Clean It Up

UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mike Halliday on December 24, 2014, 08:55:31 am

Title: Steam weedkilling
Post by: Mike Halliday on December 24, 2014, 08:55:31 am
Bit of a strange question but had anyone tried killing weeds on drive and paths with steam from a hotbox type machine.

I have killed grass where my hot solution line has trailed across the lawn while cleaning.

This got me thinking about offering 'environmentally & pet safe' weed killing using steam, I often get asked about how safe the weedkiller is for pets and I think chemical free weed killing would be very popular.

Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: Smudger on December 24, 2014, 09:04:06 am
I think steam will only kill off the leaves and stem above ground, I doubt it would penetrate enough to frazzle to roots.  Nice idea tho...

Darran
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: Jettaway on December 24, 2014, 01:14:41 pm
It doesn't kill them Mike, just burns them. I have burnt grass (luckily my own) with hot pressure hose but it grows back in no time.
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: chris scott on December 24, 2014, 01:25:31 pm
Vinegar ...will kill most plants/weeds. Mix with fairy liquid to make it stick to the leaves (wetting agent).
Glyphosate mixed correctly is safe around pets etc and is rapidly Bio-degradable.
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: Kev Martin on December 27, 2014, 03:13:08 pm
Vinegar ...will kill most plants/weeds. Mix with fairy liquid to make it stick to the leaves (wetting agent).
Glyphosate mixed correctly is safe around pets etc and is rapidly Bio-degradable.

Any idea if it will do any harm to a (Human?) if Acetic Acid and Fairy Liquid is given intravenously??? ;D ;D
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: BDCS on December 27, 2014, 07:06:09 pm
I looked in a medical dictionary and the prognosis is 2-3 months in hospital washing dishes but at least its kind to the hands  ;D
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: Kev Martin on December 27, 2014, 08:40:01 pm
I looked in a medical dictionary and the prognosis is 2-3 months in hospital washing dishes but at least its kind to the hands  ;D

Nice thought that 2-3 months of peace ??? :D
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: BDCS on December 28, 2014, 04:07:35 pm
Knowing my luck there would be a short cross dressing fruit loop with a large plastic item stuck in a dark place in the next bed door.
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: Darranvps on December 31, 2014, 08:23:48 am
There is a machine that claims to do weed killing

Meclean - who make different types of Pressure Washers - extras such as Steam Plus and Weed Plus which claims to be an environmentally friendly way to kill weeds down to the roots.

I have a PDF file - email me and I will send you a copy
Title: Re: Steam weedkilling
Post by: C o z y on December 31, 2014, 02:40:37 pm
Vinegar ...will kill most plants/weeds. Mix with fairy liquid to make it stick to the leaves (wetting agent).
Glyphosate mixed correctly is safe around pets etc and is rapidly Bio-degradable.

I did that, and the vinegar makes the ground acidic, so encourages weed growth. They came back even stronger  :( Calcium spread into the ground makes the soil alkaline, and is less ideal for weeds.
Believe me, I'm an expert, because I watched a gardening programme on BBC 3 once  8)





 ;D