Weeds on gravel and patios come in many different species. There are grassy weeds like henbit and purslane, and woody weeds such as broadleaf or dandelions – all of which have zero issues with sprouting up in masses. However, the worst part isn’t just trying to remove them, it’s acting fast enough that they don’t suddenly take over.

Tackling weeds in your gravel driveway or patio surfaces doesn’t mean you must resort to toxic chemicals that might spoil your garden or harm pets. One of the most commonly natural methods suggested to remove gravel weeds is to use white vinegar.

While vinegar “may well kill some small weeds”, if the goal is to get rid of them forever then “vinegar will not work”, according to Chelsey, a gardening expert at Good Grow, reports the Express. She explained that vinegar “simply burns away the visible part of the weed”, and while it may look dead and act dead, the roots are still intact and will regrow.

If gardeners want to use a homemade weed killer on their driveway or patios, then “rock salt is the way to go”. Although table salt can be used as a weed killer, if your driveway is home to a lot of weeds that you want gone for good then you’re going to have to use rock salt. It’s the “fastest way to kill weeds on your drive forever”.

Gardening experts at Joe’s Lawn Care also agree with using rich salt to kill gravel weeds. They said: “Rock salt is actually a super-effective and totally natural weed killer that is ace at clearing a gravel driveway.”

Simply scatter some rock salt around any visible weeds and then sit back and “watch as the salt kills the weeds in just a matter of days”. They claimed that “it’s almost unbelievable”.

The experts added that using rock salt provides “long-term results” so it should not be used in areas of the garden where you want to plant flowers or grow crops.

They explained: “The salt will gradually seep into the ground where it was sprinkled, preventing any weeds (or plants) from being able to grow there for a while.”

“Now that may sound absolutely perfect for your gravel driveway situation, but just make sure you are conservative with the amount you sprinkle and where you sprinkle it.