There is nothing worse than removing weeds individually by hand. It is a laborious task that can take hours to complete and often involves bending down, which can put pressure on your back and your knees.

Some of the most common areas where weeds pop up are on patios and driveways. While these weeds are only usually small, they can make gardens and your home look untidy.

Unlike other plants, weeds can easily set seed and grow in poor soil which is why they can sprout in the most unlikely places.

Weeds can also compete with other plants in your garden for water, nutrients and sunlight.

Weeds can easily be removed using weedkillers, however, these often contain harmful chemicals that can harm other plants, local ecosystems and the surrounding environment. Synthetic chemicals can also be dangerous to use around children and pets.

If you're looking to avoid using harsh chemical herbicides to remove weeds, there are plenty of natural methods.

Gardener and writer Simon Akeroyd has shared the "easiest way" to remove weeds from cracks in your patio using an item you will already have at home.

Simon suggested to boil the kettle and use the water to kill the weeds. He said: "Carefully pour some boiling water over the weed. Most weeds will be dead within 24 hours."

He added that particularly stubborn weeds might need "one or two more boils" to kill them.

The gardening expert said this method should "kill off the entire weed", but if it does come back, it will usually be weaker and can be "finished off" with a second or third dousing.

When using this method, it's important to handle the kettle carefully and ensure you do not burn yourself. Hold the kettle close to the plant and try to avoid the boiling water splashing.

Simon said this method is better than using vinegars and other liquids as these will destroy the leaves but the root "survives and sends up new shoots".

Another natural method for keeping weeds at bay that doesn't involve using chemicals or vinegar is mulch.

According to Safer® Brand, mulch will "smother" weeds and block out light, which will stop them from growing.

Newspaper, leaves, straw and even a black tarp can be used to suffocate the weeds.

This method tends to work best in flower beds or large areas where there are lots of weeds growing.