How do I destroy this weed on the balcony?!

We currently still live in our rental apartment and since we planted the balcony for the first time, we have had problems with weeds. These come out of the joints.

In our opinion, the individual slabs were not laid really cleanly here and the gaps between the slabs, especially at the slabs on the very outside and towards the railing, are quite large.

When I pushed two larger pots apart today while setting up the umbrella and so on, I was almost shocked. There is half a wild meadow growing there! These weird weed creatures, see photo, have extremely thick stems and roots.

And really disgusting: many small gray animals live there, strange woodlice, which quickly ran back into the joints.

My quick grab for my joint cleaner was unsuccessful; I can't get to the roots at all.

Otherwise, it’s tedious: I pull weeds about twice a week, and yet dandelions and chives (yes!!) constantly grow out between the joints. Especially the latter I can’t get rid of with the joint cleaner.

Last year, I was already at a garden center looking for a weed killer and somehow they didn’t want to sell me anything proper. It would be difficult on a balcony, watch out because of the children, etc. I think I’ll go to a real hardware store early tomorrow morning and have to get some sort of chemical heavy hitter. Do you have any tips? Also gladly about special tools or material that could be sprinkled into the joints?

Try it like this: Buy a spray bottle with a volume of 500ml and whose spray head allows, in addition to a spray jet, also a fine, straight jet. Buy formic acid, preferably highly concentrated, as technical grade and dilute it with water to a 10% concentration. This solution is biodegradable within a short time and destroys unwanted weeds (as they are called) within 3-4 days. Regards: KlaRa

You forgot the photo! I have been told that 80% acetic acid is supposed to help against weeds and ants. However, it is not applicable on natural stone, so I have not been able to gain any experience with it. Best regards in brief

Put a kettle full of hot water on and then pour it over. Seems to work, the stems immediately sink to the ground and a week later the plant is completely brown and thus dead. I had seen that in some show. There was a guy from the city with a hot water device going around to clear pavement of weeds.

Alex, that is good. And non-toxic. Thank you.

my photo was too big again...

The thing with the hot water is good. But will I be able to get all of it, including the root?

This is slowly just getting really annoying. I believe that if we didn't tend to the balcony weeds for 2 weeks, there would be a jungle here.

I'm a bit worried about the chemicals because of the tiles. I have no idea what exactly it is, it won't be expensive stone, but if it turns white or discolored afterwards, moving out will be fun...