spray has dried.

http://www.pbigordon.com/faqs/lv400.htm
-----
DEADEYE Organic Weed Killer works by dehydrating the weed or grass, burning it from the top down. Results in the form of browning and wilting, are visible within an hour in full-sun applications. It is safe for children and pets to enter the treated area as soon as the product has dried, usually within thirty minutes.

http://eco-safety.com/eco-safety/deadeye.htm
-----
Another user suggested using boiling water to kill weeds. While it does work, it's also costly in energy use & can take a lot of going back & forth to the stove to do a good job.

Vinegar makes a great weed killer. It has to be used properly to do the job but that's true of almost anything. And it is very safe - endorsed by organic gardeners & used by railway companies to kill vegetation along rail lines that would cover tracks.

Ordinary strength vinegar (5-6% acetic acid) is used. To a gallon of vinegar, one would add a 1/2 tsp of dish detergent to act as a surfactant so the vinegar would penetrate the soil well & move down the root. Put the vinegar into a large squeeze bottle (for a small job). For larger jobs, use a garden sprayer that will deliver a thin stream instead of a wide spray.

You need to trim off leaves of weeds that cover the root (like dandelions, plantain, & other low growing weeds) but if the leaves aren't in the way, don't worry. Just make sure you aim the vinegar stream down to the ground & just around the root. It will penetrate & the weed will die in a day or two. If you spray it around, the grass or other plants will die too. It's best not to use in a mixed bed where you don't want to harm other plants.

The vinegar kills the weeds by disrupting the normal pH around the root but is quickly washed out after a rain or if one waters the lawn well. After a rain or two, one can reseed the bare patches with no harm. Pets & children will not be harmed by using vinegar & likely would stay away from the spots 'cause of the vinegary smell. Railway companies use a MUCH stronger concentration - 20% solution but at that strength, it can be dangerous to handle so don't try looking for a stronger concentration.

One more important thing - do this on a SUNNY HOT day for best effects. If you try it during cool or wet weather, your results will be poor. It needs a few days of hot weather to do the best job.

http://www.whynot.net/view_idea?id=2137
-----
Q: Could you please recommend a weed killer that is safe to use where children and pets play?

– Sara, Iowa City, Iowa

A: Roger Cook replies: I can't recommend a specific product, but I do have some suggestions for you so you don't have to use a large amount of weed killer. Remember that the stronger your lawn is, the fewer weeds you'll have to deal with in the first place. Fertilizing properly, adding lime to control acidity, mowing to the correct height, and watering and aerating regularly will all promote a stronger lawn. Pruning or removing trees to promote more sunlight is also important.

If you are going to use a weed control, talk to your local garden center. Find someone knowledgeable about weed control chemicals and have him or her go over the label with you. With a granular formula, the whole yard is covered. To cut down on the amount of weed killer you will need, consider a liquid instead. You can put it into a small sprayer and walk the yard with it, spraying only the areas that need it. Whether you use a granular or liquid formula, always wear protective clothing and rubber boots when you do the application, carefully follow the directions on the container, and keep children and pets off the treated area for 48 hours.

Keep in mind that a few weeds won't ruin your lawn. We all have a picture in our minds of the "perfect" lawn. I think we should redefine the "perfect" lawn as a lawn that is useable and chemical-free, where we use as little fertilizer and water as possible to achieve this "new" look.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tvpr...213215,00.html
-----
On weekend mornings in the summer my two dogs and I often awake to a symphony of lawnmowers, weedwhackers, and roto-tillers. People hard at work in their yards and gardens now will soon enjoy delicious tomatoes, beautiful blooming gardens, and deep-green lawns.

Just last weekend my parents came by to help me in my garden. And along with several garden tools, my Dad brought the weed killer. My Mom and I shared a knowing glance. With my two dogs, who begrudgingly share their backyard space with a vegetable garden in summertime, it can be hazardous to use weed killers and fertilizers. Or so I thought. So we used elbow grease instead of herbicides to battle the dandelions.

However, for pet owners who want to spruce up their yards and prefer to use lawn care products, reading the label and using the products properly is the key to keeping pets safe. According to Dr. Petra Volmer, veterinarian and toxicologist at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana, problems usually arise only when people apply lawn care products incorrectly or when a pet is accidentally sprayed or allowed on a freshly
sprayed lawn too soon.

Most lawn care products fall into three categories: fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides. "If you use these products correctly and read the label, most really do not cause a problem," says Dr. Volmer. "In general, most residential-use products have low toxicity."

But everybody makes mistakes. According to Dr. Volmer, it isn't unheard of for a person to grab a bottle of herbicide instead of the flea spray and accidentally douse the cat. "With these yard products, any direct exposure can be a problem," says Dr. Volmer. "If you find your pet rolling or walking in a recently sprayed area or spray him by accident, immediately wash the substance off with a mild dish soap, such as Dawn, and contact a veterinarian."

Dr. Volmer notes that insecticides tend to be more toxic to pets than herbicides or fertilizers. "There are a few insecticides for use in the garden, especially those for roses and molluscicides for snails, that can be very toxic. People need to be especially careful with these products around animals."

Your pets will thank you for following instructions and using common sense with lawn care products. So, put your animal in a safe place, away from the area of application. Store all fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides where pets cannot gain access. Keep all products in the original container and make sure the label is intact and readable before using. Then, always read the label and follow directions exactly. And finally, make sure a treated lawn is
completely dry after waiting the maximum period recommended on the label. To be extra safe, consider watering down the lawn after application and letting it dry before allowing pets into the area.

If you notice your dog or cat acting strangely, stumbling, salivating, vomiting, or having seizures and especially if you have recently applied a lawn care product, call your veterinarian or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) National Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-4 ANI-HELP) immediately. Don't forget to have the product in hand so you can tell a veterinarian what chemical your pet may have
been exposed to.

For the latest information and advice about the pet-friendliness of specific lawn care products and less toxic alternatives, consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center.

http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/s...icle.cfm?id=25

Junebug · 03-20-2006, 03:26 PM

Thanks for the wealth of information, FastEddie! That must have taken a lot of time to pull up all that info. Hopefully others will find it as helpful as I have.

The EcoSafety product sounds like my best bet. The area where the weeds are isn't an area that Otis likes to roam around too much anyway, so thank God for that.

The vinegar solution sounds okay, but it's going to take A LOT OF VINEGAR to kill all these weeds. Somene's going to think our house is a pickling factory!

Either way, both products recommend warm weather. I'm going to have to wait because it's pouring here!

Thanks again, FastEddie, for your help! XOXO to Yoda for us.

HerbertT · 10-19-2020, 10:38 PM

You can take special pet safe weed killers from time to time and use them. Only, the main thing is to look at the composition, in which vinegar and other non-hazardous substances should be the main ingredient, and this remedy should be properly diluted with water. For example, weed killers which isn't dangerous for pet https://grass-killer.com/reviews/bes...-weed-killers/.

Juliealfies mum · 10-22-2020, 02:06 AM

If it’s a big area and you don’t mind waiting your can out an old carpet or tarpaulin down over it and the lack of sunlight etc will kill the weeds.
You also use a salt solution .

Jkpal · 10-24-2020, 11:15 AM

Pour boiling hot water on the weeds; might take a day or two to notice, but it'll knock 'em out. Even though they assure me it's perfectly safe for pets, I do not permit lawn service to come near Piper's fenced part of yard. Just not worth risking it.

4doggiemama · 10-25-2020, 04:18 PM

I have not had too much success with cooking vinegar, but horticultural vinegar is amazing. Usually I buy 20% but this last time I accidentally bought 40%. Takes a few hours and I can see results. It will kill grass, too, so be careful. I use a plastic jar and a small brush. (Don’t use a metal lid. The vinegar eats it up in no time.). Also wear gloves because it will peel your skin. I found that out the hard way.

03-20-2006, 02:19 PM	#1
Junebug *Moderator Emeritus* Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,149	Pet-Safe Weed Killer..Anyone know of one? Hi everyone! I haven't posted for a while, but I know how helpful you all can be. We just bought a house and, of course, moving to the suburbs from the city, I don't know much about yardwork. What is a good safe brand for killing weeds that won't harm pets? Thanks.

03-20-2006, 02:36 PM	#4
livingdustmops Princess Poop A Lot Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,728	You have been missing in action - Glad to see you post. Hopefully someone can come up with something as I bought one the was suppose to be safe to kill the weeds and it was a corn meal blend. Well let me tell you - one bird landed and got on his cellphone and within 20 minutes I had over 300 birds in my backyard eating the expensive weed killer that wouldn't kill my little ones. The only thing I could do was let the gang out to drive away the birds because the birds were pooping on everything. The next year I decided to kill my grass by not watering it (this is my backyard) with a 6 foot stucco fence and guess what the grass died but the weeds continued to grow.....This year I am going to dig off 2 inches of all the top soil and then bring in new sod...if this doesn't work then I will live with green weeds __________________ Cindy & The Rescued Gang Puppies Are Not Products!

03-20-2006, 02:46 PM	#6
klogan YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 661	I've been told to wait until it is hot outside, it weed killer will not be toxic within a few days. I'm not sure if that is true or not. __________________ Kimberly & Stomper

03-20-2006, 03:14 PM	#7
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	Sup, my homey Otis! Word up, Yoda says! Mad props for gettin' the rents to getcha yer OWN yard! Yay! Looks like 48 hours is a good amount of time to let dogs back in the yard after spraying the area for regular weed killer. There's also organic weed killer which says 30 minutes or you can try vinegar or hot water. But of course I'd like double or triple the time they say, just to be safe... Here's some stuff I found. ----- Q: When is it safe for children, pets, and horses to enter the treated area? A: If this product is applied to crops listed on the label on farms or sod farms and in forests, the restricted-entry interval is 48 hours. See the Agricultural Use Requirements on the container label for specific requirements regarding early entry into treated areas. For livestock re-entry, hold animals out until the spray has dried. For lawn and turfgrass applications, hold people and pets out of the treated areas until the spray has dried. http://www.pbigordon.com/faqs/lv400.htm ----- DEADEYE Organic Weed Killer works by dehydrating the weed or grass, burning it from the top down. Results in the form of browning and wilting, are visible within an hour in full-sun applications. It is safe for children and pets to enter the treated area as soon as the product has dried, usually within thirty minutes. http://eco-safety.com/eco-safety/deadeye.htm ----- Another user suggested using boiling water to kill weeds. While it does work, it's also costly in energy use & can take a lot of going back & forth to the stove to do a good job. Vinegar makes a great weed killer. It has to be used properly to do the job but that's true of almost anything. And it is very safe - endorsed by organic gardeners & used by railway companies to kill vegetation along rail lines that would cover tracks. Ordinary strength vinegar (5-6% acetic acid) is used. To a gallon of vinegar, one would add a 1/2 tsp of dish detergent to act as a surfactant so the vinegar would penetrate the soil well & move down the root. Put the vinegar into a large squeeze bottle (for a small job). For larger jobs, use a garden sprayer that will deliver a thin stream instead of a wide spray. You need to trim off leaves of weeds that cover the root (like dandelions, plantain, & other low growing weeds) but if the leaves aren't in the way, don't worry. Just make sure you aim the vinegar stream down to the ground & just around the root. It will penetrate & the weed will die in a day or two. If you spray it around, the grass or other plants will die too. It's best not to use in a mixed bed where you don't want to harm other plants. The vinegar kills the weeds by disrupting the normal pH around the root but is quickly washed out after a rain or if one waters the lawn well. After a rain or two, one can reseed the bare patches with no harm. Pets & children will not be harmed by using vinegar & likely would stay away from the spots 'cause of the vinegary smell. Railway companies use a MUCH stronger concentration - 20% solution but at that strength, it can be dangerous to handle so don't try looking for a stronger concentration. One more important thing - do this on a SUNNY HOT day for best effects. If you try it during cool or wet weather, your results will be poor. It needs a few days of hot weather to do the best job. http://www.whynot.net/view_idea?id=2137 ----- Q: Could you please recommend a weed killer that is safe to use where children and pets play? – Sara, Iowa City, Iowa A: Roger Cook replies: I can't recommend a specific product, but I do have some suggestions for you so you don't have to use a large amount of weed killer. Remember that the stronger your lawn is, the fewer weeds you'll have to deal with in the first place. Fertilizing properly, adding lime to control acidity, mowing to the correct height, and watering and aerating regularly will all promote a stronger lawn. Pruning or removing trees to promote more sunlight is also important. If you are going to use a weed control, talk to your local garden center. Find someone knowledgeable about weed control chemicals and have him or her go over the label with you. With a granular formula, the whole yard is covered. To cut down on the amount of weed killer you will need, consider a liquid instead. You can put it into a small sprayer and walk the yard with it, spraying only the areas that need it. Whether you use a granular or liquid formula, always wear protective clothing and rubber boots when you do the application, carefully follow the directions on the container, and keep children and pets off the treated area for 48 hours. Keep in mind that a few weeds won't ruin your lawn. We all have a picture in our minds of the "perfect" lawn. I think we should redefine the "perfect" lawn as a lawn that is useable and chemical-free, where we use as little fertilizer and water as possible to achieve this "new" look. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tvpr...213215,00.html ----- On weekend mornings in the summer my two dogs and I often awake to a symphony of lawnmowers, weedwhackers, and roto-tillers. People hard at work in their yards and gardens now will soon enjoy delicious tomatoes, beautiful blooming gardens, and deep-green lawns. Just last weekend my parents came by to help me in my garden. And along with several garden tools, my Dad brought the weed killer. My Mom and I shared a knowing glance. With my two dogs, who begrudgingly share their backyard space with a vegetable garden in summertime, it can be hazardous to use weed killers and fertilizers. Or so I thought. So we used elbow grease instead of herbicides to battle the dandelions. However, for pet owners who want to spruce up their yards and prefer to use lawn care products, reading the label and using the products properly is the key to keeping pets safe. According to Dr. Petra Volmer, veterinarian and toxicologist at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana, problems usually arise only when people apply lawn care products incorrectly or when a pet is accidentally sprayed or allowed on a freshly sprayed lawn too soon. Most lawn care products fall into three categories: fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides. "If you use these products correctly and read the label, most really do not cause a problem," says Dr. Volmer. "In general, most residential-use products have low toxicity." But everybody makes mistakes. According to Dr. Volmer, it isn't unheard of for a person to grab a bottle of herbicide instead of the flea spray and accidentally douse the cat. "With these yard products, any direct exposure can be a problem," says Dr. Volmer. "If you find your pet rolling or walking in a recently sprayed area or spray him by accident, immediately wash the substance off with a mild dish soap, such as Dawn, and contact a veterinarian." Dr. Volmer notes that insecticides tend to be more toxic to pets than herbicides or fertilizers. "There are a few insecticides for use in the garden, especially those for roses and molluscicides for snails, that can be very toxic. People need to be especially careful with these products around animals." Your pets will thank you for following instructions and using common sense with lawn care products. So, put your animal in a safe place, away from the area of application. Store all fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides where pets cannot gain access. Keep all products in the original container and make sure the label is intact and readable before using. Then, always read the label and follow directions exactly. And finally, make sure a treated lawn is completely dry after waiting the maximum period recommended on the label. To be extra safe, consider watering down the lawn after application and letting it dry before allowing pets into the area. If you notice your dog or cat acting strangely, stumbling, salivating, vomiting, or having seizures and especially if you have recently applied a lawn care product, call your veterinarian or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) National Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-4 ANI-HELP) immediately. Don't forget to have the product in hand so you can tell a veterinarian what chemical your pet may have been exposed to. For the latest information and advice about the pet-friendliness of specific lawn care products and less toxic alternatives, consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center. http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/s...icle.cfm?id=25 __________________ YODA & WINKY R ::: RIP Winky ::: RIP Yoda!

10-19-2020, 10:38 PM	#9
HerbertT YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Miami Posts: 1	pet safe weed killers You can take special pet safe weed killers from time to time and use them. Only, the main thing is to look at the composition, in which vinegar and other non-hazardous substances should be the main ingredient, and this remedy should be properly diluted with water. For example, weed killers which isn't dangerous for pet https://grass-killer.com/reviews/bes...-weed-killers/.

03-20-2006, 02:36 PM	#3
JeanieK Donating YT 12K Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Council Bluffs Iowa Posts: 12,552	Read on the instructions. I believe for the liquid weed killers, they reccommend 24 hours.

03-20-2006, 02:41 PM	#5
romeos mommy YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Pennsauken , NJ Posts: 4,068	weed killer is toxic to you , your pet and the environment. even if the bottle says it's safe after awhile i still don't trust it. weed killer is poison. my yorkie baby likes to roll and play all over my yard in the suburbs. i pull them by hand. yup. it sounds crazy, but i know my yard is safe. i have over an acre with a ton of beds and i hand weed. it is actually relaxing. please be safe. don't use chemicals in or outside your home.

03-20-2006, 03:26 PM	#8
Junebug *Moderator Emeritus* Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,149	Thanks for the wealth of information, FastEddie! That must have taken a lot of time to pull up all that info. Hopefully others will find it as helpful as I have. The EcoSafety product sounds like my best bet. The area where the weeds are isn't an area that Otis likes to roam around too much anyway, so thank God for that. The vinegar solution sounds okay, but it's going to take A LOT OF VINEGAR to kill all these weeds. Somene's going to think our house is a pickling factory! Either way, both products recommend warm weather. I'm going to have to wait because it's pouring here! Thanks again, FastEddie, for your help! XOXO to Yoda for us.

10-22-2020, 02:06 AM	#10
Juliealfies mum YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: scotland Posts: 2,224	If it’s a big area and you don’t mind waiting your can out an old carpet or tarpaulin down over it and the lack of sunlight etc will kill the weeds. You also use a salt solution . __________________ From Julie Alfie & Lottie

10-24-2020, 11:15 AM	#11
Jkpal YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Lake Geneva, WI Posts: 2,776	Pour boiling hot water on the weeds; might take a day or two to notice, but it'll knock 'em out. Even though they assure me it's perfectly safe for pets, I do not permit lawn service to come near Piper's fenced part of yard. Just not worth risking it.

10-25-2020, 04:18 PM	#12
4doggiemama Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: KS Posts: 3,289	I have not had too much success with cooking vinegar, but horticultural vinegar is amazing. Usually I buy 20% but this last time I accidentally bought 40%. Takes a few hours and I can see results. It will kill grass, too, so be careful. I use a plastic jar and a small brush. (Don’t use a metal lid. The vinegar eats it up in no time.). Also wear gloves because it will peel your skin. I found that out the hard way.