Will OxiClean Kill Grass?

Cleaning up patio furniture and getting the grime off of your siding can be hard to do without splashing a little bit of the detergent and water onto your lawn. Maybe a bucket spilled in the process and now you’re wondering, “Will OxiClean kill grass?” and how you might be able to save your lawn. Or perhaps you have an abundance of OxiClean and wonder if it could be used as an impromptu herbicide. Either way, you should find your answers below.

Will OxiClean Kill Grass?

OxiClean is unlikely to kill grass, even in the event of a highly concentrated spill. In the recommended dilution for cleaning outdoor furniture or fixtures, OxiClean may cause slight yellowing of plant leaves if no clean-up efforts are made. Dilution with water is often the best clean-up approach.

OxiClean brand products that are in spray or stick form often do not follow this original formula and may contain additives such as surfactants and detergents that will harm plants. However, none of their top formulations should cause immediate harm and all are safe to dilute with water. If the dilution is performed quickly, it is still unlikely that your lawn or garden with come to any harm.

Related Article: What Kills Grass? A Comprehensive Guide

What Will an OxiClean Spill Do to Your Lawn?

OxiClean is far from the worst thing you could spill on your lawn, but it can have a noticeable effect if spilled in a large enough quantity. Most OxiClean products rely on sodium percarbonate to clean whatever it is applied to.

This substance, when introduced to water or moisture, can quickly break down into a small amount of sodium, carbonate, and hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide then takes a little more time to break down into oxygen and water. In such small quantities, these substances are more likely to provide a small benefit to your lawn by reducing spores that may threaten the health of your lawn than they are to cause any harm.

Still, diluting any OxiClean spills will help prevent the slight yellow tint grass and foliage may adopt after direct exposure to concentrated OxiClean or sodium percarbonate. If your lawn does develop a yellow patch, it is not dying and should recover shortly. Extra water and attention may help it recover faster.

Does Oxiclean Kill Grass and Weeds?

In the unlikely event that an entire tub of OxiClean is spilled directly on a patch of grass and allowed to sit there until it breaks down, yes, the OxiClean may kill this patch of grass. If it rains or if the OxiClean is otherwise diluted within a day, the patch of lawn or weeds is likely to be spared. It is unlikely that OxiClean will harm grass and it is an ineffective off-label herbicide.

Is OxiClean a Good Pesticide?

The primary active ingredient in OxiClean is sodium percarbonate. This substance is a registered pesticide for use in killing moss, algae, and spores on lawns, gardens, and ornamental plants. Sodium percarbonate is an effective way to kill these single-celled organisms without causing noticeable or long-standing harm to lawns or plants.

How Do You Get OxiClean Out of Grass?

The best way to get OxiClean out of grass is to vacuum it up with a wet/dry vac or “shop” vacuum. If the OxiClean has come in powder form, a traditional vacuum cleaner could work as well. If no appropriate vacuum is available, attempt to sweep or brush up as much of the OxiClean as possible or spread it over a wide area. Dilute any of the remaining OxiClean with plain water until no bubbles can be seen and there is no audible fizzing.

How to Clean Up an OxiClean Spill on Your Lawn

If OxiClean that has already been diluted has spilled on your lawn, clean up is even simpler. All you need to do is dilute this spill with even more water until no audible fizzing can be heard and there are no visible suds or bubbles. If this is accomplished quickly, you can rest assured in knowing that the OxiClean will not harm your lawn.

Is OxiClean Safe for Outdoor Use?

OxiClean, with the primary active ingredient being sodium percarbonate, is a very safe cleaning agent when it comes to the health of your lawn and garden. This substance is easily diluted if spilled and over time breaks down into a small amount of salt, water, carbonate, and oxygen. OxiClean also has an almost neutral pH with an average pH of 7.2.

There are Few Safer Cleaning Agents to Spill on a Lawn

Sodium percarbonate, the primary active ingredient in a typical tub of OxiClean, has minimal effects on plant life above the single-cell level. This substance is a registered and safe fungicide and breaks down into several safe and common substances in the soil. At most, a highly concentrated spill of OxiClean with no cleanup could lead to some minor yellowing of plant foliage. With a little water, these effects should dissipate in just a few days.