Patio weeds

[Kitkat247]

We have quite old paving at the back and front of our house, that we can't afford to replace for a few years and it covers a large area.
There is sand between the slabs and weeds and chunks of grass grow through it like wildfire. We have a young child both working and I'm partway through a high risk pregnancy, we also have a dog who likes to pad about the garden. So we don't have a lot of time for gardening.
Last year I power washed the slabs, dug out the weeds with a knife and put new sand between them. It's made no difference whatsoever in terms of how quickly the weeds came back.
It looks awful all the time. We clear it and 3/4 weeks later it looks like we haven't touched it. We've also used a weed burner in the past.
Any suggestions on what we can do to clear it easily and/or slow the growth?

They are always going to grow back unless you use a systemic weed killer.

I don’t use weed killer as it affects bees, I’ve just bought a Newman and cole weed brush. It takes two minutes to obliterate them with the wire bristles. Yes they will grow back so will need to be done frequently, but it’s an easy job with this.
Asda also have mini hand weed brushes with metal bristles but that’s a hands and knees job, whereas the long brush saves crawling on the floor.

This type. You can get it cheaper if you Google, I just wanted to show you the type.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handle-Cleaning-Patios-Paving-Driveway/dp/B096Y9JQL3/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=161822273955&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.K5VPVzmJTlk8GvncRAJSpZoq5YwKxe0RogxO5exUDYokY_AkXOjFxv3tK-6ealh2I29AgPYCQT_3pPvlZIUDosmrMQm7NDcqsacT0WtaYsWB46TkyO7ppjq-x5Yxb77mBmCsHkqEFFGTjXZW8Dj4-dMLQ4DD-pi70_cUcQ8ne2-DYVQyg_OpCpD9GbTXG1rFrObEBQTL0_FbVWzocG6LdPIMGaW_BUuhLw238wrbFaD-LZ6v7-km2ZFqaG1dQ5R_0Jur0ORtTQog_KnpdYbkZa7ONI8ng3UXV2e_LzGdvqk.FG2jL8jU2fC8edrTh6VJhjkvVR7hvJN1JFjQpcyeGx4&dib_tag=se&gad_source=1&hvadid=696656921986&hvdev=c&hvexpln=69&hvlocphy=9191445&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=1759097865198419994--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1759097865198419994&hvtargid=kwd-1697002064047&hydadcr=18745_2288355&keywords=newman+and+cole+weed+brush&mcid=efff02b3cf8b3abdab5fcc3bcb55e175&qid=1745764457&sr=8-5

@TheyreThreeTheyreSixTheyreNineandTen do you mind sending a link for the brush you have? I was looking for one but there are so many options on Amazon! Thank you

Oh sorry cross post!! Thank you @TheyreThreeTheyreSixTheyreNineandTen

Urgh I’ve just been down in my knees all morning clearing my old patio! I use this kind of thing - a hand tool version, but this telescopic version looks better for your back. I only tend to do it once a year. I’m thinking of putting new grout down if I can, but haven’t researched that yet.

www.amazon.co.uk/Darlac-Telescopic-Weed-Tool/dp/B003ZT7VLE/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?crid=1MBKKU5CVYI1M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JDJJOJPgQK7oziUiiuPme5Z9ZiPbp3Y4fB-XBd1ug26QF_7do1JuWxR6hBapnDE1tB1OUr2QFSqwjHQsarG3pLIrVnLdN4zyO3_oY951-n1znasZxylIZ1vYYnBR5DWdMZBYjgTgJ6rvk9FdzkgsDWpVz6byNPU-NZY4kL6Xvpv5OR63hQfGS5aeTH_X7WgUaasS-EX_IfQNgSuXjx5Dhg.vcCE_DVtcYXLBIVfMhYJ-ZEr2gQXVkT-QyPXLINHCrI&dib_tag=se&keywords=patio+weed+tool&qid=1745764769&sprefix=patio+weed+tool%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-14

Use SALT
pour it over the weeds
pour water on the salt - to get it to dissolve

1 week later all weeds gone
safe for pets and children
they do come back but not straight away.

Salt as above ^

@TheyreThreeTheyreSixTheyreNineandTen unfortunately we've tried that type of brush. It gets out some of them but not the really thick chunks of grass like weeds and it took forever. Honestly the paving stones are the current bane of my life. I think because we now spend more time outside playing with our toddler, it's all I can see.
@TammyJones I'll give salt a go.
Ultimately they do need replacing but it's just not an option with maternity leave and childcare costs following that.
I'm also not green thumbed at all, it's typical that I kill all my plants but my weeds grow like wildfire.

I feel you @Kitkat247its the bane of my life too and with a young family and both my DH and I working it's just a thankless task. I have tried one of those brushes above in the past but like you I didn't find it much use. We have looked to re grout but the caps between each slab is really deep so we have been told we would be better off just redoing the whole patio instead. Will give the salt a go

@Peanut91 it's so thankless. And we have a big garden. It takes over an hour for my husband to cut the front and back grass, even with the burner it takes a while. I'm useless while I'm pregnant but the weeds just make me feel a bit sad.
I keep hoping I'll win enough on the lottery to landscape and get the slabs replaced and use grout instead of sand.

Weed burner