Killing Mushrooms with Vinegar in 5 Easy Steps

So you’ve got mushrooms scattered throughout your lawn and you’re wondering if killing mushrooms with vinegar actually works. Like many people who ended up here, you probably googled how to kill mushrooms with vinegar in attempts to solve your mushroom problem. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. 

In a previous blog post we mentioned how to get rid of mushrooms in your backyard, but today we’re going to show you how to get rid of mushrooms on your lawn using vinegar as a more natural remedy for this pesky situation.

For more home remedies on killing mushrooms, don’t forget to check out our other posts:

• Killing Mushrooms with Baking Soda in 5 Easy Steps
• Killing Mushrooms with Bleach in 5 Easy Steps
• Killing Mushrooms with Dish Soap in 5 Easy Steps

Can I Use Vinegar to Kill Mushrooms?

You can absolutely use vinegar to kill mushrooms due to the acetic acid within vinegar.

The reason vinegar is often recommended and talked about in reference to getting rid of and killing mushrooms is because it’s touted as being a natural fungicide and herbicide. 

The theory here is that the acetic acid within vinegar works to kill mushrooms and stop them from returning again in the future. With that being said however, not all vinegar is created equal, and your typical over the counter vinegar used on salads and in dishes won’t do the trick.

Killing Mushrooms with Vinegar Step by Step

Before you grab bottles of vinegar and start dumping it on every mushroom in sight, It’s important to note that not any ol vinegar in your cupboard will do the trick. 

You’ll need to make sure the vinegar being used is of high enough concentration to actually be effective. Don’t worry though, we’ll cover exactly which type you need to use in the next section of this blog post.

In the meantime, here are the five quick and easy steps that you can use to kill mushrooms with vinegar:

Step One

• Make sure to wear safety gloves and eye protection before starting. Vinegar concentrate can cause severe burns to skin and cause eye damage without proper use.

Step Two

• Depending on the concentration level of the vinegar, you’ll need to dilute it with about 4 parts water to one part vinegar.

Step Three

• Transfer the vinegar solution into a spray bottle of your choosing. You can use a funnel to make the transfer process easier.

Step Four

• Standing about four to six inches away from the mushrooms, spray a healthy amount of vinegar onto the mushrooms. Try to do this on a day that’s not windy as the vinegar could blow back on you.

Step Five

• Monitor the areas you’ve sprayed to see how it’s affected not only the mushrooms there, but also the grounds surrounding them.
  
  If you notice it works well with minimal to no damage to the surrounding grass and plants, proceed with spraying the remaining mushrooms. 

What Type of Vinegar Should I Use to Kill Mushrooms?

When it comes down to deciding which vinegar is right for the job, most people would probably resort to the common white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar available at your local supermarkets and grocery stores. 

While these vinegar’s are probably the kind you already have access to at home, these may not work too well in taking care of your mushroom problems.

The main reason you probably won’t have much success with these types of vinegar is because they are heavily diluted and contain pH levels that are far too low to have lasting effects in killing the fungi. 

The vast majority of vinegar that you buy from the store is heavily diluted and only contains around 4% – 7% or less of actual vinegar, with the rest being water.

In order to have the most success with getting rid of mushrooms in the lawn using vinegar, you’re going to need to choose a vinegar that’s either not diluted at all, or has a strong enough concentration of vinegar where the pH levels are high enough to get the job done.

You’re going to need to use horticultural vinegar, otherwise known as industrial vinegar.

Using Industrial Vinegar to Kill Mushrooms

As we mentioned previously, not all vinegar is made equal, and if the pH levels aren’t high enough, it won’t work to kill the mushrooms effectively. Most household vinegar is around 5% concentration so you’ll want to use a vinegar that is at least 10% or higher when attempting to kill mushrooms with vinegar.

While higher concentrations of vinegar will be more effective, it’s also important to mention that using concentrations that are too high will likely kill your grass as well as damage the soil in that area. 

Just remember that more doesn’t always mean better, and while very high concentrations may work to get the job done, they could have negative repercussions on your lawn and garden.

A popular option that many gardeners and homeowners use for this is Green Gobbler Ultimate, which is a 30% vinegar concentrate often used as a weed killer and natural fungicide. This is an all natural corn based vinegar solution that comes in a 5 gallon pail which gives you a lot of bang for the buck.

Another great option with a spray trigger included is the 30% Vinegar Concentrate by PF Harris. Not only is this safe for the environment and completely natural fungicide, but can also work as a wonderful indoor cleaning solution.

If you’re looking for something even higher concentration than this, you may want to take a look at the 75% Pure Vinegar Concentrate by Belle Chemicals. This solution is no joke, and will certainly kill any mushrooms that dare cross it’s path. A word of caution with this one though, as it’s about 15 times more concentrated than household vinegar and includes multiple scary warning labels on the bottle instructing customers to use with caution.

Regardless of which vinegar solution you choose, make sure to take necessary precautions before using these solutions. By no means should you ever inhale or ingest concentrated vinegar like these as they are deadly. 

Before using these solutions on the mushroom fiends, you’ll likely need to dilute it with 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Make sure to carefully read the instructions for the vinegar concentrate you use.

Additionally any skin contact with concentrated vinegar can cause severe skin burns and eye damage. Before using these products, make sure to wear protective work gloves as well as eye goggles to protect your hands and eyes while mixing and spraying these solutions. 

How Long Does It Take to Kill Mushrooms With Vinegar?

In general you can expect it to take three to four days for vinegar to kill mushrooms. This time period will vary of course, but three to four days seems to be the agreed upon consensus when it comes down to it.

This time span is highly dependent upon the type of vinegar that you decide to use and the pH levels/concentration levels of the vinegar. Using lower concentrations of vinegar for instance may make things take longer, or worse not even kill the mushrooms at all. 

Higher vinegar concentrations on the other hand will likely kill the mushrooms anywhere from a few hours to a day or so.

No matter what level of concentration used, it’s best to monitor the areas where you’ve applied the vinegar to see what the outcome is, and if you need to either add more vinegar or possibly dilute the vinegar a bit.

Conclusion

Killing mushrooms with vinegar is a pretty quick and easy process. It’s much safer, better,  and more environmentally friendly than using toxic weed killers like Roundup and other commercial brands.

When using vinegar to kill mushrooms, just remember to take the proper precautions to protect yourself in the process. You’ll also want to test out the different vinegar concentrations to see how they react with your yard and surrounding areas before spraying it across your property.