While working on cars, there are always a lot of automotive chemicals that you will need to dispose of when changing fluids. Brake fluid is a common fluid that is commonly changed and thrown away. But instead of just throwing it away, did you know there are a few other uses for it?

When it comes to weeds, plants, and grass, brake fluid is one of the most toxic automotive fluids around. Brake fluid will definitely kill weeds if they are exposed to it, along with any other grasses or plants in the area.

In one study, brake fluid was considered to be the most toxic to plant life when compared to automatic transmission fluid and antifreeze, also known as coolant. If you don’t have any weed killer available, using brake fluid is a great alternative.
What does brake fluid do to grass/weeds?

In the study shown above, brake fluid is one of the worst chemicals you could put on your plants or lawn. Once the grass or weeds are exposed to brake fluid they should be completely dead in about 4 days. The grass or weeds will slowly turn into something web-like like rope, leaving them dead.

This is mainly due to the toxicity of the brake fluid. Unlike other chemicals like coolant or transmission fluid, brake fluid actually kills plants on exposure. Some other chemicals will cause growth retardation, but they won’t always kill.

Exposing grass or weeds to brake fluid is a surefire way to get rid of them. Just let him know that you won’t be able to grow any form of plant life in that area once it’s exposed to brake fluid. The toxicity left behind by brake fluid can make it impossible for you to have plant life for weeks.
How to use brake fluid to kill weeds

If you are going to use brake fluid to kill weeds, we recommend that you do so in a controlled area. Many people will use their brake fluid to kill weeds between the cement cracks in their driveway, porch, and backyard flagstones.

Simply pour a small amount of brake fluid along the cracks where weeds are present. you won’t need to supersaturate the area, just make sure it’s exposed to it, much like you would water the weeds, except you’re using brake fluid.

We do not recommend using brake fluid to kill weeds among flowers or grass that you do not want to damage. Pouring brake fluid on the ground where there are flowers or grass along with the weeds will likely cause a small area of the ground to become contaminated and nothing will be able to grow.
How long does it take for brake fluid to kill weeds?

It will take about 4 days on average for the brake fluid to fully kill the weeds. We recommend putting some brake fluid on the weeds every day for 4 days to ensure the weeds are completely killed.

If you notice that the weeds start to grow again in a few weeks, simply repeat the process of putting brake fluid on them for about 4 days. We do not recommend using brake fluid as a primary source of lawn or herbicide due to its toxicity to the surrounding soil.

In the long run, it is always better to use some type of herbicide that is specifically designed to kill weeds or grass.
What liquid kills weeds permanently?

There are quite a few weed-killing fluids out there, but unfortunately there is no fluid that will permanently kill weeds. Any type of herbicide or liquid used to kill weeds will eventually start to wear off and the weeds will start to grow again.

Here are some other fluids besides brake fluid that will kill weeds:

Bleach
Vinegar mixed with dish soap
Epsom salt mixed with dish soap
Herbicide

Eliminating weeds permanently is not possible, but controlling and preventing their growth is. Using preventative measures, such as creating landscape cloth or mulching flower beds and around plants, will help reduce the chances of weed growth.

Both mulch and garden cloth help reduce the amount of sunlight exposed areas of the soil can receive, which will effectively limit the growth of potential weeds in and around your garden.

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