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Technically, dandelions aren’t bad for your lawn, and they don’t directly kill grass. In fact, they appear in areas that are nutrient-deprived, and their long taproots can loosen the soil and bring nutrients closer to the surface. 

However, dandelions do spread quickly, and they can take over your lawn, eventually crowding out grass. This is why a healthy lawn is the best defense against dandelions.

DIY solutions often lack precise formulation and distribution, potentially leading to lawn damage. Professional treatments optimize results with targeted applications.

There are organic herbicide options that will kill grass but not flowers, including white vinegar or a dish soap solution. Commercial selective herbicides can also target grass over other plants, but read the instructions carefully to avoid damaging your garden. Herbicides that kill grass but not flowers usually include ingredients like clethodim and sethoxydim. Otherwise, your best bet will be to weed by hand.

Glyphosate and other non-selective herbicides can kill orchard grass, but they will also kill the surrounding plants. Also, not all areas allow the use of glyphosate due to its environmental impact—which the EPA describes as a "potential risk to terrestrial and aquatic plants and birds, and low toxicity to honeybees." Consider mechanical removal to target the plants specifically.