When weeds run amok in lawns, gardens, or walkways, gardeners usually only have two options to remove them: by hand or herbicide. They could choose to manually remove them, but that process is strenuous and often backbreaking. On the other hand, if gardeners choose herbicides, they could unknowingly introduce toxic chemicals to waterways and aquatic life as well as butterflies, bees and earthworms, especially if used incorrectly.

There is a third option though – steam. In conjunction with Oakland County’s Environmental Sustainability Strategic Goal, landscaping services use steam to remove weeds that sprout throughout the campus grounds, including on lawns, pavement gaps, and garden beds. It’s the same kind of steam you’d use at home to iron a shirt or cook vegetables but at hotter temperatures.