Thinking Of Pressure Washing Weeds From Sidewalk Cracks? Read This First

While weeds are a common, albeit unwanted, sight in the garden, they are relatively easy to access and remove. Things get complicated when weeds start growing in your sidewalk cracks or between the pavers of your walkway. It is a very labor-intensive task to get rid of these manually. To speed up the process, you might be tempted to use a pressure washer to blast away the weeds. While this might seem like a good idea, you are going to want to read this first.

There are numerous different things around your property that you should avoid cleaning with a pressure washer. The weeds growing in your sidewalk or walkway are one of them. To be sure, the pressure washer will absolutely demolish the weeds on your sidewalk. That is without question. However, this only deals with the surface of the problem.

The thing about all types of common weeds is that they develop deep, complex root systems underground. This means that, while the catharsis of shredding the weeds to pieces with the jet shooting from the pressure washer might be fun, the truth is that you are more than likely going to reappear in a few days or weeks. This is because the pressure washer, quite literally, doesn't get to the root of the problem. It merely scratches the surface.

It is well worth noting that you might actually be doing more damage than you expect to your walkway or sidewalk by pressure washing it. Remember, the pressure washer uses a powerful, pressurized jet of water to clean things. Used on the walkway, it can easily remove mortar from your slabs or stones. This causes damage, weakening the slabs to the point where they might lift and warp, which can cause more damage to your hardscape and be really costly to repair.

To get to the root of your weed problem, there are other ways you can keep weeds from growing between cracks. There is always the arduous task of manual removal. However, a great alternative to this and the pressure washer is the flame weeder. These utilize heat to destroy the weeds' leaves, killing their cellular structure so that they can no longer take in energy, which then causes them to die. However, as with anything fire-related, ensure to be very careful with this option. Keep a fire extinguisher handy and confirm with your local fire department if this weeder is permitted in your area.

If you cannot get your hands on a flame weeder, another option is to use herbicides. You can use chemical herbicides, but there are also more natural options like baking soda and vinegar solutions. The herbicides will reach into the root system and kill off the plant entirely. Depending on how pervasive your problem is, you might want to call in a professional lawn care or weed removal company. If it's just a few weeds here and there, you can absolutely remove those yourself.