Mixing up a batch of DIY natural weed killer—using the popular framework of white distilled vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and table salt—is a highly effective way to clear out unwanted driveway vegetation. But unless you have a massive property, you will almost always end up with extra liquid sitting at the bottom of your garden pump sprayer or mixing bucket.

Naturally, you want to set it aside for the next wave of weeds. This leads directly to an important household logistics question: Can I store the leftover weed killer mixture in my garage?

The cultural shift away from traditional, synthetic chemical herbicides has led millions of homeowners to look for safer alternatives in their own kitchens. If you pull up any gardening blog or social media platform, you will find a viral, widely recommended recipe for an eco-friendly weed killer: a simple mixture of white distilled vinegar, liquid dish soap (usually blue Dawn), and table salt.

Because these ingredients are common household staples, it is easy to assume they are completely harmless to our furry family members. However, as responsible pet owners, you must ask the critical follow-up question before spraying your entire yard: Is this homemade weed killer safe for dogs and cats?

If you are looking for an alternative to traditional, synthetic chemical herbicides, you have almost certainly stumbled upon the internet’s absolute favorite yard remedy: a mixture of white vinegar, Dawn dish soap, and sometimes table salt.

Proponents across social media platforms praise it as a miracle cure—a non-toxic, cheap, and instantaneous solution to clear weeds from driveways, garden beds, and sidewalk cracks.